Computer Sector Leads Drops in Industry Ratings
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Of the 25 business sectors that Gallup tracks annually, four have seen statistically significant drops in Americans’ positive views over the past year: the computer industry, farming and agriculture, electric and gas utilities, and oil and gas.
The share of Americans with a very or somewhat positive view of the computer industry shows the steepest decline, falling 11 percentage points to 48%, its record low. Positive ratings of electric and gas utilities dropped seven points to 33%, farming and agriculture slid six points to 54%, and oil and gas slipped five points to 30%.
All four industries are now well below their recent highs. Positive views of the computer industry and farming and agriculture peaked in 2017, at 75% and 70%, respectively. Electric and gas utilities and the oil and gas industry peaked more recently, in 2020, at 50% and 43%.
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The Aug. 3-24 poll comes at a time when inflation remains elevated in the U.S. and the public continues to name it as one of the nation’s most important problems. Majorities of Americans also continue to rate the economy negatively and say gas prices are causing them financial hardship. These economic pressures coincide with the declines in ratings of industries closely connected to household expenses, including utilities, oil and gas, and farming and agriculture.
In addition, the cyclospora outbreak in recent months in the U.S., which was linked to lettuce and caused many Americans to be wary of eating produce, may have tainted views of the farming and ag industry.
The drop in the computer industry’s rating comes amid broader signs of weakening public sentiment toward the technology sector. Gallup’s June poll found that Americans’ confidence in large technology companies had fallen to a new low. The public’s broad opposition to the construction of AI data centers may shed some light on Americans’ less positive views of technology companies.
Farming and Restaurants Remain Atop Full List of 25 Sectors
Farming and agriculture and the computer industry remain among the top-rated sectors even after the decline in their ratings this year. They, along with the restaurant industry, have topped Gallup’s list in most years since 2001.
Farming and agriculture (54%) and the restaurant industry (51%) are the only two sectors receiving positive ratings from a majority of Americans this year. Yet, the current reading for the restaurant industry ties its record low from 2008 and is one point lower than last year.
Between 40% and 42% of Americans rate six sectors positively, including accounting, education, and the automobile, internet, retail and travel industries. In addition to electric and gas utilities and the oil and gas industry, the grocery, healthcare, banking, television and radio, legal, sports, real estate, telephone, publishing, airline, and movie industries are viewed positively by between 30% and 37% of U.S. adults. Ratings of the telephone and movie industries tie their record lows from last year.
The sectors at the bottom of the list are the pharmaceutical industry (28%), the advertising and public relations industry (26%), and the federal government (19%). The federal government has been the lowest-rated sector for much of the past two decades.
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The average positive rating across all 25 sectors is 36%, marking the sixth consecutive year it has been under 40%. The record-low average rating was 34% in 2008, while the record high was 49% in 2017.
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Republicans Rate Most Industries More Positively Than Democrats
Partisans’ average industry ratings are typically more positive when the sitting president is from their party. Republicans and Republican-leaning independents’ average positive rating of the 25 sectors is currently 43%, compared with 33% among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, continuing the pattern since Donald Trump returned to the White House last year.
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The federal government, which has also historically been viewed more positively by members of the president’s party, follows that pattern today: 32% of Republicans view it positively, compared with 7% of Democrats. Farming and agriculture and the oil and gas industry have generally received higher ratings from Republicans than Democrats, while the movie industry has typically been rated more positively by Democrats. Those historical differences are evident in the current ratings.
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Ratings of the oil and gas industry have fallen seven points among Republicans since last year but not at all among Democrats, while ratings of electric and gas utilities are down more among Democrats than Republicans. The declines in farming and agriculture and the computer industry are similar across parties.
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Bottom Line
This year’s industry rating declines leave several sectors that have traditionally enjoyed relatively favorable public images with somewhat lower ratings. The computer industry, once rated positively by three-quarters of Americans, has fallen to a record low, while farming and agriculture has retreated from its previous highs even as it remains the nation’s best-rated sector. At the same time, the broader industry landscape remains characterized by modest public ratings and substantial partisan differences, with only farming and restaurants viewed positively by a majority of Americans.
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