Despite strong beliefs in the importance of higher education, 45% of young Americans said that a high school diploma can provide adequate preparation for today’s economy, according to a report carried out by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
The study, “Young Americans’ Views on the Value of Higher Education,” analyzed the viewpoints of teens and young adults aged 13-29 on the overall affordability, worth and benefits of pursuing a postsecondary degree.
There were 2,573 young Americans who participated in this research, including 769 teenagers aged 13-17 and 1,804 young adults aged 18-29.
“In an era when there has been so much focus on college affordability, we were interested in how young people viewed the value proposition for higher education,” said Dr. Jennifer Benz, principal research scientist and deputy director of the AP-NORC Center. “Do young people perceive a return on investment to attending college?”
In general, 48% of young individuals planned to attend, are currently attending or have attended a four-year college. On the other hand, 27% said the same about community college, vocational school or trade school, the report stated.
Differences emerged based on the participant’s race, ethnicity, economic status, generation and political affiliation.
Research found that for 56% of young Black Americans and 51% of young Hispanic Americans, completing a high school diploma was enough to prepare for future success. However, only 41% of young White Americans agreed.
