Pew Data Shows Hindus And Jews Most Educated Religious Groups In US

India-West News Desk

WASHINGTON, DC – The latest data from the Pew Research Center’s 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study reveals a stark educational divide across the American religious spectrum, with Hindus and Jews emerging as the nation’s most highly educated groups. According to the report of February 19, these two communities significantly outpace the national average for college attainment, with 70% of Hindus and 65% of Jews holding at least a bachelor’s degree.

These figures stand in sharp contrast to the broader U.S. population, where only 35% of adults have completed a four-year degree. The academic success of Hindu and Jewish Americans highlights a unique socioeconomic profile within the country’s religious fabric. While the national average sits at approximately one-in-three adults, the rate for Hindus is double that figure, while nearly two-thirds of the Jewish community has achieved similar academic milestones.

The study suggests that education levels vary widely among other denominations. For instance, U.S. Catholics exactly mirror the national average at 35%, though these numbers shift dramatically when viewed through the lens of race and ethnicity. Among Catholics, 53% of Asian members and 43% of White members hold degrees, compared to 20% of Hispanic Catholics.

On the other end of the spectrum, the report notes lower shares of college graduates among evangelical Protestants at 29% and members of historically Black Protestant denominations at 24%. However, even within these broader categories, certain groups show high levels of attainment; both the Global Methodist Church and the Presbyterian Church in America see 57% of their members holding college degrees.