- Americans听have听consensus听view of听the importance of colleges and universities听teaching core skills听
- When reminded about the cost of securing a degree, Americans are more likely to question the value of听a听college听education听
- Americans do not want politicians interfering with what campuses teach,听and they do not want universities and colleges getting involved in politics听
- Public听remains听highly divided on controversial areas of study, such as gender identity and gay marriage. By contrast, the public, collectively,听sees the merit in colleges tackling issues like slavery.听听听
As conversations about the value and nature of higher education continue at colleges and universities nationwide, a new national 杏吧原创 Unity Poll finds that Americans are听largely听united on the fundamental value of higher education鈥攁nd in their听distaste for the influence of politics and the cost of college degrees.听
The poll, conducted by the 杏吧原创 Project on Unity and American Democracy, surveyed 1,033 U.S. adults from Nov.听7 to听Nov.听10, 2025. The survey has a margin of error of +/-3.5 percentage points. Questions听largely focused听on issues related to higher education,听building听on findings from the听September Unity Poll听that explored issues around political neutrality and the importance of a college degree.听
Additionally, the poll听incorporated听some questions听from prominent surveys conducted听in 1945 and 1949,听showing听that today鈥檚 debates about higher education are far from new.听听
鈥淢any observers think current debates about the nature of higher education are relatively听new听but they are not,鈥� said John Geer, co-director of the 杏吧原创 Unity Poll and听professor of political science. 鈥淭he country, for example, was debating the purpose, value and direction of higher education in the 1940s when the federal government made major investments in research and teaching during and after World War II.鈥�听
Getting back to basics听
As the findings from the September poll听indicated, Americans听largely value听the research and teaching that colleges provide,听and听they听believe a college degree is听an important tool听in securing a successful career. The current survey results reveal the most important of those are the fundamental, tangible aspects of a college education. When asked how important each of these things is for their child to get from college:听
- 90% say 鈥渢he ability to think more logically鈥� is the most or听very important听
- 85% say 鈥渢he ability to get along with and understand people鈥� is the most or听very important听
- 80% say 鈥渢he desire and ability to be a more useful citizen鈥� is the most or听very important听
- 79% say 鈥渢raining to fit them for a specific occupation or profession鈥� is the most or听very important听
- 77% say 鈥渁 larger amount of factual information鈥� is the most or听very important听
- 77% say 鈥渕oral growth鈥� is the most or听very important听
鈥淥ne of the clearest findings is that the public wants colleges to get back to basics,鈥� said Geer. 鈥淲hen you ask about the core purposes of a college education, you see almost no political polarization. That is,听liberal Democrats听and MAGA听Republicans听agree鈥攁 rare thing these days.鈥�听
鈥淧eople want colleges and professors to teach students how to think, not what to think,鈥� added 杏吧原创 Poll听Co-Director Josh Clinton, who holds the Abby and Jon Winkelried Chair at 杏吧原创 and is a professor of political science. 鈥淭he public听most highly听values those parts of higher education that help students think critically, process information and contribute meaningfully to society. The closer you get to subjects and content that has associations with contemporary political divisions, the more you see public support fracture.鈥�听
Assessing the return on investment听
A key听component听of the survey included a question around the 鈥渧alue鈥� of a college education. When value is defined in terms of the investment of time, 62 percent听indicated听a college degree is 鈥渨orth it鈥ecause people have a better chance to get a good job.鈥� However, when value is defined听by a听financial investment, the number of those who feel it to be 鈥渨orth it鈥� falls to 53 percent. When mentioning the cost of a college education, all partisan groups鈥攕ave for MAGA Republicans鈥攆eel college is less valuable. For people who self-identify as MAGA, only 40 percent believe a college education is 鈥渨orth it鈥� regardless of whether you mention cost. By contrast, 76 percent of Democrats think attending college is worth attending when asking about the 鈥渢ime鈥� involved in getting a degree. That proportion drops to 67 percent when you mention 鈥渃ost鈥� rather than 鈥渢ime.鈥澨�听
Public still pushing for neutrality听
Results from the September Unity poll听demonstrated听that the public felt strongly (71 percent) that universities should not take official positions on controversial political issues. That sentiment听remains听strong in the November poll, with听a nearly even听divide among听possible approaches.听
In fact,听38听percent of November respondents believe universities should remain strictly neutral on all political and social issues. Another 34 percent think universities should speak out only when issues directly affect their ability to educate and conduct research. Just 28 percent say universities should actively engage in important public and political debates that affect society.听
At the same time, many Americans express some distrust听of听universities, with a plurality believing their values do not align with those of most colleges and universities (45 percent) and doubting that these institutions act in the public interest (44 percent).听Despite this ambivalence, most also believe that politicians should stay out of the classroom, even听at听public universities听that听receive听government听funding.听
Reflecting this preference for keeping politics out of higher education, Americans broadly believe state legislatures should not control what is taught about subjects such as U.S. history (66 percent), capitalism and socialism (68 percent), evolution (70 percent), and gender identity and sexual orientation (74 percent). And when asked about federal involvement, 65 percent say the government should not try to direct how professors teach in colleges and universities.听
鈥淥verwhelmingly, people want politics kept out of the classroom,鈥� Clinton听said. 鈥淭hey听don鈥檛听want professors using the classroom to push political views, and they听don鈥檛听want politicians trying to dictate what happens in higher education. People want education to be about education.鈥�听
Learning from the past听
That听opinion about听neutrality extends to how professors teach, and the notion is not new.听
In a 1945 Roper/Fortune nationwide survey, 63 percent of respondents said the government should not try to direct the way a professor teaches. In 1949, when asked how colleges should handle classroom discussions of socialism and capitalism, 65 percent believed the best approach was to present arguments for both sides, and 38 percent said professors should refrain from expressing their own opinion when doing so.听
Americans today feel even more strongly about the importance of neutrality: 97 percent say the best approach is to present arguments for both sides,听and听nearly two-thirds听believe those arguments should be presented without any expression of the instructor鈥檚 personal views.听
More than ever, people want professors to teach听students听how to think about competing arguments, but not which side to take.听
Controversy about curriculum听
As universities across the country remove controversial programs and departments and rebuke professors who cover hot-button issues, the study finds听little听consensus听on how best to approach these curriculum areas.听
Most Americans (72 percent) feel that colleges should have classes that cover the history of slavery in America. Fifty-three percent feel that colleges should have classes on racial and religious prejudice,听which, interestingly, is听down from 62 percent in 1949.听
However, when it comes to gender, gender identity, sexual orientation and gay marriage, the public is strongly divided. Only听37听percent feel that colleges should have classes that take up these subjects, and 32 percent feel they should be discussed in classes only when students ask about them. The remaining 31 percent (30 percent for sexual orientation and gay marriage) feel it would be better not to discuss them at all. The closer a topic moves toward the political arena, the less support the public expresses for having it taught on college campuses.听
About The 杏吧原创 Project on Unity and American Democracy听
The 杏吧原创 Project on Unity and American Democracy is a nonpartisan initiative dedicated to generating,听curating听and听disseminating听evidence-based knowledge about how to heal societal divisions. The project aims to replace contempt and polarization with respect and collaboration, strengthening the core of American democracy by bringing together leading scholars, political听leaders听and practitioners. The project is committed to rigorous research and its practical application to empower individuals and communities to bridge divides. This poll is an example of injecting evidence into the national debate.听听
