Many Americans with college degrees are not using them
Core finding
In a Verasight survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted Aug. 1 to 6, 2025, 34% of Americans said they are not currently using a college or university degree they earned in their job or daily life.
A similar share said they are using a degree they earned (34%), while 32% said they do not currently have a college or university degree.
Topline distribution
34% of Americans say they are not currently using a college or university degree they earned.
Are you currently using the degree you earned in college or university (post-secondary education) in your job or daily life?
n = 1,000 · Aug 1–6, 2025 · MoE ±3.2%
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | United States adults |
| Field dates | Aug 1–6, 2025 |
| Base (unweighted) | 1,000 |
| Margin of error | ±3.2% |
| Module | B |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- verasight-quirks-2025.tiiny.co
Are you currently using the degree you earned in college or university (post-secondary education) in your job or daily life?
Cite this question
Verasight Quirks Omnibus Survey, fielded August 1-6, 2025, N=1,000 United States adults, +/- 3.2%.