Students in Tennessee and across the nation still have confidence in their coursework and professors but the general public's confidence in higher education continues to fall, according to a report from Lumina Foundation and Gallup.

Tennessee has 90 colleges and universities across the state.

Courtney Brown, vice president of impact and planning for Lumina Foundation, said a decade ago, about two‑thirds of Americans expressed strong confidence in colleges and universities but now only about a third do. She explained the three things the public is concerned about.

"They think higher education has become too political," Brown outlined. "Two, they don't think it's aligned with the workforce. And three, they think it's too expensive. It's not affordable."

Tennessee universities have a six-year graduation rate of 63.3%. New data from the fall 2025 report by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission shows total college enrollment is up about 2.9% statewide, with community colleges growing by 4.6%.

Brown noted while the public often believes there’s a disconnect between universities and the workforce, most students actually see it the other way around.

"When we talk to students, nine out of 10 of them say they're learning career-relevant skills," Brown reported. "They believe the degree that they're getting, with their current students, will help them get a job."

The report found just over half of college students said four-year universities do not charge fair prices, while 25% said the same of two-year colleges. Brown added more than 80% of students believe the overall investment is worthwhile.

"They believe the cost is worth it, but they don't believe colleges are charging fair prices," Brown explained. "They believe in the value. They just can't access it because it's too expensive; it's out of reach for them. And so that's an area that we really need to pay attention to."

Brown pointed out the study found many students said their professors encourage open dialogue. Students feel comfortable expressing their opinions, listening to others and sharing their views freely on campus.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.

Source: Public News Service