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Does Gen Z Think College is Worth It?

Recent headlines suggest young people don’t find college degrees valuable anymore, but YPulse data shows most Gen Z still believes it will play a big role in their success….

Written and Edited by the YPulse Editorial Team

Sep 9 2025
North America

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Students and college graduates’ view on the value of college degrees aren’t swinging wildly as recent headlines might suggest
While many might be rethinking the necessity of college, they still recognize the value of a degree for their future success
Despite all the noise about post-pandemic shifts or AI making degrees irrelevant, students’ positive perception of degrees has remained steady in recent years

For years, a college degree was framed as the golden ticket—a guaranteed path to a good job, stability, and long-term success. Millennials, in particular, grew up hearing that college wasn’t just a choice, it was a necessity. But that mindset has been shifting; today’s students and recent graduates have been questioning whether a degree still holds the same value it once did. They’ve watched Millennials struggle under the weight of loans, and they can see online in real time that success can come from paths outside of college. Plus, more companies have embraced skill-based hiring lately, where practical experience and...