Higher education is a polarizing institution that lacks trust. Currently, only 36% of Americans have significant confidence in the institution.

That finding is according to a recent Gallup poll as Americans’ overall confidence in the college system has plummeted since 2015.

Between 2015 and 2023, the share of Americans who have a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in higher education declined 36.8%. Simultaneously, the share of Americans who have “very little” confidence rose 144%.