Poll: Some Mass. families shy away from 4-year degrees, but community college plans rise

Massachusetts parents are increasingly seeing community college, rather than a bachelor's degree, as the next step in their children's education, according to a survey released Wednesday by EdTrust and MassInc Polling.

Forty-five percent of parents say their child is most likely to enroll in a bachelor’s degree after high school. That's down 9 percentage points, from 53%, three years ago. At the same time, Massachusetts saw an uptick in families expecting their teens to pursue an associate’s degree.

This shift follows the 2024 launch of free community college in Massachusetts and comes amid growing skepticism nationwide about the value of higher education.

“Many families are doing that sort of cost benefit analysis in their head,” said Jennie Williamson, state director for EdTrust in Massachusetts. “They’re asking things like, ‘Is the four-year degree worth the price tag?’ ”

Williamson said she understands why, but added the data is alarming when many jobs in Massachusetts require a four-year degree.

Roughly 1,000 parents of K-12 students participated in the statewide survey this spring. This particular analysis focused on the perspectives of parents whose children were in middle and high school.

While a bachelor's degree remains the more common expectation, community college is gaining ground with 17% of parents saying their child is most likely to pursue an associate’s degree after high school. That’s up from 9% three years ago.

Still, like many others surveyed, Worcester parent Ramatu Abukari sees a bachelor’s degree as a worthwhile investment.

“It is very important. Very,” said Abukari. “It will broaden your mind. You’ll get to know so many things.

Abukari’s son just graduated from high school and plans to attend Worcester State University this fall. For him, college is necessary; he plans to become a doctor.

But other families see community college as a good fit — at least as a next step. Enrollment in the state’s 15 community colleges has surged since the state’s 2024 rollout made it cost-free.

The results of the survey highlighted how the educational pathways parents envision for their children vary starkly by income. Two-thirds of high-income families said they expected their children to pursue a college degree after high school. But only one in four households earning less than $100,000 a year said the same.

They also vary by the level of parental education. Roughly two-thirds of college-educated parents expect their child to pursue a bachelor’s. But about a quarter of those without a college degree said the same.

But Boston parent Angela Nunez said she expects her kids to go to college, because she did not have that opportunity and would like to “get a better life for my kids.”

“If I would have gone to college, I would have been more prepared with a better job,” she said.

The pay would be better, too, she added.