- A new poll has found that 62 percent of Americans support President Joe Biden’s plan to wipe away or reduce student loan debt.
- The survey found that support was highest among younger Americans, with 82 percent of those aged 25 to 34 backing it.
- The poll also found that 50 percent of those who voted for Biden’s Republican predecessor, Donald Trump, said they supported the plan.
President Joe Biden‘s plan to wipe off or reduce student loan debt is backed by the majority of Americans, according to a poll conducted exclusively for Newsweek.
Biden’s debt forgiveness plan delivers on a campaign promise that would cancel $10,000 in federal student loan debt for those making less than $125,000 or households with less than $250,000 in income per year. Pell Grant recipients would get an additional $10,000 in debt forgiven.
Republican-led states and lawmakers in Congress are lined up against the plan, pointing to its price tag and calling it a violation of Biden’s executive authority. It is being challenged in the Supreme Court, which is expected to rule by June.
Now, a new poll has found that 62 percent of Americans support the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness plan.
Redfield and Wilton Strategies surveyed 1,500 eligible voters in the U.S. on behalf of Newsweek on March 7 and 8.
The survey found that just 18 percent said they opposed the debt forgiveness plan, while 16 percent said they neither supported it nor opposed it. Support was highest among younger Americans, according to the poll.
Among those aged 18 to 24, 71 percent support the plan, while 82 percent of those aged 25 to 34 back it. At the other end of the spectrum, support among those aged between 55 and 64 was 54 percent and dropped to 45 percent among those aged over 65.
Those who voted for Biden in the 2020 election were more likely to support the plan. However, there was also backing among those who voted for his Republican predecessor, Donald Trump, the poll found. Eighty percent of Biden voters backed the plan, while just 5 percent opposed it. Meanwhile, 50 percent of Trump voters said they supported the plan, while 33 percent replied that they opposed it.
The poll also found that 68 percent believe that graduating from college allows someone to have a more successful, higher-earning career, while just 10 percent disagreed.
Fifty-five percent said they believe a college education primarily provides a student with a useful credential for a successful career, while 35 percent said it primarily offers useful skills for that.
Newsweek recently spoke to several Americans who are struggling with student debt and hopeful that the Supreme Court will allow Biden’s plan to go into effect.
“Student debt is an albatross around my neck,” Briana Rose Lee said.
“My generation was overcharged for our education. I do think the root of the problem needs to be addressed, the astronomical price of education, but in the meantime, those of us who have been most affected need this relief.”
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