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RANKING · 2010 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Fewest graduate degrees, US states · 2010

US states with the smallest share of adults 25+ holding a graduate or professional degree (2010 ACS). Arkansas leads at 6.4%. 51 states qualify in total.

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RANKPLACESTATEPOPGRADUATE DEGREEVS 2000
USUnited States308,745,53810.2%–
01Arkansas, ARAR3,049,3916.4%+0.7 pts
02West Virginia, WVWV1,778,3736.7%+0.7 pts
03Mississippi, MSMS2,946,7796.8%+1.0 pts
04Louisiana, LALA4,611,9616.9%+0.4 pts
05North Dakota, NDND784,8416.9%+1.5 pts
06South Dakota, SDSD907,4287.3%+1.3 pts
07Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,6347.4%+0.6 pts
08Nevada, NVNV3,184,6127.4%+1.3 pts
09Iowa, IAIA3,210,5077.5%+1.0 pts
10Idaho, IDID1,934,2627.6%+0.7 pts
11Wyoming, WYWY582,3977.8%+0.8 pts
12Alabama, ALAL5,086,7687.9%+1.0 pts
13Tennessee, TNTN7,066,3838.0%+1.2 pts
14Indiana, ININ6,851,0738.1%+0.9 pts
15Kentucky, KYKY4,534,8248.2%+1.4 pts
16South Carolina, SCSC5,296,2258.4%+1.6 pts
17Texas, TXTX30,188,4248.5%+0.9 pts
18Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,8728.6%+1.5 pts
19Montana, MTMT1,116,8758.6%+1.5 pts
20North Carolina, NCNC10,730,4048.7%+1.5 pts
21Nebraska, NENE1,978,7078.8%+1.5 pts
22Ohio, OHOH11,810,2938.8%+1.4 pts
23Florida, FLFL22,416,0779.1%+1.1 pts
24Missouri, MOMO6,191,8149.2%+1.6 pts
25Maine, MEME1,387,8179.4%+1.4 pts
26Utah, UTUT3,392,3319.5%+1.3 pts
27Michigan, MIMI10,077,7619.6%+1.5 pts
28Arizona, AZAZ7,378,8389.6%+1.2 pts
29Alaska, AKAK735,7069.6%+1.0 pts
30Georgia, GAGA10,940,4079.7%+1.4 pts
31Hawaii, HIHI1,445,2359.8%+1.4 pts
32Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,63910.1%+1.7 pts
33Minnesota, MNMN5,739,44510.1%+1.8 pts
34Kansas, KSKS2,947,19710.1%+1.3 pts
35Oregon, OROR4,254,29310.4%+1.7 pts
36New Mexico, NMNM2,120,24610.8%+1.0 pts
37California, CACA39,287,37710.8%+1.3 pts
38Washington, WAWA7,816,11611.0%+1.7 pts
39Delaware, DEDE1,021,19111.1%+1.6 pts
40Illinois, ILIL12,694,79811.4%+1.9 pts
41Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,80111.9%+2.1 pts
42New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,86811.9%+1.9 pts
43Colorado, COCO5,862,18912.9%+1.7 pts
44New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,80913.0%+2.0 pts
45Vermont, VTVT647,10613.1%+2.0 pts
46New York, NYNY19,852,36613.8%+2.0 pts
47Virginia, VAVA8,705,17013.9%+2.3 pts
48Connecticut, CTCT3,624,50815.3%+2.1 pts
49Maryland, MDMD6,206,01116.0%+2.5 pts
50Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,05616.4%+2.7 pts
51District of Columbia, DCDC681,29427.2%+6.2 pts
SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

UPDATED 2026-08-08 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS

Frequently asked

Which state has the lowest graduate degree?

Arkansas ranks #1 with 6.4% (2010 Decennial Census).

What are the top 5 states by graduate degree?

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

How many states are in this ranking?

51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 2010 Decennial Census data.

How is graduate degree measured?

Share of adults 25+ with a graduate or professional degree. Source: US Census Bureau, 2010 Decennial Census.