Poll: Jews highest-earning religious group in US

Survey shows 46 percent of Jews earn six digits; only 51 percent of Americans say they're protestant.

money 224 ap (photo credit: AP)
money 224 ap
(photo credit: AP)
Jews are the highest-earning religious group in the United States, with 46 percent of the working population earning a six-digit figure every year, according to a study released this week. In terms of annual earnings, the only other group to even come close to the average Jewish income was the Hindus, with 43 percent earning over $100,000. No other group reached even the 30 percent mark, and the overall US average was only 18 percent earning six-figure digits annually. The study, conducted by the Pew Forum on Religious and Public Life, also showed that, after Hindus, the Jews were the second most educated religious group in the US. 35 percent of Jews were found to have done at least some graduate work, as opposed to 48 percent amongst Hindus. The survey found that Jews were aligned with the national averages in terms of marital status and divorce rates, but showed that the Jewish birth rate was the lowest among religious groups, with 72 percent of those polled replying that they had no children. According to the survey the United States is on the verge of becoming a minority Protestant country, with only 51 percent of Americans replying that they are Protestant. The study polled over 35,000 Americans age 18 and older.