CensusEasy
RANKING · 2024 ACS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Fewest graduate degrees, US states

US states with the smallest share of adults 25+ holding a graduate or professional degree (2024 ACS). Arkansas leads at 9.5%. 51 states qualify in total.

Flip the list · Most graduate degrees, US states →
All statesAll rankings
RANKPLACESTATEPOPGRADUATE DEGREEVS 2000
USUnited States334,922,49914.0%–
01Arkansas, ARAR3,049,3919.5%+3.8 pts
02West Virginia, WVWV1,778,3739.7%+3.8 pts
03North Dakota, NDND784,8419.7%+4.2 pts
04Nevada, NVNV3,184,6129.8%+3.7 pts
05Mississippi, MSMS2,946,7799.9%+4.0 pts
06Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,6349.9%+3.1 pts
07South Dakota, SDSD907,42810.0%+4.0 pts
08Louisiana, LALA4,611,96110.1%+3.6 pts
09Idaho, IDID1,934,26210.5%+3.7 pts
10Iowa, IAIA3,210,50710.5%+4.0 pts
11Indiana, ININ6,851,07310.8%+3.6 pts
12Alabama, ALAL5,086,76811.1%+4.2 pts
13Kentucky, KYKY4,534,82411.3%+4.5 pts
14Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,87211.4%+4.2 pts
15Wyoming, WYWY582,39711.5%+4.5 pts
16Tennessee, TNTN7,066,38311.7%+4.9 pts
17Alaska, AKAK735,70611.8%+3.2 pts
18Montana, MTMT1,116,87512.0%+4.8 pts
19Ohio, OHOH11,810,29312.2%+4.8 pts
20Nebraska, NENE1,978,70712.3%+5.0 pts
21South Carolina, SCSC5,296,22512.3%+5.5 pts
22Texas, TXTX30,188,42412.3%+4.7 pts
23Missouri, MOMO6,191,81412.6%+5.0 pts
24Michigan, MIMI10,077,76112.7%+4.7 pts
25Florida, FLFL22,416,07712.9%+4.8 pts
26Arizona, AZAZ7,378,83813.0%+4.6 pts
27Utah, UTUT3,392,33113.0%+4.8 pts
28Hawaii, HIHI1,445,23513.3%+4.9 pts
29Kansas, KSKS2,947,19713.4%+4.7 pts
30North Carolina, NCNC10,730,40413.5%+6.3 pts
31Maine, MEME1,387,81713.7%+5.8 pts
32Minnesota, MNMN5,739,44513.8%+5.5 pts
33Georgia, GAGA10,940,40713.9%+5.6 pts
34New Mexico, NMNM2,120,24613.9%+4.1 pts
35Oregon, OROR4,254,29314.1%+5.5 pts
36Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,63914.3%+5.9 pts
37California, CACA39,287,37714.4%+4.9 pts
38Illinois, ILIL12,694,79815.3%+5.7 pts
39Delaware, DEDE1,021,19115.3%+5.9 pts
40Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,80115.4%+5.6 pts
41Washington, WAWA7,816,11615.6%+6.3 pts
42New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,86816.1%+6.2 pts
43New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,80917.6%+6.6 pts
44Colorado, COCO5,862,18917.6%+6.5 pts
45New York, NYNY19,852,36617.9%+6.1 pts
46Virginia, VAVA8,705,17018.5%+6.9 pts
47Vermont, VTVT647,10618.6%+7.5 pts
48Connecticut, CTCT3,624,50819.2%+5.9 pts
49Maryland, MDMD6,206,01120.8%+7.3 pts
50Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,05621.8%+8.1 pts
51District of Columbia, DCDC681,29438.0%+17.0 pts
SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

UPDATED 2026-08-08 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES

Frequently asked

Which state has the lowest graduate degree?

Arkansas ranks #1 with 9.5% (2024 American Community Survey).

What are the top 5 states by graduate degree?

Arkansas, West Virginia, North Dakota, Nevada, Mississippi.

How many states are in this ranking?

51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 2024 ACS 5-year data.

How is graduate degree measured?

Share of adults 25+ with a graduate or professional degree. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024).