2026 HERC Higher Education Workforce Survey Highlights

Thank you to everyone who participated in HERC’s 2026 Higher Education Workforce Survey. Your feedback helps shape conversations across higher education about what professionals need to build meaningful, sustainable careers.

People haven’t lost faith in higher education, but they’re becoming more intentional about where they choose to work.

Those are among the key findings from HERC’s 2026 Higher Education Workforce Survey, which gathered feedback from 810 current and prospective higher education professionals. The results paint a picture of a workforce that remains deeply committed to higher education’s mission while placing greater emphasis on career sustainability, workplace culture, leadership, and opportunities for growth.

Purpose Still Matters, But It’s No Longer Enough

One of the clearest messages from this year’s survey is that higher education continues to attract people who want meaningful work.

Respondents value the opportunity to contribute to teaching, research, service, and student success. However, they also made it clear that purpose alone isn’t enough to build a long-term career.

Today’s professionals are looking for employers that combine mission with supportive workplace practices, manageable workloads, flexibility, transparent leadership, and opportunities for professional growth.

Job Satisfaction Doesn’t Always Mean Employees Are Staying Put

The survey also revealed an important shift in today’s workforce.

While 70% of current higher education employees report being satisfied or somewhat satisfied with their current role, nearly half say they are somewhat or very likely to leave their employer within the next year.

Likewise, 79% of higher education professionals are either actively searching for a new position or open to the right opportunity.

These findings suggest that many professionals remain committed to careers in higher education and are carefully evaluating which institutions offer the best environment for long-term success.

Workload Continues to Be a Major Challenge

For the first time, HERC introduced the Workload Strain Index to better understand how workload affects the employee experience.

The results show that half of higher education employees fall into the Rising or Critical workload strain categories, indicating that workload pressures are affecting employees across institution types, job functions, career stages, and work arrangements.

Rather than impacting a single segment of the workforce, workload has become a broad challenge that influences employee well-being, career decisions, and organizational stability.

What These Findings Mean for Job Seekers

If you’re exploring your next opportunity in higher education, the survey reinforces the importance of evaluating employers holistically.

Beyond salary and job responsibilities, consider questions such as:

• Does the institution invest in employee development?
• Is there a culture of supportive leadership and collaboration?
• How does the organization approach flexibility and work-life balance?
• Are employees given the resources they need to succeed?

The best career decisions are about more than finding a job; they’re about finding a workplace where you can grow and thrive.

Your Feedback Will Help Drive Change

The insights gathered will help HERC develop new resources, professional development opportunities, and research to support colleges, universities, and other higher education employers as they strengthen workplace practices.

Please participate in our quick polls on LinkedIn (follow HERC on LinkedIn) and our annual workforce survey (the next one will be in mid-2027).

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