A report published late Wednesday says more U.S. families are saving for college, highlighting new Sallie Mae-Ipsos findings that show planning for higher education starting earlier even as families remain uneasy about costs and potential debt.

The report, carried by The Tomahawk and distributed through Google News, pointed to a broader trend in which American families are setting aside more money for postsecondary education. The underlying Sallie Mae-Ipsos study, “How America Plans for College 2026,” found that six in 10 families considering higher education have savings set aside. Among those with savings, the average amount is $42,307, up from $26,266 in 2020.

The increase suggests that more families are treating college financing as a long-range planning issue rather than a senior-year scramble. Sallie Mae and Ipsos found that 64% of families with high school students who plan to continue education after graduation have a plan to pay for higher education, up from 54% in 2020. Among families with high school seniors, the share with a payment plan rises to 77%, reflecting the urgency that builds as application decisions, enrollment deposits and financial aid offers come due.

The report also shows that preparation is beginning earlier in high school. Seventy-five percent of families with a freshman have already taken concrete steps to prepare for post-high school education, compared with 60% in 2020. Across high school families considering higher education, 85% have taken at least one planning step, such as researching schools, meeting with a school counselor or visiting a campus. By senior year, that figure rises to 97%.

For schools, the findings point to a widening role for counselors, college access programs and financial aid offices. Students are not simply passive observers in the process. Sallie Mae and Ipsos found that 78% of high school students participate in planning how to pay for higher education in some way, and nearly nine in 10 seniors are involved at least at some level. That shift matters because decisions about where to apply, whether to live on campus, how much to borrow and which programs to pursue increasingly require financial literacy as well as academic advising.

The savings gains, however, do not mean families are insulated from college affordability pressures. The study found that 71% of families say paying for college is stressful, while 40% say they feel they are on their own when it comes to planning and paying for college. One-quarter say they do not know where to go for help. Those findings underscore a persistent guidance gap at a time when college pricing remains complicated by sticker prices, institutional aid, state grants, federal aid eligibility and borrowing rules.

College Board data show why families may be trying to save earlier. For the 2025-26 academic year, average published tuition and fees were $11,950 for in-state students at public four-year institutions, $31,880 for out-of-state students at public four-year institutions and $45,000 at private nonprofit four-year institutions. When tuition, fees, housing and food are combined into average student budgets, College Board put the annual figure at $30,990 for in-state students at public four-year institutions and $65,470 for students at private nonprofit four-year institutions.

The Sallie Mae-Ipsos report also suggests that many families are saving in accessible accounts rather than education-specific vehicles. Among families that have saved, 53% use general savings accounts, while 39% use 529 college savings plans. Other families use investments, checking accounts or certificates of deposit. The split matters because 529 plans can offer tax advantages when used for qualified education expenses, but general savings accounts may feel simpler or more flexible to families that are uncertain about a student’s path.

The research also shows that families are still considering borrowing as part of the college financing mix, even as expected borrowing has declined since 2020. Forty-six percent of families expect to borrow to help pay for college or post-high school education, down from 54% in 2020. At the same time, 73% say they would rather borrow than have the student not attend at all. That combination points to a cautious but still pragmatic view of student loans: families may want to reduce reliance on borrowing, but many still see it as a tool for preserving access.

The knowledge gaps around borrowing remain significant. Sallie Mae and Ipsos reported that just 22% of families know when student loan interest typically begins to accrue, and fewer than four in 10 families have discussed practical outcome measures such as expected salaries in a student’s field of interest, potential earnings compared with the cost of education or career placement rates. Only 21% have discussed average student debt in the student’s intended field.

Those gaps are central to the education-policy implications of the report. Families broadly continue to value education after high school: 95% of high school students plan to pursue some form of postsecondary education, with 62% aiming for a two- or four-year college. But the data suggest that confidence in higher education does not always come with enough cost-benefit analysis before families commit to a campus, major or borrowing plan.

For high schools, the report strengthens the case for college and career advising before junior and senior year. Early planning can help students compare academic programs, estimate net prices rather than relying on sticker prices, search for scholarships and understand federal, state and institutional aid deadlines. The federal government says the 2026-27 FAFSA must be received no later than June 30, 2027, but state and college deadlines can be much earlier, making timing especially important for families seeking grants, work-study or institutional aid.

For colleges, the findings are a reminder that families increasingly expect clarity on outcomes as well as price. Institutions that publish accessible information about net cost, program-level outcomes, financial aid, debt and career placement may be better positioned to respond to families who are saving earlier but asking sharper questions about return on investment. The report does not suggest that rising savings have solved the affordability challenge. Instead, it shows a more financially alert group of families trying to plan earlier while still needing clearer information before making one of the largest education spending decisions they will face.