New research from the Lumina Foundation and Gallup finds strong confidence among current college students that their degrees will translate into employment.
The 2026 State of Higher Education Study, conducted in October 2025, surveyed U.S. students ages 18 to 59 pursuing associate and bachelor’s degrees.
9 in 10 Students Confident in Job Skills
About 90% of associate and bachelor’s degree students say they are confident or very confident that their degree will help them secure a job after graduation, with slightly lower responses among humanities and technology students.
In a separate November 2025 survey of alumni, 75% of graduates say their degree was critical or important to reaching their career goals. Among bachelor’s degree holders, 80% say it was critical or important, compared with 56% of associate degree holders.
Among recent bachelor’s graduates, 71% say they found a good job within six months of graduating, including 42% who had a job waiting at graduation. Associate degree graduates report lower rates of immediate job placement.
Majority Say Degree Was Worth the Cost
Seventy-five percent of current students and 71% of graduates say their degree was worth the cost.
The results contrast with broader public skepticism about higher education, even as most students and graduates report positive job outcomes.
