Chris Auld finds that
people without a high school education are most likely to think that economists are know-nothings. The proportion of GSS respondents having such views is mostly declining in education. From Auld:
This is consistent with what I'd found on
correlates of economic thinking in New Zealand - the more educated are more likely to agree with what I'd taken as
consensus economist views. And, with what
Bryan found in the States. But I don't recall seeing anything like that uptick among grad school folks, though I'd have to double check. The questions I'd used as indicating economic thinking all touched on microeconomic rather than macro issues: whether wage and price controls are a good idea; whether high income taxes make people less willing to work hard; whether we should have import controls.
Perhaps folks who've gone to grad school encounter too many folks who've done too much macro?