Podcast listeners are more likely to be college graduates, but what shows have the biggest number of those well-educated Americans? Edison Research analyzed its more than 64,000 interviews with weekly podcast listeners to determine the podcasts with the highest percentage of college graduates in their listening base. Four of the top five are from public media.
Coming out on top was NPR’s The Indicator from Planet Money, which has an audience that is almost entirely made up of college graduates. Edison says 94% of the show’s listeners have at least a four-year degree. The two-year-old spinoff from Planet Money offers quick insights into work, business and the economy.
The show with the second-highest concentration of college graduates is The New Yorker Radio Hour at 92%. Hosted by Editor David Remnick, the WNYC Studios production features long-form interviews. The on-demand audio version of CNBC’s Mad Money w/ Jim Cramer comes in third, with 88% college graduates. It is followed by the NPR science podcast Short Wave, with 87% of its listeners tuning into the show hosted by Emily Kwong and Regina Barber. Rounding out Edison’s top five is the Kai Ryssdal-hosted daily economics and business show Marketplace, with 86% of its listeners college graduates.
Edison Research’s Infinite Dial report shows that 49% of monthly podcast listeners age 18 and older are college-educated. That is five points higher than the U.S. population 18 and older overall.
