New Delhi: Achieving a degree in the United States is an asset for economic success, but changes by race and gender. But the percentage of people completing a college degree also varies by their religion, faith groups, education qualification, etc.

The study also examined educational achievements of religiously unaffiliated people. As per reports, four-in-ten atheists (43%) and agnostics (42%) have obtained college degrees, as have nearly a quarter (24%) of those, who say their religion is nothing in special.

As per reports, Unitarian Universalists and Hindus have the largest share of those with a college degree – 77% and 67% respectively. Roughly, six-in-ten Jews (59%) have obtained college degrees, the Anglican church (59%) and the Episcopal Church (56%).

As per the data from the 2014 Religious Landscape Study, these groups are among the top of a list of 30 US religious groups ranked by educational achievements.

Going by the strong correlation between educational attainment and economic success, it is not shocking that Jews and Hindus have high household incomes. 

According to the 2014 study, four-in-ten Jews (44%) and slightly a third of Hindus (36%) are living in households with annual incomes of at least $100,000, which includes Buddhists and members of the Presbyterian Church (USA) – both at 47% – as well as Orthodox Christians (40%), Muslims (39%) and Mormons (33%).

Other religious groups too have a good quantity of college graduates than the full representation of more than 35,000 US adults viewed in the 2014 Religious Landscape Study, among whom 27% completed their university. 

As Catholics make up one-in-five adults, it is not surprising that their share of members with a college degree (26%) roughly reflects that of the general public.

One-in-five members of historically black Protestant denominations – the National Baptist Convention (19%) and the African Methodist Episcopal Church (21%) – have a college degree, as do members of the Southern Baptist Convention (19%).