Ivy League schools have long captured the hearts and minds of Americans and are often believed to represent the best possible educational endeavors available in the United States. Yet a new survey from Data for Progress reveals that Americans’ views now differ. Many have come to believe that technical and community colleges are more valuable than our most famous name-brand institutions.
The survey, released in Dec. 2024, polled 1,216 U.S. respondents. Generally, the data show that while Americans have differing opinions on whether higher education is worth the cost, a new trend favors technical and community colleges over Ivy League schools.
As the above data indicate, a mere 69 percent of respondents believe that Ivy League colleges and universities offer a “very” or “somewhat” high educational value. Meanwhile, 85 percent of respondents said as much about trade or technical schools.
The survey also inquired about the cost of college. The vast majority of voters believe that college is too expensive, with 87 percent of Democrats, 82 percent of Republicans, and 80 percent of independents agreeing.
At a near even split, 48 percent of respondents agreed that college is worth the cost, while 45 percent disagreed (seven percent were unsure). Fewer than half of Republicans and independents believe the benefits of college outweigh the costs (44 and 39 percent, respectively), compared to 57 percent of Democrats.
A mere 69 percent of respondents believe that Ivy League colleges offer a “very” or “somewhat” high value. With student-loan debt a hot topic in today’s political climate, it’s no surprise that many now believe college is too expensive. Rather than simply jump-starting one’s career, college saddles many with debt that follows them for far longer than anticipated. As such, it’s no surprise that many are taking a careful look at the educational options available to them and declaring value to be a top priority.
Harvard ($56,550 per year) is surely a better school than Bunker Hill Community College (approximately $12,500). But is it $88,000 better (over two years) for everyone? Obviously not.
One interesting thing to note is that trade-school enrollments grew 4.9 percent from 2020 to 2023. Over the same time period, traditional higher-education enrollment dropped by 0.6 percent. Many choose the trade-school route for one of two reasons: It’s faster and cheaper than traditional higher education. So while enrollment in traditional four-year programs is waning, many are turning to trade schools to improve their career opportunities.
While Ivy League schools still dominate the conversation, Americans have begun to value community and trade schools more. The average American is not as concerned with the prestige of the Ivy League if it comes at such a high price. Indeed, more than half of respondents (64 percent) support increased funding for trade colleges, a figure that drops to just one-third for private universities. Legislators should take note: Focus on improving trade and community schools before worrying about the big behemoths.
Grace Hall is a communications assistant at the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal. She works and lives in Georgia.
Author
Grace Hall
