Majority Reject Four‑Year Degree Value

A nationally representative NBC poll finds 63% of registered voters now say a four‑year college degree 'isn't worth the cost,' including only 46% of degree‑holders who still view their own credential as worth it. The shift is large and rapid compared with 2013–2017 benchmarks and coincides with rising interest in vocational and two‑year programs amid tuition, debt, and AI‑driven labor changes. — If belief in the college premium collapses, expect sustained policy pressure for alternative credentialing, accelerated enrollment declines at four‑year institutions, and new political coalitions demanding re‑routing of public higher‑education dollars toward workforce and technical training.