Cardus Education Survey explores links between schooling and gratitude in adulthood

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

17 November, 2025

The Cardus Education Survey (CES) reveals that graduates of American independent schools report higher levels of gratitude compared to public school graduates.

When the CES surveyed 2,350 US-based respondents, it found that about 55 percent of graduates from traditional public schools strongly agreed that they have “so much in life to be thankful for.” By contrast, 68, 63, and 69 percent of graduates from Protestant, Catholic, and nonreligious independent schools, respectively, felt the same way. At 58 percent, homeschool graduates displayed levels of gratitude close to graduates of traditional public schools. Those findings come in the Cardus report, The Measure of Thanks: Connecting Schooling, Gratitude, and Life Outcomes.

The CES also found that while school type matters, childhood factors play a bigger role in fostering gratitude. Respondents who grew up in a religious home, who did not grow up in material poverty, or who were female all report higher levels of gratitude, regardless of what type of school they attended.

“In addition to families, schools can have a role to play in helping students develop a sense of gratitude,” says Lynn Swaner, President, US at Cardus. “Whether through curriculum, community service, or religious formation, schools can help students grow up to be grateful adults who want to give back.”

Higher levels of gratitude are strongly linked to being more satisfied with life, having stronger friendships and better mental health, being more generous, and volunteering more, which are all things that improve life for the individual and help society flourish generally.

“Gratitude isn’t just a feeling, but a lasting virtue—one that, when nurtured early, supports lifelong flourishing for both individuals and communities,” says Swaner.

Two Cardus senior fellows co-authored The Measure of Thanks: Connecting Schooling, Gratitude, and Life Outcomes with Lynn Swaner—Jonathan Eckert, a professor of educational leadership at Baylor University, and Albert Cheng, an education professor at the University of Arkansas. The report is freely available on the Cardus website.

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