Most U.S. parents prefer their child pursue a two- or four-year degree immediately after high school

Survey Question: Please think about your oldest child under age 18 who has not yet graduated from high school. What would you most prefer they do immediately after high school?

This is a horizontal bar chart that displays survey results conducted by the Lumina Foundation-Gallup Confidence in Higher Education survey. The survey asked parents to think about their oldest child under age 18 who has not yet graduated from high school, and what they would most prefer that child do immediately after high school. The results are displayed as horizontal bars with percentages, listed from highest to lowest preference: Enroll in a four-year college or university: 40 percent (longest bar) Enroll in a two-year college or community college: 19 percent Enroll in a job training or certification program: 16 percent Take time off to figure out their next move: 13 percent Go straight into the workforce: 6 percent Join the military: 5 percent No answer: 1 percent (shortest bar)