Kristen Rein

USA TODAY

What may surprise some, however, is that Millennials tend to have a more positive view of most major U.S. institutions than their older counterparts.

When it comes to financial institutions, large corporations and labor unions, a larger number of Millennials believe these groups have a positive effect on the country than older generations, according to a survey released yesterday by the Pew Research Center.

Additionally — and perhaps more importantly for this age group — Millennials reported having a much more positive view of colleges and universities in relation to older generations. Seventy-three percent of Millennial respondents believe higher education has a positive impact on the country, compared to just 64% of Gen Xers and 59% of Boomers.

It's not all unicorns and sunshine, though.

In two important areas, Millennials have grown increasingly pessimistic — namely, their views on religious institutions and national media.

Just 55% of Millennials responded positively about their perception of religious institutions — an 18% dip since 2010. This represents an important shift, as older generations are now more likely to view religious groups positively. Sixty-two percent of Gen Xers are more likely to view them positively, and 67% of Boomers. This marks the first time that Millennial perceptions drop below that of older generations.

This corresponds with a November 2015 report from the Pew Research Center that suggested Millennials were less likely than other age groups to believe in God. About half of Millennials reported believing in God with absolute certainty, compared to about 70% of Boomers.

It's not just religion — Millennials are growing increasingly pessimistic about the news media, too.

When asked if national news media had a positive impact on the country, only 27% responded favorably — down from about 40% five years ago.

They're not alone in their view of the media, however — their views are now almost on par with that of older generations, which were also down from 2010. Gen Xers responded at 26% favorability, with Boomers coming in at 23%.

The survey was completed by the Pew Research Center between Aug. 27 - Oct. 4, 2015



This story originally appeared on the USA TODAY College blog, a news source produced for college students by student journalists. The blog closed in September of 2017.