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Pew Research Center
Democrats overwhelmingly favor free college tuition, while Republicans are divided by age, education
By Hannah Hartig
American adults generally support making tuition free at public
colleges and universities for all U.S. students, yet there are sizable
partisan and demographic differences in views of tuition-free college.
Republicans, in particular, are divided by age and educational attainment in opinions on this issue.
Among all U.S. adults, 63% favor making tuition at public colleges
free, including 37% who strongly favor the proposal. Slightly more than
a third oppose tuition-free college (36%), with 21% strongly opposed,
according to a Pew Research Center conducted in January.
Large shares of black (86%) and Hispanic adults (82%) favor making
college free for all Americans, compared with 53% of whites. And while
75% of adults under age 30 favor this proposal, it draws support from
only about half (47%) of those ages 65 and older.
Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents overwhelmingly favor
making college tuition free for all American students (83% support
this). While 60% of Republicans and Republican leaners oppose making
college tuition-free, 39% support this.
Democrats largely favor free college tuition, the party’s 2020
presidential candidates differ in how intensely they feel about this
issue. Democratic voters who support Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth
Warren for the party’s nomination are more likely than supporters of
other candidates to strongly favor making tuition free for all students.
Republicans have their own differences: Those under age 30 are more
than twice as likely as those 65 and older to support making college
tuition free for all Americans (55% vs. 24%).
And while Republicans who have completed college are mostly opposed to
making tuition free for all American students, the proposal draws more
support from Republicans who do not have a four-year degree.
The differences among Republicans are particularly stark when combining
age and educational attainment. Among Republicans under age 50 who have
not completed college, 58% favor making college tuition free for all
Americans. Among Republican college graduates, only 34% favor this.
Support for tuition-free college declines among older Republicans,
regardless of whether or not they have completed college. However, even
among Republicans who are ages 50 and older, those who have not
completed college are less supportive.
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