CONFIDENCE IN EDUCATION

percent with a great deal of confidence in the people running education · 1973–2024 · higher is better · NORC General Social Survey (cumulative file 1972–2024)

19.8%

2024 (latest)

37.2%

1973

49.7%

high · 1974

17.8%

low · 2021

−17 pts

since 1973

┊ dashed lines mark 1979 Oil shock & inflation peak · 1987 Black Monday crash · 1991 Gulf War recession · 2001 Dot-com bust & 9/11 · 2008 Global financial crisis · 2020 COVID-19 pandemic

Method & caveats. … — Education NORC General Social Survey cumulative file, computed here from the public microdata: weighted (WTSSPS, NORC's post-stratification weight available for every year 1972–2024) share of valid responses. 2021 moved to a push-to-web design during the pandemic and 2022/2024 are mixed-mode; NORC advises caution comparing 2021+ with the in-person years, so treat 2021 as a seam. Years with fewer than 200 weighted responses are dropped.

Sources

Every value on this page is read from the publisher below. Current and historical source documents:

Data

Year	Confidence in Education	Change
2024	19.8%	+1.0 pts
2022	18.8%	+1.0 pts
2021	17.8%	−7.4 pts
2018	25.2%	−1.1 pts
2016	26.3%	+0.8 pts
2014	25.5%	+0.1 pts
2012	25.4%	−3.1 pts
2010	28.5%	−1.4 pts
2008	29.9%	+1.3 pts
2006	28.6%	−0.6 pts
2004	29.2%	+2.4 pts
2002	26.8%	−0.9 pts
2000	27.7%	+0.3 pts
1998	27.4%	+3.4 pts
1996	24%	−2.5 pts
1994	26.5%	+3.8 pts
1993	22.7%	−8.2 pts
1991	30.9%	+3.7 pts
1990	27.2%	−3.4 pts
1989	30.6%	+0.3 pts
1988	30.3%	−3.8 pts
1987	34.1%	+5.5 pts
1986	28.6%	−0.4 pts
1984	29%	−0.6 pts
1983	29.6%	−4.4 pts
1982	34%	+3.9 pts
1980	30.1%	+1.3 pts
1978	28.8%	−11 pts
1977	40.3%	+1.9 pts
1976	38.4%	+6.7 pts
1975	31.7%	−18 pts
1974	49.7%	+13 pts
1973	37.2%	—

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