While many Americans remain skeptical of the availability of quality postsecondary programs. Just 36% of Americans have confidence in the sector and almost 40% of middle and high school youth say they are not interested in pursuing a postsecondary degree.

WGU aims to reverse that trend and to measure the success, Gallup surveyed nearly 2,800 WGU alumni who completed their undergraduate degree between 2018 and 2022, collecting information about graduates’ experiences while enrolled, as well as data on postgraduation metrics related to employment and wellbeing.

The results of WGU alumni were compared to the responses of more than 900 bachelor’s degree holders who completed their degree during the same period.

All responses from WGU alumni were collected Nov. 16-Dec. 8, 2023, while national alumni responses were aggregated across three surveys conducted between 2019 and 2023.

Overall, the findings show that WGU alumni are more satisfied with their undergraduate experience than bachelor’s degree holders nationally. Graduates are positive about WGU’s student support system, caring and committed faulty, inclusive learning environment and career-relevant curriculum. According to Gallup’s analysis, 73% of WGU alumni strongly agree that their education was worth the investment, more than double the percentage of bachelor's degree holders nationally who say the same.

Key findings

• 90% of WGU alumni strongly agree when asked if their institution was the perfect fit, compared to 65% of bachelor’s degree holders nationally who say  the same.
• 80% of WGU alumni strongly agree that they had a mentor who encouraged them to pursue their goals and dreams, compared to 52% nationally.
• 82% of WGU alumni strongly agree that they were challenged academically, compared to 77% nationally.