Growing Support to

Make College Free

Research for the Campaign for Free
College Tuition
 Research Objectives and Methodology
PSB conducted six surveys of the American general public to identify the
most effective ways to build support for free college tuition.
Research Objectives Quantitative Survey Methodology

• Gauge overall support for free college tuition
• Compare the results by phrasing as free
tuition vs. free post-high school skills
training
PSB conducted six online surveys of
Americans ages 18+:
• December 5-8, 2016 N=834 (MOE +/-3.39%)
• April 3-6, 2017 N=1001 (MOE +/-3.10%)
• August 8-11, 2017 N=1000 (MOE +/-3.10%)
• September 5-8, 2017 N=1025 (MOE +/-2.19%)

• Determine which free-college messages •

•
November 6-10, 2017 N=803 (MOE +/-3.39%)
February 5-7. 2018 N=800 (MOE +/-3.45%)
are most believable and persuasive
Samples were weighted by age, gender, race,
education level and region.
 Measuring Support for Free Tuition

Respondents were asked their level of support for free college tuition. Specifically:

“Do you favor or oppose your state providing free tuition at public universities or
colleges for anyone who is academically qualified?”

Respondents could choose:

Ø Strongly support
Ø Somewhat support
Ø Somewhat oppose
Ø Strongly oppose
 Trends by Age – Overall Support Somewhat Support

Strongly Support

24
26 24
29 31 25
28
31 33 41 39 35
33
31 33
37 33 47 28 34 39
Somewhat 35
38 32 29 33 34
Support 36 35 36 39
35
39 43
33 41

66 64
62 62
58 57 58
47 50 48 46 47 45 48 45 48 43
Strongly
40 41 37 39 39 37 39 37
Support 35 36 33 34 34
27 28 31 31
23 24

Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb

All 18-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

December 16’-QTUITION2/ April 17’-QPRETUITION2/ August 17’-Q3/ September 17’-QLA2/ November 17’-QLA14/ February 18’-QJM1
4
Do you favor or oppose your state providing free tuition at public universities or colleges for anyone who is academically qualified?
 Trends by Gender – Overall Support Somewhat Support

Strongly Support

30
31 31 35
33 31
31 33
37 31 31 34
33 40
Somewhat 39
38 38
Support 33

56
50 48 48 51 48
47 44 44 46
Strongly 41 43
40
Support 35 34 36 35 36

Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb

All Male Female

December 16’-QTUITION2/ April 17’-QPRETUITION2/ August 17’-Q3/ September 17’-QLA2/ November 17’-QLA14/ February 18’-QJM1
5
Do you favor or oppose your state providing free tuition at public universities or colleges for anyone who is academically qualified?
 Trends by Education – Overall Support Somewhat Support

Strongly Support

31
31 28
31 33 31 29 29
31 40 39
35 34 33
37 33 36 35
Somewhat 41
38 30
Support 34 30
37

52 55 53
50 48 50 50 51
47
Strongly 41 41 41 43 43 43 43
40 40 38 37
Support 35 36 34
30

Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb

All HS or less Some College College+

December 16’-QTUITION2/ April 17’-QPRETUITION2/ August 17’-Q3/ September 17’-QLA2/ November 17’-QLA14/ February 18’-QJM1
6
Do you favor or oppose your state providing free tuition at public universities or colleges for anyone who is academically qualified?
 Trends by Race/Ethnicity – Overall Support Somewhat Support

Strongly Support

25 30 25
25 22
20 25
29 27 23
35 34
31 52 39
33 41 34
31
37 33 37 35
33
Somewhat 33
38
Support 35 36 31
39

69 67 69 68 66
65 63
58 59 61
50 52 52
47 48 47 47
Strongly 41 43 44 41 42
40 39 40
Support 35 33 36
29 32

Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb*

All White Black Hispanic Asian + Other

December 16’-QTUITION2/ April 17’-QPRETUITION2/ August 17’-Q3/ September 17’-QLA2/ November 17’-QLA14/ February 18’-QJM1
7
Do you favor or oppose your state providing free tuition at public universities or colleges for anyone who is academically qualified?
 Trends by Party Identification Somewhat Support

