In nearly four decades of reporting for The Chronicle, I can’t remember a moment when higher-ed employees have had so many pressures bearing down on them, from political attacks to job cuts to the unsettling uncertainty about all things AI.

Last year, in a survey conducted for our special issue on the academic workplace, readers told us they were burned out, overwhelmed, and quietly brushing up their resumes. This year, we expected that even more people would be heading for the exits. 

Instead, many employees seemed to be hunkering down, grateful to have jobs in a volatile economy, especially when good outside options felt scarce. Some people also told us that the attacks on academe have only recommitted them to jobs they still love and believe are more important today than ever. 

We’ve been conducting this poll to gauge higher-education employees’ experiences, job satisfaction, and challenges. Here are some key findings from our 2025 survey:

About half of all respondents said they were less satisfied with their jobs than a year ago. That made other findings of this year’s survey stand out: Asked if in the past year they had considered leaving higher education for another sector, a full half of the respondents said they had not — the same share as last year.

So why aren’t more college employees looking for a way out? For many, the reasons are practical: Jobs are scarce, and voluminous application requirements make the search for a new position even more daunting for already overworked employees.

Burnout isn’t a new problem in academe, but the intensifying political attacks of the past few years have left many feeling especially demoralized. The percentage of survey respondents who cited political influence as a major stressor soared between 2024 and 2025 — from 42 percent to 64 percent.

A whopping 79 percent said the actions of the federal government had a somewhat or significantly negative effect on their ability to carry out their day-to-day work.

In spite of these challenges, it’s clear from other findings of this year’s survey that many employees still find a sense of purpose in their jobs: The percentage who would encourage someone to pursue a career in higher education inched up from 71 to 72 percent. 

The most significant reason cited among all higher-ed employees who said so was “meaningful and impactful work,” selected more often than attributes including flexibility, fulfillment, a supportive environment, and opportunities for growth.

So what does all this mean for a sector under siege? Just because more people aren’t leaving and are still committed to higher education doesn’t mean that morale is fine, work-force experts point out. 

Many of those who are staying on are feeling stretched thin and underappreciated, and when morale sinks, productivity often follows. A wellness seminar is a nice idea, but concrete steps that improve the job will have a bigger impact. Helping a part-time instructor see a path to a full-time role, offering a maintenance worker ways to become a higher-paid supervisor, and replacing resigning staff members rather than expecting others to pick up the slack would all give employees hope for better days ahead.

Sincerely,

Katherine Mangan

Senior Writer