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New one WalletHub Survey College students paint a picture of a generation under financial stress – questioning the financial returns on tuition, being unprepared to manage money, and grappling with spending pressure from social platforms.
why it matters: The survey found that outstanding student loan balances top $1.7 trillion and tuition continues to exceed inflation. Students’ growing skepticism about the value of college may shape enrollment, borrowing behavior, and demand for on-campus personal finance education.
by numbers
WalletHub surveyed more than 200 full- and part-time students at two- and four-year schools to reflect US demographics. key findings:
- 28% don’t think their tuition is a good investment
- 52% say their school is not doing enough to make them financially literate
- 53% people feel pressured by social media to spend more than their means
- 33% say the federal government shouldn’t give loans to schools with expensive tuition
- 30% cite student loan debt as their biggest post-graduation fear
Fear: When asked about their biggest post-graduation fear, students ranked four ways: 30% chose student loan debt, 29% said not getting a job, 25% chose credit card debt, and 16% said living with parents. Borrowing concerns accounted for more than half of the overall responses.
How it connects: College Investor has covered the findings with separate research. A CFP Board survey of 2,025 undergraduate students found that 65% want more education on savings, investing and debt management – and 83% link financial well-being to their happiness. Federal data shows that the cost of college has increased nearly three times faster than inflation since 1983, which helps explain why more than 1 in 4 students now question whether tuition is worth the payoff.
What will happen next: Expect renewed pressure on colleges to expand personal finance curriculum, more debate over whether federal loans should flow into higher-tuition programs, and continued scrutiny of how social platforms shape student spending. Schools that lean toward financial literacy will likely prepare themselves for a prosperous life.
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Robert Farrington is the founder of The College Investor and is recognized as one of the nation’s leading voices on student loan debt and saving for college. He holds an MBA from the UC San Diego Rady School of Management and has spent more than 15 years researching, writing and advising on student loans, 529 plans, financial aid programs and savings and investing for young professionals.
Robert is featured in the new York Times, wall street journal, Washington Post, nbc newsAnd forbeswhere he has been a regular personal finance contributor for over a decade. His work combines both professional expertise and personal experience – he successfully completed his student loan repayment journey and has helped thousands of readers do the same.
He is committed to making the intersection of personal finance and education transparent and accessible. You can learn more about Robert on his About page or at his personal site robertfarrington.com.
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