Donald Trump’s standing with Americans without a college degree—a group central to his political base—has swung noticeably over the past three months.
Gallup polling shows that in June, 41 percent of non-college-educated Americans approved of Trump’s job performance, while 56 percent disapproved. His numbers dipped slightly in July, with 38 percent approving and 55 percent disapproving. But by August, Trump saw a rebound: 45 percent of non-college voters approved of his performance, compared to 49 percent who disapproved.
Why It Matters
Non college-educated Americans have long supported Trump. In 2024, he won 56 percent of Americans without a college degree, up from 51 percent in 2020.
The recent rebound in his approval rating with this group suggests that his populist messaging and economic appeals may still resonate, even as he struggles with college-educated voters.
What To Know
Trump’s rebounding popularity with this group stands in contrast to his ratings with college-educated voters, who are turning away from Trump, according to Gallup’s polling. Among College-educated voters, Trump’s net approval rating now stands at -42 points.
College-educated voters and non-college-educated voters differ significantly on how they view Trump’s record on education.
The Gallup poll shows that just 26 percent of college graduates approve of Trump’s handling of education, while 71 percent disapprove. Trump fared better among non-college educated voters on the topic, with 45 percent approving and 53 percent disapproving.
Since the start of his second term, Trump has launched a sweeping crackdown on universities he claims are “hotbeds of liberalism and antisemitism.” Harvard has been the prime target: the White House canceled $100 million in contracts, froze $3.2 billion in research funding, sought to block international student enrollment, and even threatened its tax-exempt status—moves that sparked protests and comparisons to Cold War loyalty tests.
Other elite schools, including Columbia, Penn, and Cornell, have also lost federal funding over disputes on issues such as pro-Palestinian activism and transgender athletes. Harvard has warned the demands threaten the long-standing autonomy of U.S. universities.
The poll shows a divide between college-educated Americans and those without college degrees on the issue of federal funding, highlighting a possible cultural rift.
Most Americans with a college degree, 62 percent, are opposed to withholding funding from universities that don’t comply with the president’s requirements, while those without a college degree are split, with about 3 in 10 in favor, a similar share opposed, and about 4 in 10 saying they don’t have an opinion.
Meanwhile, about half of Republicans said they are in favor of the move.
But even as Trump’s approval among non-college Americans has rebounded, Gallup polling shows rising pessimism within this core constituency on a key issue — the economy.
In August, 42 percent of the least-educated Americans rated the economy as “poor”—up from 36 percent in June and the highest of any education group. A majority, 61 percent, said the economy is getting worse, compared with 59 percent two months earlier.
Views of the job market were evenly split, with 48 percent saying good jobs are available and 48 percent disagreeing. Trump fares no better on specific economic issues: just 38 percent approve of his handling of the economy, while 56 percent disapprove, a slight shift from 40–58 in July. His marks on trade remain weak as well, with 54 percent disapproving of his handling of foreign trade last month.
The pessimism is mirrored in labor market realities. In January 2025, the unemployment rate for adults 25 and older with only a high school diploma stood at 4.5 percent, compared to 5.2 percent for those without a diploma and just 2.3 percent for those with a bachelor’s degree or higher, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
