Messaging on College Affordability Findings and recommendations from a national online survey of adults February 2018
Methodology Focus Groups October 23rd in Orlando, Florida • Mixed race, mixed gender parents of HS age kids who plan on attending college • Mixed gender Latinos October 26th in Dallas, Texas • Millennials who have education debt; November 1st in Cincinnati, Ohio • Mixed gender non-college educated conservative whites with HH income <$75,000 • Mixed gender African Americans Online Dial Survey • 1000 adults nationwide, January 2-10 2018 • Oversamples: – 150 African Americans – 150 Latinos – 100 Asian Americans. 2 • M.O.E. +/- 3.1%
Defining Base, Opposition, and Persuasion Throughout the report we refer to targets as base, opposition, Demographics Total Base Opp. Pers. and persuasion. They were created using an index of support Men 49 42 62 50 for policies. Women 51 58 38 50 Under 30 22 22 14 23 Base – 27% of adults • Strongly favor every policy to make it easier to pursue an 30-39 17 18 8 18 education without debt. 40-49 17 22 18 15 • Worried about the next generation’s ability to afford 50-64 26 27 25 26 college. Over 65 18 12 35 18 • More likely to have student debt themselves or for a child. White 65 60 77 65 • More likely to be women, people of color, and Democrats. AA 12 16 5 11 Opposition – 11% of adults Latino 14 16 10 14 • Strongly oppose policies to make it easier to pursue and education without debt. Asian 6 6 4 6 • Believe it is up to the individual to pay for college and that Northeast 18 20 16 17 it is possible for students today to work their way through Midwest 22 18 35 21 college. South 38 38 31 38 • More likely to be men, over 65, white, and Republicans. Persuadable – 63% of adults West 23 23 18 23 • Are generally favorable toward policies that would make it Democrat 45 58 22 44 easier to pursue an education without debt. Indep/DK 12 10 6 14 • See a role for government to invest and make it easier for Republican 38 27 68 37 people to attend public 2- and 4-year colleges. 3 • More closely reflect demographics of the general public.
Education Debt
One in three adults have debt from student loans for themselves, a child, or another family member. Base adults are more likely to have debt. There is a stark racial difference in debt as non-college educated African Americans, Latinos, and Asian Americans have debt at the same or higher levels as white college graduates. Even one in four grandparents and one in eight retirees has debt from student loans. Do you have debt from student loans for any of the following? More Likely to Have Debt (Total Yes, %) All B P O All Adults 33 Women 37 24 29 23 15 For you Under 30 55 8 10 8 5 30 to 39 48 For a child 4-year College Graduates 48 For another family 5 3 6 6 Post Graduates 60 member White College Graduates 41 Black Non College Graduates 46 Black College Graduates 64 33 42 37 26 Total Yes, have Debt Latino Non College Graduates 41 Latino College Graduates 66 65 61 66 73 None of the Above API Non College Graduates 41 API College Graduates 51 Parents of Kids <18 50 Grandparents of Kids <18 24 5 Students 65 Retirees 12
People see the cost of attending as the largest barrier to completing education after high school. Base adults also believe working too much is a barrier, while opposition adults are more likely to say lack of quality preparation in high school or that the student isn’t dedicated to their education. Which of the following do you think is the largest barrier to completing an education after high school? And which is the second largest barrier? Base Pers. Oppo. The cost of attending 59 75 82 73 63 Working too many hours while in 9 32 39 29 33 school Lack of quality preparation in high 12 31 23 33 42 school Juggling responsibilities for family 8 29 35 29 15 and education Not being dedicated to one's 8 23 17 24 36 education 6 Largest Barrier Second Largest
People across audiences say someone like themselves is not likely to graduate from college without debt. People overwhelmingly believe that students should be able to work their way through college without debt, but only opposition adults think students actually can. These days do you think someone like Students today should be you can graduate from college without Students today can work able to work their way any debt or not? their way through college through college without without going into debt. going into debt. Not Yes No Sure Agree (Total 6-10) Disagree (Total 0-4) 21 65 13 90 All Adults 83 82 76 74 20 69 11 Base 49 47 46 45 20 67 13 Persuadable 37 36 30 56 14 Opposition 10 7 6 6 3 All B P O All B P O 7
