The Most Educated States in America
The share of adults who hold a bachelor's degree is one of the sharpest dividing lines in American life, tied to income, health, and which industries a place can attract. It also varies widely by state. In Massachusetts, 47.3 percent of adults hold at least a four-year degree. In West Virginia, 24.1 percent do, a more than 23 percent gap. Below is every state ranked by the share of adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher, from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey.
Every state ranked by bachelor's degree attainment
| Rank | State | Bachelor's or higher |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 64.2% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 47.3% |
| 3 | Colorado | 45.7% |
| 4 | Vermont | 43.8% |
| 5 | New Jersey | 43.6% |
| 6 | Maryland | 43.4% |
| 7 | Connecticut | 42.5% |
| 8 | Virginia | 42.2% |
| 9 | New Hampshire | 40.6% |
| 10 | New York | 40.2% |
| 11 | Washington | 39.6% |
| 12 | Minnesota | 39.4% |
| 13 | Illinois | 37.8% |
| 14 | Rhode Island | 37.7% |
| 15 | Utah | 37.7% |
| 16 | California | 37.1% |
| 17 | Oregon | 36.8% |
| 18 | Maine | 36.2% |
| 19 | Hawaii | 36.1% |
| 20 | Delaware | 35.8% |
| 21 | North Carolina | 35.7% |
| 22 | Kansas | 35.6% |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | 35.2% |
| 24 | Montana | 35.2% |
| 25 | Georgia | 34.9% |
| 26 | Nebraska | 34.6% |
| 27 | Florida | 34.1% |
| 28 | Texas | 33.8% |
| 29 | Wisconsin | 33.4% |
| 30 | Arizona | 33.3% |
| 31 | North Dakota | 32.7% |
| 32 | Michigan | 32.4% |
| 33 | Missouri | 32.4% |
| 34 | South Carolina | 32.1% |
| 35 | South Dakota | 31.9% |
| 36 | Idaho | 31.8% |
| 37 | Alaska | 31.7% |
| 38 | Ohio | 31.5% |
| 39 | Iowa | 31.4% |
| 40 | Tennessee | 31.1% |
| 41 | New Mexico | 31.0% |
| 42 | Wyoming | 30.6% |
| 43 | Indiana | 29.5% |
| 44 | Alabama | 28.4% |
| 45 | Oklahoma | 28.3% |
| 46 | Nevada | 27.9% |
| 47 | Kentucky | 27.6% |
| 48 | Louisiana | 27.0% |
| 49 | Arkansas | 25.7% |
| 50 | Mississippi | 25.1% |
| 51 | West Virginia | 24.1% |
The most educated states are a Northeast and mountain-West story
The District of Columbia stands apart at 64.2 percent, a single city built on government, law, and consulting, and not really comparable to a whole state. Since DC isn't an apples-to-apples comparison, let's move on to the states. Among the states, Massachusetts leads at 47.3 percent, the heart of a Northeast cluster that includes Vermont, New Jersey, Maryland, and Connecticut. Colorado is the western outlier near the top, a state that imports college graduates faster than it produces them, drawn by its economy and its mountains.
The least educated states line up with the lowest income states
West Virginia (24.1 percent), Mississippi (25.1 percent), and Arkansas (25.7 percent) anchor the bottom, the same states that trail on income. The link is not a coincidence: degree attainment and median earnings track each other closely, which is why this map looks so much like the median household income by state map. The states that hold their graduates and attract more tend to pull ahead economically, and the gap has widened over the past two decades.
How to read this
This is the share of adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher, so it counts four-year degrees and above and excludes associate degrees and some college. It measures where degree-holders live, not where they were educated, so states with strong job markets score high partly by importing talent. See the full ranking, including every state's graduate-degree share, at the most educated states ranking, or the city-level view in the most educated cities in America.
Sources
Figures are the share of the population 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, most recent release. Full ranking: most educated states.
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Which state is the most educated?
Massachusetts is the most educated state, with 47.3 percent of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, followed by Colorado at 45.7 percent. The District of Columbia is higher at 64.2 percent but is a single city rather than a state.
Which state is the least educated?
West Virginia has the lowest bachelor's degree attainment among states at 24.1 percent, followed by Mississippi (25.1 percent) and Arkansas (25.7 percent). These are also among the lowest-income states.
What does this education ranking measure?
It is the share of adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher, from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey. It counts four-year degrees and above and reflects where degree-holders live, so states with strong job markets rank high partly by attracting talent.
