Business leaders throughout the country were asked how important four different parameters of education are factors in hiring, including the amount of knowledge the candidate has in a particular field; his/her applied skill set; what the candidate’s major was in college; and which college he/she attended.

Gallup conducted the poll by telephone between November 25 and December 16, 2013. They inquired of 623 business leaders, on behalf of the Lumina Foundation, a private, independent foundation whose goal is to make higher education more accessible, to discover what the important factors are for business leaders when hiring new employees.

The poll showed an overwhelming preference for candidates with a good knowledge base in the field they will be expected to work in, as well applied skills in the field. Not as important was the potential employee’s college major, and of least importance of all was the college attended.