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After years of economic growth following the Great Recession, people still feel anxious about the economy and see higher education as essential for improving personal financial circumstances. While New America's second annual survey about perceptions on higher education shows that Americans believe pursuing education beyond high school is important for career growth and economic security, they still feel that higher education is not fine the way it is, and that government should do more to make it affordable.

New America surveyed 1,600 Americans ages 18 and older to better understand their perceptions of higher education, economic mobility, and government funding. Like last year, the survey shows unifying themes, as well as differences across various demographics when it comes to the value of education beyond high school in today's economy and the government's role in funding this education. We pay particular attention to the similarities and differences of opinion among Republicans, Democrats, and Independents in this election year.

Our top findings include: Americans believe well-paying jobs require education after high school; Americans believe education after high school creates opportunities; Americans want change in higher education; Americans believe public colleges and universities are worth the cost but feel mixed about private and for-profit colleges and universities; Regardless of demographics, Americans like their local colleges and universities; Americans support workforce-based programs such as apprenticeship; and Americans believe higher education is a public benefit and that the government should do more to make it affordable.

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As states around the country begin to grapple with the economic effects of [Coronavirus Disease 2019] COVID-19, discussions about value, funding, and accountability in higher education will be front and center. The Varying Degrees Survey, which seeks to understand how Americans view higher education, was fielded in February 11-24, 2020, before the full force of the pandemic hit the U.S. What was learned will provide an important baseline to help measure how perceptions change over the course of this public health and economic crisis, while informing policy decisions in a post-pandemic world.

Our top findings this year include: Americans believe that education beyond high school creates more opportunities, is worth the investment, and promotes social mobility - about four in five Americans think people who pursue further education after high school will have more job opportunities than those who do not; While Americans believe in the value proposition of education beyond high school, they also believe higher education needs to change - only one-third of Americans believe higher education is fine the way it is; and The vast majority of Americans (90 per cent) believe that publicly available data on low graduation rates, high dropout rates, low earnings, and high student loan default rates are important indicators of quality.

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Americans believe in the tremendous potential of higher education, but they also feel that higher education is falling short of that promise. New America's inaugural annual poll about perceptions of higher education reveals a gap between what higher education could, and should, be and what higher education currently is. Responses from 1,600 Americans aged 18 and older enable a better understanding of perceptions and knowledge relating to higher education and economic mobility. The survey shows unifying themes as well as differences across age, gender, generation, region, and socioeconomic status when it comes to the value of a college education, who is responsible for student success, the ideal role of government, and the goal of higher education.

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Varying Degrees is an annual survey about Americans' perspectives on education after high school. Now in its seventh year, Varying Degrees continues to ask Americans for their opinions on critical questions related to the value of educational opportunities after high school, how higher education is funded, and how we hold colleges and universities accountable for that funding. The survey this year, with a sample size of 1,497 adults, for the first time explores Americans' perspectives on the benefits that education after high school can bring to individuals and society at large, and whether they think students can equitably access college and succeed in obtaining their degrees. As in previous years, this year's findings show that while Americans acknowledge the value of education after high school, they do not believe it is affordable for everyone who wants to enroll, and want to see change in higher education. Seven in ten Americans believe that their close family members need to complete at least some amount of education beyond high school to ensure financial stability: nearly 40 per cent think the minimum level should be at least a bachelor's degree. At the same time, only about half think Americans can get a high-quality education after high school that is also affordable, and that education after high school is affordable to anyone who wants to pursue it.

Other key findings include: (1) A majority of Americans believe that individuals with undergraduate credentials (i.e., certificate, associate, or bachelor's degrees) earn more and enjoy greater financial stability. Furthermore, more than 70 per cent think that individuals with undergraduate credentials contribute to greater civic engagement, lower unemployment rates, and better public health within their communities; (2) Six in ten Americans believe that the government is responsible for funding education after high school because it is good for society. However, this question continues to show the rift between Democrats and Republicans: while as much as 78 per cent of Democrats agree that the government should fund education after high school, only 36 per cent of Republicans think so; (3) Eighty-five and 66 per cent of Americans, respectively, think community colleges and public four-year colleges are worth the cost. More than 80 and nearly 70 per cent, respectively, would be comfortable supporting community colleges and public four-year colleges with tax dollars; (4) Nearly 80 per cent agree that programs should lose eligibility for federal financial aid if they consistently leave students deeply in debt relative to their earnings, or if they consistently fail to help graduates earn more than those who complete only a high school diploma. Four in five Americans agree with recouping money from institutions for borrower defense discharges; (5) Three-fourths of Americans believe that federal and state government and colleges and universities should work to ensure that students from historically underrepresented backgrounds have access to higher education opportunities. Nine in ten Americans agree that colleges and universities should ensure adequate support services are provided to those students who need them, and 78 per cent of Americans agree that all students benefit when colleges and universities reflect the racial diversity of the United States.

