Emma Wetten

Date of Award

January 2014

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Economics & Finance

First Advisor

Chih Ming Tan

Abstract

Religion is an important determinant of the socioeconomic behavior of individuals. This thesis is an attempt to describe how various religious denominations in the United States have differing levels of education, different patterns in college degree attainment, and different household incomes even when certain demographic factors are controlled. This thesis describes differences in economic outcomes among religions and uses regression models of college attainment and average years of education with demographic controls including race, gender, region, and parents' educational attainment from the early 1980s through 2012. The results suggest that differences in economic attainment between American religious denominations in terms of income and education are significant and stable.

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