College graduates who see clear connections between their coursework and their later employment place the highest value on their college education, a new large-scale consumer survey found.
The survey, conducted by Gallup in conjunction with Strada Education Network, which focuses on pathways between education and employment, included data from interviews with nearly 100,000 people who have completed college in the past two decades.
When asked whether their postsecondary education was worth the cost, graduates of vocational programs were the most likely to “strongly agree” (57 percent chose that option). Grad-school grads were the next most likely group to strongly agree (at 50 percent), and the least likely to do so were graduates of bachelor’s programs (at 40 percent).
Among graduates of four-year colleges, those majoring in health care disciplines and education gave their college experience the highest value ratings.