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1,517 Americans ages 18 and older were interviewed to better understand their perceptions of education after high school, including oversamples of Black, Latinx, and Asian Americans, and student loan borrowers. It provides important trend data to judge how attitudes about the value of education after high school, how it is funded, and how it should be held accountable have changed over the past six years, particularly since the [Coronavirus Disease 2019] COVID-19 pandemic.

Key findings from this year include: Americans continue to believe in the value of pursuing educational opportunities after high school; Education after high school continues to offer a good return on investment; Various higher education sectors contribute to a strong American workforce; Online education quality is seen as similar to in-person education, but it should cost less; Americans are split on whether someone can get a high-quality education after high school that is also affordable; Government must spend more money on higher education to make it affordable; Public colleges and universities are worth the investment; and Americans continue to strongly support holding colleges and universities accountable.

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New America's Varying Degrees 2021 survey interviewed 2,620 Americans ages 18 and older to better understand their perceptions of education after high school, including oversamples of Black, Latinx, Asian Americans, current undergraduate students, and student loan borrowers. It provides important trend data to judge how attitudes about the value of education after high school, how it's funded, and how it should be held accountable have changed over the past five years, particularly since the [Coronavirus Disease 2019] COVID-19 pandemic. This year we pay particular attention to the pivot to online education and the response of colleges and universities during the COVID-19 crisis. We also focus on President Biden's education after high school policy priorities.

Our key findings this year include: Education after high school continues to offer a good return on investment and prepares a strong American workforce; The quality of online education, however, is questionable compared to in-person instruction and should be less expensive; Americans are mixed about whether students have affordable access to education after high school; Americans want colleges to be transparent about their outcomes, and they want them to be held accountable for taxpayer investment; Americans believe President Biden and Congress should prioritize free community college when it comes to higher education policy; A majority of Americans think that those colleges and universities that decided to hold in-person classes fall 2020 made the right decision; Americans do not believe standardized test scores should figure prominently in admissions decisions; and Americans widely support discharging student loan debt for those students who attended schools that misrepresented their programs or outcomes.

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Americans' opinions about higher education are complex. Understanding this complexity is important for learning how to talk about the value of educational pathways after high school and crafting thoughtful policy solutions to meet the needs of today's students. This is the reason we engage Americans every year, asking questions other surveys do not delve into, and digging deep to reveal the sentiments and nuance of people's thoughts about higher education, its value, who should fund it, and what the government's role should be.

This report marks the third year of New America's Varying Degrees survey, and represents a complete overhaul. Given the great strides online survey research has made, we transitioned to an online/telephone design using AmeriSpeak, a representative panel developed by NORC at the University of Chicago. AmeriSpeak allows us to capture better representation of harder-to-reach populations such as young adults, current students enrolled in higher education programs, and oversamples of African American, Latinx, and Asian American populations.

As in previous years, the survey shows unifying themes, as well as differences among various demographics when it comes to questions about the value of and funding for education opportunities after high school. Since the United States is gearing up for a presidential election, special attention is paid to the opinions of Republicans, Democrats, and independents.

Our top findings this year include: Americans think that well-paying jobs may not require education after high school, but they believe that education after high school creates better opportunities; Americans want change in higher education; Only half of Americans think education after high school Is affordable and they believe government funding should be increased; Americans think we need to hold colleges and universities accountable; Americans want admissions at elite colleges and universities to change; Americans value various educational pathways after high school; Americans believe public colleges and universities are worth the cost; Americans feel positively about their local colleges and universities; and Voters slightly support free college in the 2020 election.

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