A national poll found that nearly two‑thirds of registered voters say a four‑year college degree no longer justifies its cost, echoing a rising public skepticism about higher education’s value proposition. The sentiment dovetails with enrollment drops at community colleges and worries from trustees and admissions officers about demand for traditional degrees. Higher education leaders should expect greater political scrutiny of pricing, outcomes and the labor-market return on degrees as public opinion hardens. The shift may accelerate institutional experimentation with short-term credentials, apprenticeships and work‑integrated learning to meet employer and student expectations.