Young people want student debt relief. But not all want it totally canceled, poll finds
- Most young people surveyed in a newly-released Harvard University poll (85%) are in favor of government action on student loan debt.
- More than one third (38%) of the 2,024 young Americans surveyed favor total debt cancellation.
- When asked about mental health, 52% of young people surveyed reported feelings of depression or hopelessness.
Young people want student loan debt relief but they may not want it eradicated altogether, researchers found in a recent Harvard University poll.
A total of 2,024 18-to-29-year-olds were surveyed; of them, 85% said they favor some form of government action on student loan debt, but only 38% favor total debt cancellation.
The poll was done as part of the Harvard Public Opinion Project to look at how young Americans feel about politics, voting and public service. It’s one of two the university does per year – one in the fall and one in the spring – said John Della Volpe, director of polling at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics.
This is only the organization’s second time asking people if they support government response regarding student loan debt, said Della Volpe, who served as a public opinion consultant during President Joe Biden’s campaign.
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However, during some Institute-organized focus groups, Della Volpe said, young people really seem to care about fairness in finding solutions to student loan debt.
For example, some focus group participants ask whether a person making hefty wageson Wall Street should have their debts washed clean, or whether relief should only be given to those in dire need.
“What’s fair?” Della Volpe asked. “Perhaps (relief for) public servants of some kind and other kinds of lower wage workers. Then there’s conversations about those who never attend college because of concerns about taking on debt.”
sdmartin@usatoday.com, Twitter: @Saleen_Martin