Employers value a college degree but think students lack some skills, survey says

Higher Ed Dive

Jeremy Bauer-Wolf

November 30, 2023

Dive Brief:

• More than 80% of employers in a new American Association of Colleges and Universities survey said they believe higher education prepares college graduates for workforce success — though some executives find students lack certain skills.

• Only 49% of employers reported thinking, for instance, that graduates are very prepared in oral communication, according to AAC&U’s report published Thursday. But about 80% said they agreed graduates overall are ready for the workplace.

• The survey also found strong employer support for microcredentials and student and faculty freedom to discuss any topic on a campus.

Dive Insight:

Polls in recent years reflect a declining public trust in the value of higher education.

But AAC&U’s employer survey — the eighth it has commissioned since 2006 — shows a different picture among hiring managers and executives. The organization, which supports liberal arts education, surveyed 1,010 employers in May.

It found that more than 80% of respondents agreed that securing a college degree is worthwhile, even with the associated costs. Only 18% disagreed with that sentiment.

More than 80% also agreed that higher ed prepares graduates for entry-level work and advancing in a company.

Students are lacking in some skills employers find important, though. Only about half of respondents indicated students were very prepared in areas related to critical thinking and complex problem-solving.

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