Majority of Parents Favor College Attendance for Their Kids, According to Gallup Poll.
Parents Favour College Over Other Post-High School Pathways, According to Gallup and Lumina Foundation Survey
A new survey conducted by Gallup and the Lumina Foundation reveals that a majority (59%) of American parents with children under the age of 18 prefer their child to attend college immediately after high school in 2025. This preference for higher education is evident across various college pathways.
Specifically, 40% of parents favour enrollment in a four-year college or university, while 19% prefer a two-year or community college. Other preferences include 16% wanting their child to enter a job training or certification program, 5% to join the military, and 6% to go straight into the workforce. Additionally, 13% think their child should take time off after high school to decide their next steps.
This data indicates that traditional college pathways remain the dominant post-high school preference among parents, with community colleges and vocational training as secondary options. This strong support for higher education reflects a continued belief in the value of college despite some growing awareness of varied routes like certifications or direct work entry.
The survey was conducted in June 2025, with a representative sample of 2,017 U.S. adults, including 554 parents of children under 18. This provides a current and broad view of parental preferences about post-high school education.
Among non-parents, 23% prefer that the child enroll in a two-year college immediately after graduation, while 6% prefer military service and 6% favour immediate workforce entry. Interestingly, 55% of non-parents prefer that the children they know pursue a college pathway.
Democrats are the most likely to favour a college pathway for their child, with 73% expressing this preference, followed by independents at 57% and Republicans at 48%. However, among Republicans and those without a college degree, there is a higher preference for two-year colleges or job training programs.
Despite political affiliations, there were no meaningful differences associated with whether parents wanted their child to attend a two-year or community college.
Confidence in higher education has increased among Americans, with 42% saying they have "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in higher education, a six percentage-point gain over the past two years.
This survey provides valuable insights into parental preferences for post-high school education in the United States. While alternative paths such as job training and military service have some support, most American parents still prioritize college as the preferred immediate step after high school.
[1] Gallup and Lumina Foundation. (2025). Parental Preferences for Post-High School Education. Retrieved from [link to the source] [2] National Center for Education Statistics. (2025). Trends in K–12 Enrollment and School Quality. Retrieved from [link to the source]
- The survey conducted by Gallup and Lumina Foundation reveals that the education-and-self-development pathway of immediate college attendance remains the dominant post-high school preference among American parents, with traditional four-year colleges and community colleges being the preferred choices.
- In the realm of general-news, the study also shows that while parental preferences for college degree programs can vary based on political affiliations and educational background, the support for higher education as a whole continues to be strong among American parents.
