A new study by the Pew Research Center shows that Hindus are the most highly educated religious group in the United States when measured by the share of adults who hold at least a bachelor’s degree.The findings come from Pew’s 2023–24 Religious Landscape Study, which surveys tens of thousands of US adults about their religious identity and social characteristics, including education.
7 in 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 share among all major religious groups measured in the survey.Several other religious groups also have high levels of educational attainment.
American adults with a four-year college degree
- Hindus 70%
- Episcopalians 67%
- Jews 65%
- Agnostics 53%
- Atheists 48%
- Muslims 44%
- Buddhists 41%
- Catholics 35%
- National average 35%
- Evangelicals 29%
Key takeaways:
- Jews rank second. Roughly six-in-ten Jewish adults have at least a bachelor’s degree, placing them just behind Hindus.
- Mainline Protestant churches, taken together, have a bigger share of college graduates than the overall US 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 out of ten adults have at least a bachelor’s degree. This is higher than the US average, but lower than the levels seen among Hindus and Jews.
- Closer to the bottom of the list are groups such as Jehovah’s Witnesses and historically Black Protestant churches. These groups have a smaller share of adults with college degrees compared with 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 with the overall US population.Overall, Pew reports that about four-in-ten US adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
What is the reason of this distinction?
The study does not say exactly why some religious groups have higher education levels than others. But Pew says immigration patterns are an important factor for some communities. 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 high in this group.The Religious Landscape Study is one of the most detailed surveys of religion in US. It looks at more than just religious beliefs and practices. It also collects information on education, income, age and other social and economic factors across different religious groups.
