Surveys & Data Overview

Explore key statistics and findings from various studies on the religious beliefs of scholars worldwide. This section provides an overall picture of theistic versus atheistic populations within academia.

Theistic vs. Atheistic Scholars

Beliefs Over Time

Survey Summary Table

Detailed summary of key survey results including sample sizes and methodologies.
Survey Year Theistic (%) Atheistic (%) Sample Size Methodology
Pew Research Center (AAAS Scientists) 2009 51% (God/Higher Power) 41% (No Belief) ~1,000 Survey of AAAS members
Ecklund (Elite US Scientists) 2010 25% (Confident Belief) 64% (Atheist/Agnostic) ~1,700 Survey of elite university scientists
Ecklund (Worldwide Scientists) 2015 Varies (e.g., India >50%) Varies (e.g., HK 26%) 9,422 Global survey & interviews

Important Note on Bias: Survey samples and methodologies can significantly influence reported statistics. Factors like the definition of "belief," geographical region, academic discipline, and the specific questions asked can lead to variations in findings. This data should be interpreted with consideration for potential biases.