Gallup-Lumina Foundation Study on Higher Education
Explore Gallup's research.
Interest in pursuing education beyond high school remains strong, according to the latest Lumina Foundation-Gallup State of Higher Education Study.
About a third of U.S. college students have considered leaving their program. Mental health and emotional stress remain the top reasons why.
Most students say their college does an "excellent" or "good" job promoting free speech and that they feel respected by other students and faculty.
Few current or prospective college students say four-year colleges charge fair prices, but most say the investment pays off within five years of graduation.
The Lumina Foundation-Gallup 2025 State of Higher Education Study finds that 25% of adults had difficulty completing their Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
Lumina and Gallup find Americans are more confident in community colleges than four-year universities. The greatest difference between the two is cost.
Americans now split into roughly equal thirds as to whether they have a lot of (36%), some (32%) or very little (32%) confidence in higher education.
Cost and program flexibility are leading reasons Americans without a degree or credential have left their postsecondary program, and about three-quarters of these learners have considered reenrolling in the past two years.
Mental health and emotional stress continue to be the most important reasons college students cite for considering quitting their program.
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.
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.