Only 36% Of Americans Have Confidence In College Education

Americans are increasingly skeptical about the value and cost of college, with most saying they feel the US higher education system is headed in the "wrong direction," according to a new poll reported by Jocelyn Gecker for the Associated Press (AP).

This year's survey shows that 32% of respondents have little or no confidence in higher education.

Overall, only 36% of adults express a "great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in higher education, according to the report released by Gallup and the Lumina Foundation. This confidence level has steadily declined from 57% in 2015.

Concerns over student debt, high tuition costs, and political debates on educational content have contributed to this downturn, reflecting in declining college enrollment.

Among Republicans, high confidence in higher education has dropped by 36 percentage points over the past decade, significantly more than the drop among Democrats or independents.

This year's survey shows that 32% of respondents have little or no confidence in higher education, almost equaling those with high confidence. Experts warn that fewer college graduates could exacerbate labor shortages in critical fields such as healthcare and information technology.