Nearly all high school students (95%) say they plan to continue their education after graduation, 90% of those families believe it’s an investment in the student’s future, and 82% say it’s worth the cost, according to How America Plans for College 2026, a new national study from Sallie Mae and Ipsos.
The survey of more than 2,000 U.S. high school students and parents of high school students found 83% of families considering higher education are willing to stretch financially for the best higher education opportunities and nearly three in four families (73%) say they would rather borrow than forgo attending. At the same time, most families (68%) agree there should be limits to how much debt federal student loan borrowers can take on, while just 10% disagree.
“The shift we’ve seen since the last time we conducted this study in 2020 reflects meaningful progress in how families are preparing for education after high school,” said Dan O’Leary, Senior Research Manager, Ipsos. “Families are motivated and engaged in the planning process, but that hasn’t consistently translated into more informed decision-making.”
The study offers additional insights into how families are approaching planning for education after high school.
How Are Families Planning for College?
Nearly two-thirds of families (64%) say they have a plan to pay for higher education, up from 54% in 2020. In addition, more than four in 10 high school students who plan to pursue a college degree (44%) say they are already planning for graduate school. Six in 10 families considering higher education (60%) have savings set aside, with average savings of $42,307, up from $26,266 in 2020, driven primarily by higher-income families. Most families that have saved for higher education continue to rely on general savings accounts (53%) over tax-advantaged 529 college savings accounts (39%).
What Does Early College Preparation Look Like and What’s Still Missing?
Eighty‑five percent of high school families considering higher education say they have taken steps to prepare, up from 77% in 2020, and more than half of students (55%) say they have at least a general idea of the field they want to pursue. However, fewer than four in 10 families say they have discussed key outcomes of higher education, including expected salaries in a student’s field of interest (38%), potential earnings compared with the cost of education (28%), and career placement rates (28%).
Where Do Families Still Need Clarity About Paying for College?
Among families considering higher education, 40% say they feel they are on their own when it comes to planning and paying for college and gaps in understanding persist across key areas. Nearly half (48%) of families believe scholarships are only available to students with exceptional grades, and just 37% know that families often pay less than the advertised sticker price for college. Just 22% know when student loan interest typically begins to accrue.
“Families continue to believe higher education is worth the investment, and their actions reflect that confidence,” said Rick Castellano, Vice President, Sallie Mae. “They’re planning earlier and saving more, but families could also benefit from clearer conversations about long-term outcomes to ensure their investment pays off long after graduation.”
In addition to responsible private student loans and savings products, Sallie Mae offers guidance and tools through Sallie to help students and families navigate the higher education journey with confidence. Sallie represents the broader brand that brings those financial products together with a growing set of resources to support students and families at every step, from planning and saving to paying for school.
For more information on the study, visit SallieMae.com.
Methodology: How America Plans for College 2026 is based on 2,010 online interviews conducted by Ipsos from January 21–27, 2026, among 1,005 U.S. parents of high school students and 1,005 U.S. high school students ages 14–18. For more details on methodology, sampling, weighting, and credibility intervals, see the full report.
Sallie Mae (Nasdaq: SLM) believes education and life-long learning, in all forms, help people achieve great things. As the leader in private student lending, we provide financing and know-how to support access to college and offer products and resources to help customers make new goals and experiences, beyond college, happen. Learn more at SallieMae.com. Commonly known as Sallie Mae, SLM Corporation and its subsidiaries are not sponsored by or agencies of the United States of America.
Ipsos is a global independent market research company ranking third worldwide among research firms. At Ipsos, we are passionately curious about people, markets, brands, and society. We make our changing world easier and faster to navigate and inspire clients to make smarter decisions. We deliver research with security, speed, simplicity, and substance. We believe it’s time to change the game — it’s time for Game Changers! Visit https://www.ipsos.com/en-us to learn more.
Category: Research
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