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.

CaliforniaAll states All rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

RELATEDMost educated Least educated Most graduate degrees Fewest graduate degrees

RANKPLACESTATEPOPCOLLEGE GRADUATESVS 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

09Contra 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%

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

22Santa 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%

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

38Kings County, CACA154,32713,136−7%

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

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

41Yuba County, CACA88,6919,543+8%

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

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

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

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

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

47Inyo County, CACA18,1584,337+25%

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

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

50Plumas County, CACA18,5833,423−4%

51Mono County, CACA12,5053,285+2%

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

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

54Glenn County, CACA28,1412,779+6%

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

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

57Sierra County, CACA3,098541+21%

58Alpine County, CACA1,043457+36%

SHOWING 1–58 OF 58

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES