More education doesn’t mean less religious commitment among Christians, Pew says

It’s a popular belief: the more educated a person is, the less religious he or she likely will be. And it’s mostly right, but with exceptions, according to a recently released analysis of Pew Research Center surveys.

“I think the answer is, ‘Well, it’s complicated,’” said Gregory Smith. “On the one hand, if you just look at the public as a whole, there’s no question people with the highest levels of educational attainment tend to be less religious than those with lower levels of educational attainment.”

Fewer than half of college graduates, or 46 percent, say religion is “very important” in their lives, compared with 53 percent of those who have completed some college and 58 percent of those with no more than a high school education, according to Pew. College grads also are less likely to say they believe in God “with absolute certainty” and pray daily.