National Congregations Study, Cumulative Dataset (1998, 2006-2007, 2012, and 2018-2019)

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CLEREDUC What is the highest level of education [you have/this person has] received? Remarks: This item was only asked if CLERGONE = 1. If CLERGONE=2, CLEREDUC was set at 7. Analysts looking at change over time should keep in mind that clergy education is measured in different ways in different years.   1) Less than high school   2) High school diploma   3) Some college but no four-year degree   4) Four-year college degree   5) Graduate degree   6) Other (includes unspecified religious institutions)   7) Not applicable, no single head clergy

Pie Chart Bar Chart Cumulative Bar Chart

Category	Frequency	Percentage	Cumulative Percentage	Z-Score
Less than high school	17	1.5%	1.5%	-3.60
High school diploma	35	3.0%	4.5%	-2.63
Some college but no four-year degree	74	6.4%	10.9%	-1.66
Four-year college degree	168	14.5%	25.4%	-0.70
Graduate degree	754	65.2%	90.6%	0.27
Other (includes unspecified religious institutions)	54	4.7%	95.2%	1.24
Not applicable, no single head clergy	55	4.8%	100.0%	2.21

Variable Comparisons

Year Region Theology Political ideology Religion

Year (I-YEAR)

	1998	2006	2012	2018	TOTAL
Less than high school	1.5% 17	0.00% 0	0.00% 0	0.00% 0	1.5% 17
High school diploma	3.0% 35	0.00% 0	0.00% 0	0.00% 0	3.0% 35
Some college but no four-year degree	6.4% 74	0.00% 0	0.00% 0	0.00% 0	6.4% 74
Four-year college degree	14.5% 168	0.00% 0	0.00% 0	0.00% 0	14.5% 168
Graduate degree	65.2% 754	0.00% 0	0.00% 0	0.00% 0	65.2% 754
Other (includes unspecified religious institutions)	4.7% 54	0.00% 0	0.00% 0	0.00% 0	4.7% 54
Not applicable, no single head clergy	4.8% 55	0.00% 0	0.00% 0	0.00% 0	4.8% 55
TOTAL	100.0% 1157	100.0% 0	100.0% 0	100.0% 0	1157

Region (I-REGION)

	New England or Mid-Atlantic	East North Central or West North Central	South Atlantic, East South Central, or West South Central	Mountain or Pacific	TOTAL
Less than high school	1.0% 2	0.7% 2	2.5% 12	0.5% 1	1.5% 17
High school diploma	3.8% 8	1.8% 5	3.6% 17	2.5% 5	3.0% 35
Some college but no four-year degree	1.4% 3	6.8% 19	7.8% 37	7.6% 15	6.4% 74
Four-year college degree	13.4% 28	17.6% 49	13.8% 65	13.1% 26	14.5% 168
Graduate degree	75.6% 158	64.7% 180	59.5% 281	68.2% 135	65.2% 754
Other (includes unspecified religious institutions)	2.9% 6	4.7% 13	6.4% 30	2.5% 5	4.7% 54
Not applicable, no single head clergy	1.9% 4	3.6% 10	6.4% 30	5.6% 11	4.8% 55
TOTAL	100.0% 209	100.0% 278	100.0% 472	100.0% 198	1157

Theology (I-THEOLOGY)

	More conservative	Right in the middle	More liberal	TOTAL
Less than high school	2.0% 12	1.2% 5	0.0% 0	1.5% 17
High school diploma	3.7% 22	2.4% 10	1.6% 2	3.0% 34
Some college but no four-year degree	8.3% 50	5.1% 21	2.4% 3	6.5% 74
Four-year college degree	17.3% 104	10.6% 44	15.4% 19	14.7% 167
Graduate degree	61.1% 367	69.8% 289	73.2% 90	65.6% 746
Other (includes unspecified religious institutions)	3.0% 18	6.3% 26	4.1% 5	4.3% 49
Not applicable, no single head clergy	4.7% 28	4.6% 19	3.3% 4	4.5% 51
TOTAL	100.0% 601	100.0% 414	100.0% 123	1138

Political ideology (I-POLITICS)

	More conservative	Right in the middle	More liberal	TOTAL
Less than high school	1.7% 10	1.7% 7	0.0% 0	1.5% 17
High school diploma	3.7% 22	2.7% 11	0.0% 0	3.0% 33
Some college but no four-year degree	7.9% 47	5.5% 23	3.2% 3	6.6% 73
Four-year college degree	17.9% 107	10.4% 43	13.7% 13	14.7% 163
Graduate degree	61.6% 368	69.4% 288	74.7% 71	65.7% 727
Other (includes unspecified religious institutions)	3.2% 19	5.8% 24	6.3% 6	4.4% 49
Not applicable, no single head clergy	4.0% 24	4.6% 19	2.1% 2	4.1% 45
TOTAL	100.0% 597	100.0% 415	100.0% 95	1107

Religion (I-RELIGION)

	Roman Catholic	White conservative, evangelical, or fundamentalist	Black Protestant	White liberal or moderate	Non-Christian	TOTAL
Less than high school	0.0% 0	2.7% 11	3.7% 5	0.0% 0	2.3% 1	1.5% 17
High school diploma	0.0% 0	5.1% 21	5.9% 8	1.0% 3	6.8% 3	3.0% 35
Some college but no four-year degree	0.0% 0	11.5% 47	12.6% 17	2.4% 7	6.8% 3	6.4% 74
Four-year college degree	12.1% 33	21.0% 86	19.3% 26	5.7% 17	13.6% 6	14.5% 168
Graduate degree	80.5% 219	49.4% 202	45.9% 62	83.5% 248	52.3% 23	65.2% 754
Other (includes unspecified religious institutions)	6.3% 17	2.9% 12	7.4% 10	3.7% 11	9.1% 4	4.7% 54
Not applicable, no single head clergy	1.1% 3	7.3% 30	5.2% 7	3.7% 11	9.1% 4	4.8% 55
TOTAL	100.0% 272	100.0% 409	100.0% 135	100.0% 297	100.0% 44	1157