74%
The percentage of U.S. adults who have done at least one activity in the past year to learn about a personal hobby or interest. That includes 58 percent who read a how-to publication, 35 percent who attended a club or meeting, 30 percent who attended a convention or conference, 25 percent who took an in-person course and 16 percent who took an online course.
87%
The percentage of those "personal learners" who say that learning helped them feel more capable and well rounded. Also, 69 percent say it opened up new perspectives about their lives, 64 percent say it helped them make new friends and 58 percent say it made them feel more connected to their local community.
63%
The percentage of U.S. workers who have taken a professional class or training in the past year. Of those, 65 percent say their learning expanded their professional network, 47 percent say it helped them advance within their current company, 29 percent say it helped them find a new job and 27 percent say it helped them consider a different career path.
Source: Pew Research Center, March 2016, "Lifelong Learning and Technology"opens in new window