The Cardus Education Survey is recognized as one of the most valuable surveys of its kind. It seeks to understand the life patterns, views, and choices of graduates from various kinds of non- government schools including non-religious independent schools, Catholic and Protestant schools, and Homeschoolers.

The Cardus study partnered with the University of Notre Dame sociology department to conduct and analyze the survey. In 2018 the Association of Classical Christian Schools (ACCS) sponsored a parallel survey with the University of Notre Dame to append ACCS member school alumni to the Cardus data. This provides insight into the life outcomes of ACCS alumni aged 24 to 42 when compared to 5 other types of school.