Distrust of colleges unites Republicans and Democrats: seven in ten Americans say the system is on the wrong track

Distrust in the university education system is already a bipartisan issue. According to a new Pew Research Center survey, 70% of Americans believe that higher education in the United States is headed in the wrong direction.

According to the survey, negative perception is widespread and does not distinguish from Democrats, Republicans and independents, who are concerned about the level of education, lack of free speech on campuses and concerns about the job utility of college degrees.

Colleges and universities are on the wrong track, according to the vast majority of Americans

The Pew Research Center survey found that seven in 10 Americans believe the nation's higher education system is on the wrong track, a figure that reflects a steady deterioration in confidence in colleges and universities.

The study notes, "77% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say the higher education system is going in the wrong direction, compared with a smaller majority (65%) of Democrats and Democratic leaners. In both parties, these shares have gone up by at least 10 percentage points since 2020 – and the gap between Republicans and Democrats has narrowed."

The numbers, in that sense, are crystal clear: higher education, once a pillar of American progress, now faces criticism from across the political spectrum for both its financial model and its academic and cultural performance.

Unattainable costs for many and an education that no longer guarantees jobs

One of the most telling pieces of data concerns tuition costs: nearly eight in ten (79%) say colleges do a fair or poor job of keeping prices affordable. Discontent cuts across every social and political sector, reflecting national concern about student indebtedness and the real value of college degrees.

Coupled with costs, there is also a strong perception that higher education institutions are not adequately preparing young people for today's job market. On this data, Republicans (64%) are slightly more concerned than Democrats (47%). Although the partisan divide persists, the unease is shared: the education system, respondents say, seems to be disconnected from the real economy.

Lack of freedom of expression and crisis of critical thinking

The report also found that universities are increasingly viewed as restrictive when it comes to free speech. About 45 percent of Americans say campuses do a fair or poor job of exposing students to diverse opinions, and 46 percent say the same about opportunities to express their own ideas.

Skepticism reaches even key academic areas: nearly half (49%) rate universities' performance in developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills as fair or poor. To many, institutions seem more concerned with political correctness than rigorous intellectual training. This perception coincides with the Trump Administration's crackdown on the nation's leading houses of learning.

Mental health and financial aid are other outstanding debts

The research also reflects concerns about the emotional and financial support provided by universities to their students. Forty-six percent of respondents believe institutions do an insufficient job of providing mental health support to students in need, while 52% rate colleges' efforts to offer adequate financial aid as fair or poor.