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Is college still worth it? Americans weigh in on school costs, value of degree: poll

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Published  March 21, 2025 9:25am CDT
Education
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FILE-A student walks near Royce Hall on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

The Brief

    • More than half of respondents to a Gallup poll think four-year college costs are too high.
    • Forty percent say two-year college prices are more affordable. 
    • Americans differ on the value of having a degree with some saying it pays off sooner rather than later. 

The expensive cost of attending college and whether the financial investment is worth securing a degree differs between graduates and those pursuing their degrees.

College students divided on cost of school

By the numbers:

In a recent poll from the Lumina Foundation and Gallup 59% of respondents say they don’t think four-year colleges charge fair prices for what they offer students compared to 18% disagree, while another 22% said they aren’t sure.

However, when it comes to the cost of two-year colleges, 40% of respondents admit that these academic institutions charge fair prices, while 36% said no, and 24% are uncertain.

RELATED: The cost of college tuition surged the highest in these states

Meanwhile, currently enrolled students are more positive about their own school’s performance when it comes to managing tuition costs. 

According to the survey, over six in 10 associate degree students and more than four in 10 bachelor’s degree students rate their college as "excellent" or "good" regarding affordability. But 12% of associates and 28% of bachelor’s degree students admit their school is doing an inadequate job controlling costs. 

Is there value in having a degree?

Big picture view:

When respondents were asked how long they believe it would take to realize the value of their degree after graduating, 58% of current or prospective students think it takes five years or less, compared to 86% who admit that having a degree pays off in 10 years. 

Additionally, currently enrolled students in school are a little more positive about seeing a return on the college investment than those who have stopped going to college or never enrolled. The majority of these groups think the financial investment in a degree pays off in five years. 

RELATED: US companies increasingly eliminate college degrees as requirement amid 'out-of-control' school costs

Data for the poll was gathered from the Lumina Foundation-Gallup 2025 State of Higher Education Study, conducted on Oct. 2-31, 2024. The survey is based on 13,933 current and prospective college students aged 18 to 59 who have not completed a degree program. 

The report also includes data from Americans currently enrolled in college, who were enrolled in school but stopped taking courses toward a degree/credential, or have never been enrolled in college. 

The Source: Information for this story was provided by a Gallup poll that contains data from the Lumina Foundation-Gallup 2025 State of Higher Education Study, conducted on Oct. 2-31, 2024. This story was reported from Washington, D.C. 

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