Report · AI & Tech

A clear path to higher income matters most when Americans choose a college program

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A quarter of Americans (25%) say that if they were choosing a college program today, a clear path to increasing their income and advancing their career would matter most, according to a March 2026 Verasight survey.

Low or no upfront tuition costs top the list for another 21%, while 19% say they wouldn't be interested in pursuing college at all. Smaller shares prioritize a schedule that fits around job and family responsibilities (14%), earning credit for work experience through real projects (10%), practical training in AI and emerging technologies (6%), or ongoing coaching to help them stay on track (4%).

Topline

single choice

Topline distribution

A clear path to higher income matters most when Americans choose a college program.

If you were choosing a college program today, which of the following would matter most to you?

  • A clear path to increasing my income and advancing my career 25.0%
  • Low or no upfront tuition costs 21.3%
  • I wouldn't be interested in pursuing college 18.5%
  • A schedule that fits around my job and family responsibilities 14.1%
  • Earning credit for work experience and building a portfolio based on real projects 10.2%
  • Learning how to use AI and emerging technologies in practical, job-relevant ways 6.3%
  • Ongoing coaching and support to help me stay on track and advance my career 4.5%

2026 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.4%

Module 1: Technology, Finance, & Media

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Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Field dates
2026-03-06 → 2026-03-16
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.4%
Module
Module 1: Technology, Finance, & Media

Source

Citation

Verasight Client Omnibus Survey #2026-044, fielded March 6-16, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.4%.

https://reports.verasight.io/r/omnibus-2026-044#q-1-22

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. When a wave report is published, its field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that report.

Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting.
Population
US adults age 18+.
Sample design
Surveys are run as omnibus or single-topic waves. Omnibus waves are split into modules with their own respondent set, typically around one thousand respondents per module.
Field window
Each wave specifies its own field dates. Most omnibus waves field across roughly two weeks.
Weighting
Per-module weighting to CPS targets including age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status.
Partisanship benchmark
Pew Research Center's NPORS benchmarking surveys, three-year running average.
Vote benchmark
2024 presidential vote population benchmarks.
Margin of error
Typically about plus or minus 3.4 to 3.6 percent per module at standard module sizes. Question-level MoE is recomputed when a base shrinks materially below the module baseline.
Reporting
The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io. Verified legacy reports remain on their original hosts, and unpublished reports are marked pending.
Transparency
Verasight is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research Transparency Initiative.

The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io; older reports may remain on verified legacy hosts.