U.S. News
Sara Clarke
October 21, 2026
A new survey finds that rising college tuition concerns are pushing more prospective students toward associate degrees and human-centered skills designed to weather AI.
- In a survey earlier this year of 1,000 U.S. high school students ages 16-19, 36% of respondents said they are worried about being able to pay for their college education, according to the 2026 National Prospective Student Survey by Hanover Research.
- Respondents indicated which types of college programs or degrees they are exploring, and 66% are interested in pursuing a bachelor’s degree (down from 79% in the 2025 survey), and 45% are interested in associate degrees (up from 36% last year).
- Artificial intelligence is shaping how students view career preparation, with 25% of prospective college students reporting that they have become more interested in developing human-centered skills in response to recent AI developments.