Six in Ten Employers Trust Higher Education Despite Public Skepticism
Six in 10 U.S. hiring decision-makers express a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in higher education as an institution, according to a study by Gallup and the Lumina Foundation. Conducted between August 5 and August 18, 2026, the second annual employer study surveyed 2,500 U.S. employers across industries and organization sizes. This high level of workplace trust stands in sharp contrast to broader public sentiment, as just 38% of U.S. adults expressed similar confidence in higher education in June of that year.
Artificial Intelligence Sets Higher Expectations for College Degrees
Nearly half of employers surveyed—48%—expect artificial intelligence to make college degrees more important over the next five years. Only 26% of hiring decision-makers anticipate that credentials will become less important as automated tools spread through the workplace. This bullish view on formal education is most prevalent in sectors that traditionally recruit graduates, including information at 59%, financial activities at 53%, trade and utilities at 49%, and education and health services at 49%.
Firm Size and Industry Drive Confidence and Hiring Preferences
Employer confidence and degree preferences vary widely depending on the scale of the organization and its specific economic sector. Smallest employers, defined as businesses with fewer than 10 employees, report the lowest confidence in higher education at 44% and are the least likely to prefer degree holders at 62%. By contrast, larger organizations show much higher trust. Trust peaks at 70% among employers at organizations with 500 to 999 employees. Across the broader economy, 80% of hiring decision-makers prefer candidates who have a college degree even for roles that do not strictly require one, including 31% who strongly prefer a degree.
Sector differences mirror these operational divides. Confidence reaches 70% in the information and education and health services sectors. Meanwhile, trust drops to 51% in professional and business services and 52% in leisure and hospitality. Despite these sectoral variations, majorities in every measured category maintain confidence in higher education institutions.
Frequently Asked Questions About Employer Confidence and AI
How many employers were surveyed for the Gallup and Lumina Foundation study?
The research is based on an opt-in online survey of 2,500 U.S. employers who make hiring decisions for their organizations, conducted from August 5 to August 18, 2026.
Which organization size reported the highest confidence in higher education?
Employers at organizations with 500 to 999 employees reported the highest level of institutional confidence at 70%.
What percentage of employers prefer candidates with an associate or bachelor’s degree?
Eighty percent of employers prefer candidates with a degree regardless of whether the specific role requires one, with 68% preferring a candidate with at least a bachelor’s degree and 71% favoring an associate degree.