Survey: Decline in Public View of College as Essential

Public Agenda regularly asks in surveys of the American public whether people believe a college education is necessary in today's work world -- and new results show a decline in the percentage who say it is. Today, 42 percent of Americans say college is necessary for workforce success, a 13 percentage point drop from 2009. At the same time, when asked if college is a "good investment" or a "questionable investment," 52 percent pick the former and 46 percent the latter.