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Gallup-Lumina Foundation Study on Higher Education

Explore Gallup's research.

A majority of student loan borrowers who have not completed their degree say they have delayed at least one major life event due to their loan debt.

A Lumina study finds 71% of current and future students consider state reproductive policies in college choices; 80% prefer states with greater access.

A Lumina Foundation-Gallup study shows that 81% of students consider gun policies key in their college choice.

Black and Hispanic students are more likely than their White peers to report they have considered leaving their postsecondary program, and mental health and emotional stress are their main reasons for doing so.

Social & Policy Issues

Nearly seven in 10 Americans support the Supreme Court's ban on race in college admissions, with mixed reactions among different racial groups.

A recent Lumina Foundation-Gallup study shows that in 2022, Hispanic students enrolled in a post-high school program in the U.S. were more likely than any other race or ethnicity to feel discriminated against.

A recent Lumina Foundation-Gallup study found that Hispanic students struggle to stay in college more than students of any other race or ethnicity.

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Americans with at least some postsecondary education are about twice as likely to volunteer their time as those with no education after high school.

College education is still highly valued by U.S. adults, but concerns over accessibility persist.

Though enrollment in higher education has declined, most U.S. adults see great value in higher education, with demand among the unenrolled remaining high -- and even increasing among certain demographic groups.

Most U.S. college students (74%) say laws regulating the discussion of divisive topics are at least somewhat important to their decision to remain enrolled.

A state's reproductive health laws influence college students' and unenrolled, non-degree-holding adults' decisions to enroll in college.

See how WGU alumni outcomes compare to national averages.

Even with concerns about COVID-19 receding, students are no less likely to have considered stopping their coursework. "Emotional stress" remains by far their most commonly cited reason for thinking of "stopping out."

Social & Policy Issues

Black bachelor's degree students in the U.S. are more likely than all other bachelor's students to be caregivers or balance school with a full-time job.

Social & Policy Issues

About one in five Black postsecondary students say they "frequently" or "occasionally" feel discriminated against at their institutions. Reports of discrimination are higher among those in short-term credential programs.

Exploring perceptions around postsecondary education.

Download the State of Higher Education 2022 Report