Is College Worth It?
As economic outcomes for young adults with and without a four-year college degree have improved, only one-in-four U.S. adults say it’s extremely or very important to have a degree in order to get a well-paying job.
Economy & Work
The State of the American Middle Class
As the financial divide has grown, a smaller share of Americans now live in middle-class households. Here are key facts about this group.
A look at small businesses in the U.S.
Among the roughly 6 million small business firms with employees, 49% have just one to four workers.
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Majorities of adults see decline of union membership as bad for the U.S. and working people
The share of U.S. workers who belonged to a union in 2023 stood at 10%, down from 1983 when 20.1% of American workers were union members.
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State of the Union 2024: Where Americans stand on the economy, immigration and other key issues
Ahead of President Joe Biden’s third State of the Union address Americans are focused on the health of the economy and immigration.
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A booming U.S. stock market doesn’t benefit all racial and ethnic groups equally
Nearly two-thirds of White families (66%) owned stocks directly or indirectly, compared with 39% of Black families and 28% of Hispanic families.
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Americans’ Top Policy Priority for 2024: Strengthening the Economy
Growing shares of Republicans rate immigration and terrorism as top priorities for the president and Congress this year.
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For Women’s History Month, a look at gender gains – and gaps – in the U.S.
Women made up 47% of the U.S. civilian labor force in 2023, up from 30% in 1950 – but growth has stagnated.
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A look at Black-owned businesses in the U.S.
While Black-owned businesses have grown significantly in the U.S. in recent years, they still make up a small share of overall firms and revenue.
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Who Are You? The Art and Science of Measuring Identity
As a shop that studies human behavior through surveys and other social scientific techniques, we have a good line of sight into the contradictory nature of human preferences. Here’s a look at how we categorize our survey participants in ways that enhance our understanding of how people think and behave.
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Black Americans’ Views on Success in the U.S.
While Black adults define personal and financial success in different ways, most see these measures of success as major sources of pressure in their lives.
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From Businesses and Banks to Colleges and Churches: Americans’ Views of U.S. Institutions
Americans overwhelmingly see small businesses as having a positive effect on the way things are going in the country. By contrast, their views of large corporations are broadly negative. And most people – including identical shares in both parties – are critical of the impact of banks and financial institutions.
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Among Black adults, those with higher incomes are most likely to say they are happy
Black adults in upper-income families are about twice as likely as those in lower-income families to say they are extremely or very happy.
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