A new study by the Pew Research Center shows that Hindus are the most educated religious group in the United States when measured by the percentage of adults with at least a bachelor’s degree.These findings come from Pew’s 2023-2024 Religious Landscape Study, which surveyed tens of thousands of American adults about their religious identity and social characteristics, including education.
7 out of 10 Hindus have a degree
According to Pew, about seven in ten Hindu adults in the United States have a bachelor’s degree or higher. This is the highest percentage among all major religious groups measured in the survey.Many other religious groups also have high levels of educational attainment.
American adults with a four-year college degree
- Hindus 70%
- Episcopal 67%
- Jews 65%
- Agnostics 53%
- Atheists 48%
- Muslims 44%
- Buddhists 41%
- Catholics 35%
- National average 35%
- Evangelicals 29%
Main takeaways:
- Jews are in second place. Nearly six in ten Jewish adults have at least a bachelor’s degree, putting them just behind Hindus.
- Taken together, the mainline Protestant churches have a larger share of college graduates than the general U.S. average. Catholics and Orthodox Christians are closer to the national average when it comes to adults with bachelor’s degrees.
- Among Muslims in the United States, about four in ten adults have at least a bachelor’s degree. This is higher than the average in the United States, but lower than the levels recorded among Hindus and Jews.
- Closest to the bottom of the list are groups such as Jehovah’s Witnesses and historically black Protestant churches. These groups have a lower percentage of adults with college degrees than the national average.
What about atheists and agnostics?
People who describe their religion as “nothing in particular” or who identify as religiously unaffiliated show a wide range of educational levels. Atheists and agnostics have relatively high shares of college graduates compared to the overall U.S. population.Overall, Pew reports, about four in ten American adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
What is the reason for this distinction?
The study does not explain exactly why some religious groups have higher levels of education than others.
But Pew says migration patterns are an important factor for some societies. For example, many Hindu adults in the United States were born outside the country. US immigration rules have often favored people with higher education and specialized job skills, which helps explain why education levels are higher in this group.The Religious Landscape Study is one of the most detailed surveys of religion in the United States. It looks at more than just religious beliefs and practices. It also collects information on education, income, age and other socioeconomic factors across different religious groups.
