RANKING · 2024 ACS · 58 SHOWN OF 58

Most college graduates, California counties

California counties with the most adults 25 and over holding a bachelor's degree or higher, as of the 2024 American Community Survey. Ranked by number of graduates, not the share. This list covers the 58 counties in California that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 58 is 38,806.

CaliforniaAll states All rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

YEAR2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPCOLLEGE GRADUATESVS 2020

01Los Angeles County, CACA9,694,9342,491,166+7%

02▲1San Diego County, CACA3,282,248984,641+10%

03▼1Orange County, CACA3,149,507977,599+9%

04Santa Clara County, CACA1,914,391761,157+6%

05Alameda County, CACA1,636,630623,000+8%

06▲1Riverside County, CACA2,544,916421,828+14%

07▼1San Francisco County, CACA826,079399,296−2%

08▲1Sacramento County, CACA1,618,460374,571+14%

09▼1Contra Costa County, CACA1,170,070369,154+7%

10San Bernardino County, CACA2,224,091331,178+13%

11San Mateo County, CACA743,568291,338+1%

12Ventura County, CACA830,851209,871+8%

13Fresno County, CACA1,035,456154,424+15%

14Sonoma County, CACA486,444136,497+4%

15▲1Placer County, CACA442,081128,504+14%

16▲3San Joaquin County, CACA823,815116,881+28%

17▼2Marin County, CACA253,694115,990+1%

18Kern County, CACA927,068105,790+14%

19▼2Santa Barbara County, CACA442,065102,469+6%

20Solano County, CACA455,37690,769+9%

21▲1Monterey County, CACA433,72979,392+9%

22▼1Santa Cruz County, CACA258,85278,603+4%

23San Luis Obispo County, CACA282,36775,839+11%

24Stanislaus County, CACA557,71969,633+14%

25Yolo County, CACA224,41058,791+7%

26El Dorado County, CACA192,32357,005+16%

27▲1Tulare County, CACA485,14647,878+20%

28▼1Butte County, CACA209,21143,158+4%

29Napa County, CACA132,94938,806+6%

30▲1Nevada County, CACA101,91133,036+15%

31▼1Humboldt County, CACA131,64730,821+7%

32Shasta County, CACA181,64830,633+9%

33Merced County, CACA297,26026,697+17%

34▲1Madera County, CACA167,92718,170+22%

35▼1Imperial County, CACA181,41117,902+5%

36Mendocino County, CACA88,12216,373+10%

37▲1Sutter County, CACA98,78713,634+8%

38▼1Kings County, CACA154,32713,136−7%

39▲2San Benito County, CACA70,08210,683+33%

40▼1Tuolumne County, CACA53,16010,256+11%

41▼1Yuba County, CACA88,6919,543+8%

42Lake County, CACA67,7728,716+12%

43Tehama County, CACA64,6658,610+12%

44▲1Calaveras County, CACA46,6058,574+22%

45▼1Siskiyou County, CACA42,0137,501+7%

46Amador County, CACA41,8767,371+32%

47▲2Inyo County, CACA18,1584,337+25%

48▼1Mariposa County, CACA16,9184,245+16%

49▲2Del Norte County, CACA26,4104,239+39%

50▼2Plumas County, CACA18,5833,423−4%

51▼1Mono County, CACA12,5053,285+2%

52Lassen County, CACA28,1172,924+4%

53▲2Trinity County, CACA15,7202,792+49%

54▼1Glenn County, CACA28,1412,779+6%

55▼1Colusa County, CACA21,8362,307+13%

56Modoc County, CACA8,4261,592+30%

57Sierra County, CACA3,098541+21%

58Alpine County, CACA1,043457+36%

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES