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.

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SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPGRADUATE DEGREEVS 2000

USUnited States334,922,49914.0%–

01Arkansas, ARAR3,049,3919.5%+67%

02West Virginia, WVWV1,778,3739.7%+63%

03North Dakota, NDND784,8419.7%+78%

04Nevada, NVNV3,184,6129.8%+61%

05Mississippi, MSMS2,946,7799.9%+69%

06Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,6349.9%+45%

07South Dakota, SDSD907,42810.0%+67%

08Louisiana, LALA4,611,96110.1%+55%

09Idaho, IDID1,934,26210.5%+54%

10Iowa, IAIA3,210,50710.5%+61%

11Indiana, ININ6,851,07310.8%+49%

12Alabama, ALAL5,086,76811.1%+62%

13Kentucky, KYKY4,534,82411.3%+65%

14Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,87211.4%+59%

15Wyoming, WYWY582,39711.5%+64%

16Tennessee, TNTN7,066,38311.7%+72%

17Alaska, AKAK735,70611.8%+38%

18Montana, MTMT1,116,87512.0%+67%

19Ohio, OHOH11,810,29312.2%+65%

20Nebraska, NENE1,978,70712.3%+70%

21South Carolina, SCSC5,296,22512.3%+79%

22Texas, TXTX30,188,42412.3%+62%

23Missouri, MOMO6,191,81412.6%+65%

24Michigan, MIMI10,077,76112.7%+58%

25Florida, FLFL22,416,07712.9%+60%

26Arizona, AZAZ7,378,83813.0%+55%

27Utah, UTUT3,392,33113.0%+58%

28Hawaii, HIHI1,445,23513.3%+58%

29Kansas, KSKS2,947,19713.4%+54%

30North Carolina, NCNC10,730,40413.5%+88%

31Maine, MEME1,387,81713.7%+73%

32Minnesota, MNMN5,739,44513.8%+66%

33Georgia, GAGA10,940,40713.9%+67%

34New Mexico, NMNM2,120,24613.9%+41%

35Oregon, OROR4,254,29314.1%+63%

36Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,63914.3%+70%

37California, CACA39,287,37714.4%+51%

38Illinois, ILIL12,694,79815.3%+60%

39Delaware, DEDE1,021,19115.3%+63%

40Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,80115.4%+58%

41Washington, WAWA7,816,11615.6%+67%

42New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,86816.1%+62%

43New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,80917.6%+60%

44Colorado, COCO5,862,18917.6%+58%

45New York, NYNY19,852,36617.9%+52%

46Virginia, VAVA8,705,17018.5%+60%

47Vermont, VTVT647,10618.6%+67%

48Connecticut, CTCT3,624,50819.2%+45%

49Maryland, MDMD6,206,01120.8%+54%

50Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,05621.8%+59%

51District of Columbia, DCDC681,29438.0%+81%

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · 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).