– Overall Support Strongly Support

28 29
32
31
41 36
31
31 33 28
31 40 35
37 33
Somewhat 39
38
Support 38
34
33 32
36 28
35
64 65
58 61
50 52 50 52
47 48 48
Strongly 41 43 44
40
Support 35 33 35
32
28 26 28
21 23

Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb*

All Democrat Republican Independent

December 16’-QTUITION2/ April 17’-QPRETUITION2/ August 17’-Q3/ September 17’-QLA2/ November 17’-QLA14/ February 18’-QJM1
8
Do you favor or oppose your state providing free tuition at public universities or colleges for anyone who is academically qualified?
 Trends by Ideological Alignment Somewhat Support

– Overall Support Strongly Support

22 21

36 29
40 36
34 39
31 33 39
31 41 39
37 33
Somewhat 45
38
Support 32
33
30
33 26
70 72 30
61
57
50 50 53 52
47 48 46 48
Strongly 41 43 43
40
Support 35 35 33
27 28 29
21 23

Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb Dec Apr Aug Sept Nov Feb

All Liberal Conservative Moderate

December 16’-QTUITION2/ April 17’-QPRETUITION2/ August 17’-Q3/ September 17’-QLA2/ November 17’-QLA14/ February 18’-QJM1
9
Do you favor or oppose your state providing free tuition at public universities or colleges for anyone who is academically qualified?
Support for Various
Messages Advocating
Free Tuition
 Approach to Message Testing

PSB tested eight messages advocating free college tuition

Ø Respondents rated each message on two metrics: Believability and Persuasiveness

Ø For each metric, respondents rated each message on a four-point scale:

Believability Persuasiveness

Ø Very believable Ø Very persuasive

Ø Somewhat believable Ø Somewhat persuasive
Ø Not very believable Ø Not very persuasive
Ø Not at all believable Ø Not at all persuasive

11
 Americans are most likely to believe cost should not prohibit access to college

Though the public is slightly less likely to be convinced that college education will lead to higher paying, more stable jobs

Believability of Various Statements Regarding Free College Tuition

(among all respondents, the numbers in parentheses show the changes compared to the previous wave )

29
29 33 34 35 35 35
42

54 49
(+13) 46 45 43 41
(+10) (+10) (+10) 40
(n/a) (n/a) (+5) 33
(+0)

Very Believable Somewhat Believable

Lack of money shouldn't We need to make college Offering free college tuition Free college tuition will Offering free college tuition Free college tuition will Free college tuition is a game College graduates have
keep qualified students from free so young people don't is the best investment we strengthen our nation by is a smart investment in my create a better trained changer for our economy.** stable, high-paying jobs and
going to college, and my have a mountain of debt can make in our young providing people the tools state's economy. workforce and provide a contribute more to the
state government should when they finish school. people's future.* they need to provide for financial boost to my state. state's economy.
help. their families.

GTUITIONMSG1.mA. How believable is this statement? 12

*Was “Offering free college tuition is the best investment we can make for the future” in the previous wave
**Was “Free college tuition is a game changer for our economy and is the kind of program we need to help our students” in the previous wave
 Benefits to young people and their families are more persuasive than benefits to the economy

Similarly, those statements that are less believable are also less persuasive.

Persuasiveness of Various Statements Regarding Free College Tuition

(among all respondents, the numbers in parentheses show the changes compared to the previous wave )

30
29 32 32 33 34
32 40

49 46 45 44 41 41 39
(+11) (+11) (+14) (+11)
35
(n/a) (n/a) (+9) (+6)

Very Persuasive Somewhat Persuasive

Lack of money shouldn't We need to make college Free college tuition will Offering free college Offering free college Free college tuition will Free college tuition is a College graduates have
keep qualified students free so young people strengthen our nation by tuition is the best tuition is a smart create a better trained game changer for our stable, high-paying jobs
from going to college, and don't have a mountain of providing people the tools investment we can make investment in my state's workforce and provide a economy.** and contribute more to
my state government debt when they finish they need to provide for in our young people's economy. financial boost to my the state's economy.
should help. school. their families. future.* state.
GTUITIONMSG1.mB. How persuasive is this as a reason to support providing free college tuition?
*Was “Offering free college tuition is the best investment we can make for the future” in the previous wave 13
**Was “Free college tuition is a game changer for our economy and is the kind of program we need to help our students” in the previous wave