Hindus have emerged as the most highly educated religious community in the United States, followed closely by Jews, according to a new analysis released by the Pew Research Center based on its 2023–24 Religious Landscape Study (RLS). The Washington-based research organisation described the survey as one of the most extensive examinations of religion and public life conducted in the country.
The study found that about 70 percent of Hindu adults in the US possess at least a bachelor’s degree, while 65 percent of Jewish adults have achieved the same level of education. These figures stand in sharp contrast to the broader US population, where roughly 35 percent of adults hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, highlighting a significant educational gap between these communities and the national average.
Several other religious groups also recorded education levels above the national benchmark. More than four in ten Muslims, Buddhists and Orthodox Christians were reported to have completed at least undergraduate-level education. Mainline Protestant Christians likewise showed higher-than-average rates of college attainment compared with the overall population.
In contrast, the proportion of college graduates among Evangelical Protestants, Catholics and members of historically Black Protestant churches was found to be below the national average, indicating notable variation in educational outcomes across different faith traditions.
Researchers noted that immigration trends and demographic factors play a major role in shaping these patterns. Many Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists migrated to the United States through skilled-worker programmes or higher-education pathways, which naturally contribute to higher levels of academic qualification within these communities.
The Religious Landscape Study surveyed 36,908 US adults between July 17, 2023, and March 4, 2024, making it one of the largest datasets used to analyse the intersection of religion, demographics and social indicators in the United States.
