Market Research Foundation’s spring survey of 1,500 members of Generation Z – young people ages 13 to 23 – explored the social, political, and demographic factors that influence this generation’s increasing skepticism of college. We asked young people to rank their desire to attend college from low-level interest to high-level interest.
While a majority of those surveyed say they have a high desire to attend college, a majority do not believe college is necessary to achieve financial success and contribute to society. Young people who are planning to opt out of higher education share skepticism of the Democratic Party and the mainstream media, and are more likely to be white and male. A low desire to go to college is most common in Generation Zers who identify as Republican or Independent, and those who vote third party.
- Eighty-four percent of young people say it is possible to be successful and contribute to society in a meaningful way without getting a college degree, but 74% are worried about the social implications of opting out of college.
- Young people who voted third party in 2016 are over twice as likely as those who voted for either Trump or Clinton to say they have a low desire to go to college. Eleven percent of third-party voters have a low desire to attend college, versus 5% of Trump voters and 3% of Clinton voters.
- Negative views of the Democratic Party rise with the low-desire group. Thirty-six percent of the low-desire group disapproves of the Democratic Party, versus 27% of the high-desire group. Fifty-four percent of the high-desire group approves of the Democratic Party, but that drops to just 37% in the low-desire group.
- There is a negligible difference in views of the Republican Party between the high and low desire groups. In the low desire group, 33% approves of the GOP while in the high-desire group 34% approves.
- In terms of Trump support, nearly equal shares of high and low desire groups hold favorable and unfavorable views of him.
- Young Whites are over represented in the low desire to go to college group, and young men are slightly more likely than young women to have a low desire to attend.
- Family income is strongly correlated to views on college. Lower income individuals are over represented in the low desire to go to college group.
- The low-desire to go to college group is significantly more skeptical of mainstream news sources such as CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC, than the high-desire group. Forty-eight percent of the low-desire group disapproves of mainstream media, versus 32% of the high-desire group.
- Regionally, young people from Central and Mountain states including Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Montana, Wisconsin and Wyoming have the lowest desire to attend college, while those from South and Pacific states have the highest desire.
Sixty-six percent of respondents to the survey have a high desire to go to college, while 27% have a mid-level desire, and 7% have a low desire, as shown below.
Generation Z Believes Success Does Not Depend on a College Degree
While a majority of young people still say they have a high desire to attend college, Generation Z is in overwhelming agreement that a college education isn’t necessary to be successful. Overall, 84% of young people say someone can be successful and contribute to society in a meaningful way without getting a college degree.
Young people with a lower desire to attend college are more likely to hold this view. Ninety-one percent of low-desire Generation Zers think success and contribution are independent of a college education, versus 83% of high desire and 84% of mid-level desire Generation Zers. Majorities in all ethnic groups agree that financial success and contribution aren’t dependent on a college degree, but this view is less common among Hispanics than Whites and Blacks.
Most Generation Zers say they’re concerned about the social implications of opting out of college, even though they believe they can be successful without a degree. Seventy-four percent of young people agree with the statement: “If you tell people you don’t want or don’t think you need a college degree, they treat you like you aren’t very smart or are wasting your life.” Family socioeconomic status is strongly correlated to views on the social impact of opting out of college. Individuals from families in the $100K to $200K income bracket are the most likely to worry about the social implications of opting out of college. Seventy-nine percent of individuals from families in the $100K to $200K range agree with the “wasting your life” statement, versus 70% of those from families in the $200K and up bracket. Individuals in the lower- and middle-income brackets fall between these two extremes, at 76% for the under $25K group, 75% for the $25K to $50K group, and 74% for the $50K to $100K group. Below is a breakdown of agreement by income level.
Whites from Mountain and Central States Are the Most Likely to Pass on College
Demographically, there is a moderate gender gap among young people who do not wish to attend college. Among young men, 8% have a low level to attend, and among young women, 6% do. Young Whites are more likely than young Blacks and Hispanics to have a low desire to go to college. Eight percent of whites have a low desire to attend, versus 6% of both Blacks and Hispanics. Regionally, young people from Central and Mountain states including Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Montana, Wisconsin and Wyoming have the lowest desire to attend college, while those from South and Pacific regions have the highest desire. Young people who do not attend religious services are over twice as likely as those who do to have a low desire to attend college, and young people from lower income households are significantly more likely than those from higher income households to want to opt out of college.
Politically, a low desire to go to college is most common in Generation Zers who identify as Republican or Independent, and those who voted third party in 2016. Young people who voted third party in 2016 are over twice as likely as those who voted for either Trump or Clinton to say they have a low desire to go to college. Eleven percent of third-party voters have a low desire to attend college, versus 5% of Trump voters and 3% of Clinton voters, as shown below.
Among young Republicans, 9% have a low desire to attend college, while among Independents 7% have a low desire to attend college, and among Democrats 5% have a low desire to go to college, as shown below.
Low Desire to go to College Corresponds with Lower Favorability for Democrats
As a whole, the group of independent-leaning young people who openly state they have a low interest in college are not affiliated with either political party. There are minimal deviations between the high and low desire groups in terms of their views on president Trump and the Republican Party. Nearly equal shares approve of President Trump (33% of the low-desire group approve of him, versus 32% of the high-desire group). In the low desire group, 33% approve of the GOP while in the high-desire group 34% approve. However, favorable views of the Democratic Party decline steeply with the low-desire to attend college group. Fifty-four percent of the high-desire group approves of the Democratic Party, but that drops to 37% in the low-desire group. Negative views of the Democratic Party rise with the low-desire to attend group. Thirty-six percent of the low-desire group disapprove of the Democratic Party, versus 27% of the high-desire group.
Low Desire to go to College Corresponds with Disapproval of Mainstream Media News Sources
The survey included a question on how young people view mainstream media such as CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC. Young people who are willing to go against the mainstream push to attend college have significantly higher negative views of mainstream media than their peers.
Fifty-one percent of the high-desire to go to college group holds a positive view of mainstream media, but only 32% of the low-desire group does. On the flip side, 48% of the low-desire group disapproves of mainstream media, versus 32% of the high-desire group.
Market Research Foundation’s analysis indicates young Americans are seriously questioning the value of a college education, especially those from Mountain and Central states and lower-income households. Generation Z does not believe a college education is necessary to be a productive member of society, and young Republicans and Independents with higher levels of skepticism for mainstream news are more likely than their peers to say they’ll opt out of college. How this demographic shift will adjust the higher education business model, and the political landscape, remains to be seen.
