College degree value debated amid 2026 graduate job market concerns
8 reported
A Vox article reports that while public confidence in the value of a college degree has declined, data suggests the investment remains worthwhile for most graduates. A late-2025 NBC News poll found 63 percent of voters said a college degree is not worth it, and a Gallup poll showed the share of Americans saying college is "very important" fell to 35 percent in 2025 from 75 percent in 2010. Recent graduates ages 22 to 27 had an unemployment rate of about 5.7 percent in early 2026, above the national average of 4.3 percent, and entry-level postings have fallen roughly 35 percent over the past 18 months. However, a 2025 Federal Reserve Bank of New York study found a median return on investment in a college degree of 12.5 percent after accounting for costs. Government data from 2024 showed median weekly earnings for bachelor's degree holders at $1,543, compared with $930 for high school graduates. A 2026 Gallup poll indicated about 80 percent of bachelor's graduates call their degree critical or important to their careers, and 71 percent said they landed a good job within six months. The article notes that employer hiring plans for the class of 2026 are being revised upward.
What’s reported
A late-2025 NBC News poll found 63 percent of voters said a college degree isn't worth it, against 33 percent who said it was.
A Gallup poll found the share of Americans saying college is "very important" fell to 35 percent in 2025 from 75 percent in 2010.
Recent graduates ages 22 to 27 had an unemployment rate of about 5.7 percent in early 2026, above the national average of 4.3 percent.
Entry-level postings have fallen roughly 35 percent over the past 18 months.
A 2025 Federal Reserve Bank of New York study found a median return on investment in a college degree of 12.5 percent.
Government data in 2024 put median weekly earnings for bachelor's degree holders at $1,543, compared with $930 for high school graduates.
A 2026 Gallup poll found about 80 percent of bachelor's graduates call their degree critical or important to their careers, and 71 percent said they landed a good job within six months.
Employer hiring plans for the class of 2026 are being revised upward.
Key figures
Chris Pan (commencement speaker at Ohio State)
Tom Kenny (commencement speaker at University of Vermont)
Bill Fagerbakke (commencement speaker at University of Vermont)
Bill Cosby (commencement speaker in 2001, later convicted of multiple counts of sexual assault, convictions later overturned)
Eric Schmidt (former Google CEO, commencement speaker at University of Arizona)
Gloria Caulfield (real estate executive, commencement speaker at University of Central Florida)
Scott Borchetta (record label honcho, commencement speaker at Middle Tennessee State University)
Ronny Chieng (The Daily Show, commencement speaker at Harvard)
Sources: vox.com