Base voters are more worried about student debt than others. Base and persuadables worry about the next generation’s ability to afford college. Opposition voters worry about the next generation, but less so about their own children. How worried are you about How worried are you about How worried are you about student debt? your children and the next the next generation’s ability generation’s ability to to afford college? afford college? Total Total Not Worried Worried Total Worried Total Not Worried 49 46 All Adults 87 83 70 67 67 67 62 34 Base 59 49 45 46 49 Persuadable 34 29 27 27 26 14 34 64 13 Opposition All B P O All B P O 8
Base and persuadable adults worry that debt impacts someone’s ability to complete their education and save money. Opposition adults also worry about the impact on decisions to get married, start a family, or buy a home, and the impact on other family members. Which of the following impacts concerns you most when you think about someone with debt from public 2- and 4- year colleges? The impact on… Base Pers. Oppo. Ability to complete their 23 42 48 40 35 education Ability to save money 21 42 47 42 24 Decisions to get married, start a 18 32 31 32 34 family, or buy a home The career choice available 11 26 25 26 26 24 20 18 Their credit score 10 21 15 17 26 Other family members 8 17 9 Top Concern Second Concern
Base and persuadables are more likely to attribute increasing debt to stagnant wages or state funding cuts. Opposition adults blame college administrators for bad spending decisions and families for poor financial planning. Thinking about increasing debt from public 2- and 4-year college students have, which of the following do you think is the main factor behind the increasing debt? Base Pers. Oppo. Family income not keeping up 37 39 39 22 with the cost of living State government cuts to higher 18 24 18 7 education Fewer grants and scholarships 15 19 14 10 Bad spending decisions by college 11 5 12 24 administrators 6 9 26 Poor financial planning by families 10 6 8 12 Not sure 8 10
Policy Agenda
People think student debt is a serious problem. “Student debt” generates greater concern for base and persuadable voters compared to “debt from colleges and certificate training programs.” How serious of a problem do you think [student debt/debt from colleges and certificate training programs] is in America? [Split Sampled] All Voters Base Persuadable Opposition 98 95 92 92 86 85 84 59 77 70 57 54 45 38 28 24 Student Debt Debt from Student Debt Debt from Student Debt Debt from Student Debt Debt from colleges and colleges and colleges and colleges and certificate certificate certificate certificate training training training training programs programs programs programs 12
Americans strongly favor policies to enable more students to graduate without debt. Proposals for college and higher education programs in America: Favor or Oppose Favor Total Oppose Total Strongly Ensure all students can graduate from public 2- and 4-year colleges without 78 61 15 debt* Provide financial aid for college on a sliding scale to households based on their 78 58 15 income* 76 57 16 Provide financial aid for college to the neediest students and their families* Increase investment in public colleges so that no one has to go into debt in 76 56 17 order to complete their education 74 56 20 Ensure all students can graduate debt free from public 2- and 4-year colleges* 71 52 22 Make tuition to public colleges free for all households* Make tuition to public colleges free for households earning below $125,000 71 51 22 per year* 64 47 26 End remaining debt for borrowers still paying off their loans after 10 years* 64 45 26 End remaining debt for borrowers still paying off their loans after 5 years* 13 *split sampled
“Sliding scale…based on income” is stronger language with independents, Republicans, and persuadables than “neediest students and their families. Proposals for college and higher education programs in America: Favor or Oppose All % Total Favor Dem Ind Rep Pers Adults Provide financial aid for college to the 76 84 73 69 75 neediest students and their families . 57% 69% 50% 44% 46% strongly strongly strongly strongly strongly Provide financial aid for college on a 78 85 73 74 79 sliding scale to households based on their income. 58% 65% 56% 49% 50% strongly strongly strongly strongly strongly 14
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