Pew Study: Hindus and Jews lead American faith groups in college graduation rates

A new report from the Pew Research Center provides one of the most detailed insights into how educational attainment differs among religious groups in America.

The findings come from Pew’s Religious Landscape Study 2023-24, a survey of 36,908 American adults. The large sample size allowed researchers to analyze not only broad religious categories, but also specific denominations within Protestantism and other traditions.

The key finding: Hindus and Jews are separated by a wide margin.

Hindus and Jews top the list

Seven in 10 Hindus in the United States have at least a bachelor’s degree, the highest percentage of any religious group measured. Jewish Americans follow closely behind, with 65% reporting a four-year college degree or higher.

Both figures nearly double the national average of 35% for all U.S. adults.

Other religious groups with relatively high levels of education include Orthodox Christians (45%), Muslims (44%), Buddhists (41%) and mainline Protestants (40%). Catholics generally match the national average of 35%.

At the bottom of the spectrum are evangelical Protestants (29%) and members of historically black Protestant churches (24%).

These differences reflect a mix of immigration patterns, socio-economic factors, denominational history and geographical distribution. The Pew report does not speculate on causes, but the educational profile of Hindu Americans, for example, is consistent with broader immigration data showing that many Indian immigrants arrive in the United States through employment-based visa programs that favor highly skilled workers.

Sharp divide within Protestantism

The breadth of Pew’s research allows for a closer look at educational levels within Christian traditions.

Evangelical Protestants

Overall, 29% of evangelical Protestants have a bachelor’s degree or higher, slightly below the national average.

But the reach within evangelical denominations is wide. Among the groups analyzed:

• Members of the Global Methodist Church report a 57% graduation rate.
• The Presbyterian Church in America also stands at 57%.
• On the other hand, only 18% of Assemblies of God members have a college degree.
• Southern Baptists (23%) and Independent Baptists in the evangelical tradition (20%) also fall well below the national average.

These internal differences suggest that educational attainment cannot be generalized under broad labels such as “evangelical.” Institutional history, theology, regional concentration and demographics of the membership all play a role.

Main Protestants

Mainline Protestants tend to be more educated than evangelical Christians, with 40% having earned at least a bachelor’s degree.

Among the denominations, Pew was able to analyze separately:

• The Episcopal Church stands out at 67%.
• The Presbyterian Church (USA) reports 58%.
• The United Church of Christ reports 50%.
• The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (39%) and the United Methodist Church (42%) are close to the national average.
• The American Baptist Churches USA decline much lower, at 13%.

The 67% figure for Episcopalians puts them roughly on par with Jewish Americans and just below Hindus, making them one of the most highly educated Christian groups in the country.

Historically black Protestant churches

Among historically black Protestant churches, about 24% of members have a college degree or higher, below the national average.

Within that tradition:

• The National Baptist Convention, USA, is 24%.
• The Church of God in Christ (COGIC) reports 10%.

Pew did not have a sufficient sample size to report separate results for some smaller denominations, including the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

The religious unaffiliated

The religiously unaffiliated (sometimes called “nones”) make up a growing portion of the U.S. population. But their educational profile is not uniform.

Overall, 37% of religiously unaffiliated adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher, slightly above the national average.

Breaking that down:

• Agnostics: 53%
• Atheists: 48%
• “Nothing special”: 29%

The contrast is considerable. Agnostics and atheists are significantly more likely than Americans in general to have a college degree. Those who describe their religion as ‘nothing special’ are less likely than average to have completed a university education.

Takeaways

Educational attainment is closely linked to income, employment stability and long-term wealth accumulation. According to federal employment data, workers with a bachelor’s degree tend to earn significantly more over their lifetime than workers with only a high school diploma.

For example:

At the same time, educational levels within religious groups are determined by broader demographic factors: immigration policies, geographic settlement patterns, historical access to higher education, and economic inequality.

Pew’s research draws no conclusions about why these differences exist. It provides a statistical snapshot.

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