February 2025

Public Agenda conducted a survey of adult Americans to explore:

  • Prevalence of attempts to transfer postsecondary credit among the general public 
  • Outcomes of Americans’ transfer attempts and experiences transferring 
  • Public support for or opposition to policies and practices intended to improve transfer 
  • Americans’ confidence and skepticism about the value of higher education 
  • Americans’ perceptions of problems and obstacles toward earning a degree

Findings in the memo are based on a survey of 3,077 adult Americans, designed by Public Agenda and fielded May 2 to May 17, 2024, by SSRS in English and Spanish. 

Respondents to the survey were invited using opt-in, non-probability online panels. Data were weighted to represent the non-institutionalized US adult population (18+). Weighting was done per race group (White Non-Latino, Black Non-Latino, Hispanic, Asian Non-Hispanic, Other Non-Hispanic). For each racial group, data were weighted to distributions of gender (male and female); age (18–24, 25–34, 35–44, 45–54, 55–64, 65+); education (high school graduate or less, some college, college+); age by education (18–34 some college or less, 18–34 college+ , 35+ some college or less, 35+ college+); census region (Northeast, North Central, South, West); civic engagement; internet frequency; number of adults in household; and home tenure. The groups were combined and rebalanced to their correct proportions. 

The sample allows for comparison across race/ethnicity and across transfer experience. Oversamples were collected for Asian and Black respondents who have attempted to transfer credits toward a degree. The survey has a margin of error of +/- 2.4 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level. Margins of error are greater for subgroups. For full question wording, please see the topline.

Findings in Brief

Click the headings below to expand the findings.

  • Nearly four in ten respondents (39 percent) have tried to transfer credits toward earning higher education credentials. Among those, most tried to transfer credits toward earning a bachelor’s degree and nearly half have done so within the past five years.
  • One-quarter of respondents who have tried to transfer credits say they were able to transfer only a few or none of the credits they earned and 37 percent found the process of trying to transfer credits to be difficult. More white than Black or Latino respondents say they transferred all or most of their credits and more say the process of transferring credits was easy.
  • The most often cited reason credits were unable to transfer is because the college being transferred to did not accept or recognize the credits, work experience, or prior learning.
  • Most respondents who have tried to transfer credits report negative experiences, including one in five who had to repeat classes they had already taken.
  • However, more say the process of transferring credits made them feel positive. Fewer say they experienced negative emotions when attempting to transfer credits.
  • More respondents believe it is a problem that students lose credits when trying to transfer than see it is a problem that the transfer process itself is difficult.
  • While few respondents fault students themselves for being unable to transfer credits, there is no consensus about whether sending or receiving institutions are most likely at fault.
  • Far more respondents believe that sending and receiving institutions should be primarily responsible for making credit transfer easier than believe that students should have to figure out credit transfer for themselves.
  • Across all political identities, there is broad support for a variety of policies intended to make it easier for students to transfer credits.
  • Most respondents believe starting at a community college is a cost-efficient way to earn a bachelor’s degree and most agree that students learn just as much in classes at community college as four-year colleges.
  • Half of the respondents think if a college or university has a track record of not accepting most credits that students try to transfer, the institution should be required to make a plan to improve. Few support doing nothing to hold colleges accountable for their credit transfer rates.
  • Nearly eight in ten respondents who have earned a degree say it was worth it. About as many current students believe their degree will be worth it. But respondents who have some college experience, no degree, and are not enrolled are less confident about the value of attending college.
  • Among respondents who are currently enrolled, more of those who have transferred credits than those who have not say it is easy to afford college. However, among graduates, similar percentages of transferrers and non-transferrers say it was easy to afford their degree.
  • Most respondents believe a college education can lead to a better living, but most also think too many people are pushed to attend college. Many say that it is a problem that a degree does not guarantee a good job and many also say it is a problem that some employers demand degrees for jobs that don’t require them.
  • Over two-thirds of respondents agree that higher education institutions care more about making money than about educating students.
  • About eight in ten respondents say the cost of college is an obstacle to obtaining a degree, but fewer see cuts in state funding as a problem.
  • About half of respondents say racial discrimination makes obtaining a degree more difficult for people of color.
  • Nearly seven in ten respondents who do not have a degree would like to earn one, but they feel that they face obstacles. Almost half of them say they feel bad about themselves because they do not have a degree.

Funding Partner

We are grateful for the partnership and support of ECMC Foundation, which made this project possible.