KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennesseans are increasingly positive about the University of Tennessee and the value of a four-year degree, according to new statewide public opinion research conducted on behalf of the University of Tennessee System.
The 2026 pulse survey found that 82% of respondents have a positive opinion of UT as a statewide system of higher education, up from 76% in 2025. At the same time, neutral responses declined from 19% to 15%, while negative perceptions fell from 6% to 4%. The results mark the first increase in overall positive sentiment since UT began tracking the measure in 2018.
“At a time when the national conversation increasingly questions the value of higher education, Tennesseans are telling us a different story,” UT System President Randy Boyd said. “They have growing confidence that a college degree is worth the investment and that our University of Tennessee institutions provide a high-quality, affordable education. That’s incredibly encouraging, but we’re not finished. We have to keep working every day to earn that confidence.”
The survey found significant gains in how Tennesseans view the value and affordability of higher education. Seventy-two percent now agree that a four-year degree from a Tennessee public college or university is worth the investment, compared with 59% in 2025. The percentage who disagree fell from 14% to 6%.
Perceptions of UT affordability also improved. Sixty-three percent of respondents now agree that the UT System includes campuses that are affordable for people seeking a four-year degree, up from 56% in 2025. Those who disagree fell from 15% to 10%.
Tennesseans also expressed growing confidence in the quality of a UT education. Eighty percent said UT campuses offer a high-quality education, up from 73% in 2025. Only 3% disagreed. Increasing the percentage of Tennesseans who believe UT offers a high-quality education to 85% by 2030 is a specific goal in the UT System’s strategic plan.
The findings stand out against a challenging national environment for higher education. A 2026 Lumina Foundation/Gallup study found that only 25% of U.S. adults without a college degree believe quality higher education is accessible. While the national and Tennessee surveys asked different questions and surveyed different populations, the findings provide important context for the positive movement occurring in Tennessee.
The survey is part of UT’s ongoing effort to better understand how Tennesseans view higher education and what information matters most to them. It included 1,237 respondents, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
While the latest findings show meaningful progress, the research also identifies opportunities for continued work. Twenty-six percent of respondents remain neutral about UT affordability, 21% remain neutral about whether a four-year degree is worth the cost and 17% remain neutral about the quality of education offered by UT campuses. Each of those percentages declined from 2025.
“We want every Tennessee student to know that a college degree is within their reach,” Boyd said. “That means making sure they understand the value of a higher education, the opportunities it can create and the resources available to help make it affordable, like the UT Promise scholarship. That’s a message we need to keep taking directly to students and families across our state.”
Since 2019, UT has taken that message directly to high school students across the state. The latest statewide tour is underway now, visiting 16 high schools in 13 rural counties through early October and helping students understand that a four-year degree is attainable and that cost does not have to stand in the way. Students are learning more about opportunities across the UT System, including UT Promise, which can cover remaining tuition and mandatory fees for eligible Tennessee students from families earning $75,000 or less. More than 60% of Tennesseans meet the scholarship’s household income requirement.
“There are talented students in every corner of Tennessee, and we want them to dream big about what comes next,” Boyd said. “Our job is to make sure they know a college degree is possible, affordable and can open doors they may not have imagined.”
