Poll: Unlike many Americans, Utahns are generally happy with how their colleges are doing

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's commissioner of Higher Education, Geoffrey Landward, recently participated in a gathering to discuss research that reaffirmed the benefits of higher education — ranging from increased career earnings to better health and community involvement.

The data, collected by the University of Utah's Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, revealed that colleges and universities are graduating students who avoid poverty and report "happiness" and "career confidence" at levels significantly higher than their neighbors who did not pursue post-secondary education.

Landward was asked at the gathering why many Americans seem leery of higher education — despite clear research confirming its value to individuals and communities.

"The perceptions around the value of higher education are misaligned with the realities of the value," agreed Landward.

That's a challenging paradox, he added, suggesting "that the conversations around higher education are conversations focusing on the wrong thing."

The commissioner's concern that the positive messages surrounding higher education are being distorted appears correct. A 2024 Gallup poll revealed that an increasing proportion of U.S. adults say they have little or no confidence in higher education.

"As a result, Americans are now nearly equally divided among those who have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence (36%), some confidence (32%), or little or no confidence (32%) in higher education," the report noted.

"When Gallup first measured confidence in higher education in 2015, 57% had a great deal or quite a lot of confidence and 10% had little or none."

Mixed perceptions about higher ed: Utah vs. nationwide

So how are Utahns — living in a state where over 60% of adults have attained some form of postsecondary education — feeling about higher education these days?

A recent Deseret News/Hinckley Institute poll suggests almost two-thirds of Utahns approve of the job Utah colleges and universities are doing. But they are far less approving of the performance of colleges and universities nationwide.

The poll, conducted last month by HarrisX among 805 registered voters, found that 17% of Utahns "strongly approve" of the job Utah's higher education institutions are doing. Almost half (48%) said they "somewhat approve."

Meanwhile, 16% said they "somewhat disapprove" — while 4% "strongly disapprove."

Utahns are far more critical of the nation's colleges and universities.

Less than half of those polled offered a thumbs-up to the job colleges and universities are doing across the country. Only 12% said they "strongly approve" of colleges nationwide — while 35% "somewhat approve."

A quarter of respondents said they "somewhat disapprove," with the "strongly disapprove" group climbing into the double-digits (10%).

Top priorities for Utah college campuses?

The Deseret News/Hinckley poll also asked what Utah colleges and universities should prioritize to best serve their students.

Preparing students for successful careers and keeping tuition affordable were noted by 70% or more of the respondents.

Of less importance — but still notable, according to the poll, was "offering a well-rounded education" and "expanding opportunities for internships and professional development."

"Supporting opportunities for traditionally underrepresented groups" and "Providing a vibrant campus life" were not considered top priorities by a large number of respondents.

Aligning Utah's college students with industry needs was a high priority for lawmakers during the 2025 legislative session. The state's eight degree-granting institutions are now required, over the next three years, to reallocate state funds to programs that best prepare graduates for optimal success.

Boosting trust in higher ed

Landward identifies a possible reason why some still look askance at higher education — while suggesting a couple of remedies.

Americans' conversations about higher education are often focused on social concern issues, he said. So perceptions about what's happening on college campuses have become increasingly politicized.

As a result, a small percentage of what happens on college campuses often becomes the entire conversation.

"That undermines people's trust in what's happening at higher education — and I think they conflate their concerns around that trust with value," said Landward.

The commissioner noted that educators and proponents of higher education can do a couple of things to refocus the conversations:

First, become more responsive to the public's political and social concerns about what's happening on college campuses. Don't ignore concerns — and try harder to understand them.

But it's also essential, he added, to simultaneously communicate to people "that those concerns represent a very small percentage of the activities that happen on our campuses."

And second, said Landward, higher education proponents must "make the compelling case as to the value proposition itself."

Acknowledging challenging perceptions and issues, he added, "helps restore trust in our institutions of higher education — and when trust is restored, the conversation around value can change."

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