Many Americans count a high earner without a degree as working class
Core finding
A majority of Americans (56%) say the person who better fits the description of working class is someone without a college degree in the top 25% of the income distribution, according to an October 2024 Verasight survey.
The other 44% say the label belongs to someone with a graduate degree in the bottom 25% of the income distribution. For most, a missing degree outweighs a high income in deciding who counts as working class.
Topline distribution
Many Americans count a high earner without a degree as working class.
Which of the following people better fits the description of “working class”?
n = 1,000 · Oct 1–11, 2024 · MoE ±3.4%
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | US adults age 18+ |
| Field dates | Oct 1–11, 2024 |
| Base (unweighted) | 1,000 |
| Margin of error | ±3.4% |
| Module | media_fin |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- verasight-apsa-2024.tiiny.co
Which of the following people better fits the description of “working class”?
Cite this question
Verasight APSA Omnibus Survey #2024-103, fielded October 1-11, 2024, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.4%.