According to The Unheard Third 2015, our annual survey New York City residents, New Yorkers see college education as the key to getting ahead, and affordability as the key to getting more young people to college.

1. New Yorkers see a college education as the key to getting
ahead, and affordability as the key to getting to college.
HIGH LEVELS OF SUPPORT TO MAKE PUBLIC COLLEGE EDUCATION FREE
Findings from The Unheard Third 2015
October 8, 2015
Apurva Mehrotra, Policy Analyst

2. Q:
2
Making college more affordable was the second most popular response—after raising the minimum wage—when
low-income New Yorkers were asked what two things would help them get ahead economically.
Which two of the following would most increase your potential top get ahead economically (low-income New Yorkers only)
College Education
5%
7%
7%
7%
10%
11%
22%
22%
36%
47%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%
Reduce dependence on government benefits
Family friendly work policies
Stronger enforcement of wage rules and worker protections
Affordable childcare
A path to citizenship for immigrants
Make NY more business friendly
Increase access to job training
Cut taxes
Make college more affordable
Increase the minimum wage

3. Q:
3
And it was the most cited response when moderate- to higher-income New Yorkers were asked which two things
would most help low-income New Yorkers get ahead.
Which two of the following would most increase low-income people’s potential top get ahead economically (mod-high income New Yorkers only)
College Education
6%
8%
9%
11%
13%
14%
19%
28%
36%
39%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%
A path to citizenship for immigrants
Stronger enforcement of wage rules and worker protections
Reduce dependence on government benefits
Family friendly work policies
Make NY more business friendly
Cut taxes
Affordable childcare
Increase access to job training
Increase the minimum wage
Make college more affordable

4. Q:
4
Nearly two-thirds of New Yorkers feel a young person needs at least an Associate’s degree to get a family
sustaining job, and over half believe you need at least a four-year degree.
In your opinion, what level of education does a young person need to get a job that enables them to sustain a family?
College Education
7%
16%
11%
22%
20%
21%
12%
9%
11%
37%
36%
37%
18%
15%
17%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Mod-high income
Low-income
Total
HS or less Some college or post HS training AA degree Four year degree Post-graduate
54%
65%

5. Q:
5
Parents across income groups have high aspirations for their children. More than 8 out of 10 want their children to get
at least a four-year degree, including more than one-third of low-income parents who want their children to get a post-
graduate degree.
What level of education do you want for your own children so that they can sustain a family of their own one day? (Parents only)
College Education
3%
7%
5%
6%
7%
7%
1%
6%
3%
32%
42%
37%
56%
36%
46%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Mod-high income
Low-income
Total
HS or less Some college or post HS training AA degree Four year degree Post-graduate
83%

6. Q:
6
New Yorkers of all income levels agree that the cost of college tuition is by far the biggest barrier to entering a
four-year college.
Which of the following do you think is the biggest barrier to entering a four-year college?
College Education
6%
4%
9%
8%
9%
15%
44%
6%
9%
5%
8%
12%
9%
44%
6%
6%
7%
8%
10%
13%
44%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%
Not enough support from family and friends
Other responsibilities like work and family
College isn’t for everyone
Lack of counseling and information
Cost of living including food and housing
Level of academic preparation
Cost of college tuition
Total Low-income Mod-high income

7. Q:
7
And they also feel the cost of college tuition is the biggest barrier to finishing a four-year college.
Which of the following do you think is the biggest barrier to finishing a four-year college?
College Education
4%
7%
7%
11%
10%
14%
44%
6%
6%
8%
7%
10%
18%
42%
5%
7%
7%
9%
10%
16%
43%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%
Lack of counseling and information
Not enough support from family and friends
College isn’t for everyone
Level of academic preparation
Other responsibilities like work and family
Cost of living including food and housing
Cost of college tuition
Total Low-income Mod-high income

8. Q:
8
More than 8 out of 10 New Yorkers—across income levels—believe that the United States should expand its
commitment to free public education so that it includes college; and 7 out of 10 strongly agree with that idea.
65%
77%
70%
81%
88%
84%
8%
5%
6%
17%
10%
14%
-40% -20% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Mod-high income
Low-income
Total
Strongly Agree Not so strongly agree Strongly disagree Not so strongly disagree
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: In the first half of the 20th century, the United States expanded public high school education.
Now for the 21st century, we should expand our commitment to include a free public college education.
College Education

9. How the survey was conducted
The Unheard Third 2015 is based on a scientific survey of 1,705 New York City adults conducted for CSS by
Lake Research. Respondents were reached by telephone using land lines and cell phones. The survey was
fielded July 19 through August 17, 2015. The margin of error is +/- 2.37 percentage points for the total sample,
+/- 3 percentage points for the low-income sample of 1,052 respondents with incomes below twice the federal
poverty level, and +/- 3.8 percentage points for the moderate and high income sample of 653 respondents.
When reporting the findings for the total sample, the low-income respondents are weighted down to their actual
proportion of the population.