Growing share of Americans say the U.S. higher education system is headed in the wrong direction

U.S. Higher Education System: A Growing Concern

A growing share of Americans believe the U.S. higher education system is headed in the wrong direction.

According to a new Pew Research Center survey, 70% of Americans say the higher education system is going in the wrong direction, up from 56% in 2020.

Both parties have seen an increase of at least 10 percentage points since 2020 in the share of people who say the system is going in the wrong direction.
Many give colleges and universities negative ratings in areas such as keeping tuition costs affordable and preparing students for jobs.

Majorities across all major demographic groups share the view that the U.S. higher education system is going in the wrong direction.

No specific quotes available in the text.

Author's summary: Americans increasingly dissatisfied with U.S. higher education system.

Pew Research Center — 2025-10-15