数据显示，诺奖得主的父亲其收入平均处于其所在国第87百分位，教育水平在第90百分位。超过三分之二的诺奖得主来自本国最富裕的10%家庭，50-60%的诺奖得主来自教育水平位列前5%的家庭。这表明，能够获得进入科学顶尖领域机会的，往往是社会财富和教育资源高度集中的人群。
来源：Access to Opportunity in the Sciences: Evidence from the Nobel Laureates来源：Access to Opportunity in the Sciences: Evidence from the Nobel Laureates来源：Access to Opportunity in the Sciences: Evidence from the Nobel Laureates来源：Access to Opportunity in the Sciences: Evidence from the Nobel Laureates来源：Access to Opportunity in the Sciences: Evidence from the Nobel Laureates
略值得安慰的是，这种机会获取的不平等在过去125年里有所改进。1900年，诺奖得主出生家庭的收入排名在第92百分位上，今天降到了第85分位；教育程度排名从95百分位降到了88百分位。来源：Access to Opportunity in the Sciences: Evidence from the Nobel Laureates来源：Access to Opportunity in the Sciences: Evidence from the Nobel Laureates
