Public confidence in American higher education has declined, reversing a brief recovery seen last year, according to a Gallup poll obtained by Fox News Digital on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. The poll found that just 38% of U.S. adults have a "great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in higher education, down from 42% in 2025.

Currently, 37% of Americans report having "some" confidence, while 25% express "very little" or no confidence. The share of the public with little to no faith in higher education rose from 10% in 2015 to 32% in 2024 before briefly decreasing to 23% last year.

A Gallup expert told Fox News Digital that three main factors contribute to declining confidence: the high cost of college, perceptions of a political agenda being taught on campuses, and concerns that institutions are not adequately preparing students for the workforce. This last point is increasingly significant as emerging technologies like AI may disrupt the job market, making workforce readiness more critical.

Gallup researchers noted that public confidence remains much lower than a decade ago but is not as negative as in 2024 when confidence and distrust were roughly equal. The recent drop in confidence was especially pronounced among Democrats after a slight recovery across all political groups last year.

The poll also highlighted that liberal faculty members still significantly outnumber conservatives in higher education, a factor that may influence perceptions of campus politics.

The challenge for higher education institutions is whether they can adapt their instruction to better prepare students for success in the evolving workplace.

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