San Jose State University graduates are photographed during fall commencement at the Event Center in San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2018.

Over the past several decades, the cost of college has steadily climbed, causing a student debt crisis and creating a climate of skepticism about the true value of a college degree. A recent Gallup poll of more than 2,000 American adults reveals that roughly half of Americans don't see college as a necessity. But according to a new survey from college planning website BestColleges of 817 American adults who have actually earned a bachelor's degree, 82% say their degree was a "good financial investment." Still, 61% of those surveyed said they would change one thing — their major.

The value of a college degree

Those who said their degree was worth the investment are likely correct. According to The College Board, the average student debt total among those who take out loans to pay for college is roughly $29,000. However, the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce estimates that a bachelor's degree is worth $2.8 million over a lifetime, on average Indeed, there is still reason to believe in the conventional wisdom that a college degree can be a clear path to stronger job opportunities and higher earnings. In 2018, college graduates earned weekly wages that were 80% higher than those of high school graduates, according to the Federal Reserve. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that Americans with a bachelor's degree have median weekly earnings of $1,173, compared to just $712 a week for those who have a high school diploma.

What matters most when completing an undergraduate degree?

While hard skills can help college graduates reach these higher earnings, respondents said that learning soft skills was actually the most valuable part of their college experience. Over 40% of those polled felt that mastering soft skills like creativity, critical thinking and communication was the most beneficial. Less than 6% of graduates said that their alma mater's reputation was the most valuable part of college. "It isn't about name recognition. It isn't prestige. It's literally the skills and their experiences that are helping people every day in their jobs," Quinn Tomlin, public relations manager for BestColleges tells CNBC Make It. In fact, when LinkedIn analyzed hundreds of thousands of job postings, they found that the most in-demand skill that employers were looking for was creativity.

Regrets about college majors