Report · Money and Finance

Americans are split on getting a college degree online

Reading

Americans divide almost evenly over pursuing a college degree online, with one-third (33%) at least somewhat interested, including 11% who are very interested.

A nearly equal share (32%) are uninterested, including 21% who are very uninterested, according to a Verasight survey conducted Aug. 1-6, 2025. Another 21% already hold a college degree, and 14% are neither interested nor uninterested.

Topline

single choice

Topline distribution

Americans are split on getting a college degree online.

How interested would you be in online education for a college degree?

  • Somewhat interested 21.7%
  • I already have a college degree 21.3%
  • Very uninterested 21.3%
  • Neither interested or uninterested 14.0%
  • Very interested 11.3%
  • Somewhat uninterested 10.3%

2025 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.2%

Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Field dates
2025-08-01 → 2025-08-06
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.2%
Module
A

Source

Citation

Verasight Quirks Omnibus Survey, fielded August 1-6, 2025, N=1,000 United States adults, +/- 3.2%.

https://verasight-quirks-2025.tiiny.co

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.