RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

OK, a nationwide tried to measure just how college changed the lives of nearly 30,000 graduates for better or worse.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And the results of the Gallup-Purdue Index are out this morning. This poll tries to measure college graduates' personal and professional well-being. The idea here is that the college experience plays a big part in determining those outcomes.

MONTAGNE: Here are a few trends that emerged. There was very little difference in outcomes between graduates of public and private colleges.

INSKEEP: Hmm, they did about the same after graduation. And the same goes for graduates of highly-ranked schools versus graduates of less prestigious institutions.

MONTAGNE: But graduates of for-profit schools are less likely to be thriving, the survey found. As well as, not surprisingly, students who leave school carrying a heavy load of student debt.

And that's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Renee Montagne.

INSKEEP: And I'm Steve Inskeep. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.