RANKING · 2024 ACS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Most graduate degrees, US states

US states ranked by the share of adults 25+ holding a graduate or professional degree (2024 ACS). District of Columbia leads at 38.0%. 51 states qualify in total. The top 25 average 16.8%, against an all-states median of 13.0%.

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SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPGRADUATE DEGREEVS 2000

USUnited States334,922,49914.0%–

01District of Columbia, DCDC681,29438.0%+81%

02Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,05621.8%+59%

03Maryland, MDMD6,206,01120.8%+54%

04Connecticut, CTCT3,624,50819.2%+45%

05Vermont, VTVT647,10618.6%+67%

06Virginia, VAVA8,705,17018.5%+60%

07New York, NYNY19,852,36617.9%+52%

08Colorado, COCO5,862,18917.6%+58%

09New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,80917.6%+60%

10New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,86816.1%+62%

11Washington, WAWA7,816,11615.6%+67%

12Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,80115.4%+58%

13Delaware, DEDE1,021,19115.3%+63%

14Illinois, ILIL12,694,79815.3%+60%

15California, CACA39,287,37714.4%+51%

16Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,63914.3%+70%

17Oregon, OROR4,254,29314.1%+63%

18New Mexico, NMNM2,120,24613.9%+41%

19Georgia, GAGA10,940,40713.9%+67%

20Minnesota, MNMN5,739,44513.8%+66%

21Maine, MEME1,387,81713.7%+73%

22North Carolina, NCNC10,730,40413.5%+88%

23Kansas, KSKS2,947,19713.4%+54%

24Hawaii, HIHI1,445,23513.3%+58%

25Utah, UTUT3,392,33113.0%+58%

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

27Florida, FLFL22,416,07712.9%+60%

28Michigan, MIMI10,077,76112.7%+58%

29Missouri, MOMO6,191,81412.6%+65%

30Texas, TXTX30,188,42412.3%+62%

31South Carolina, SCSC5,296,22512.3%+79%

32Nebraska, NENE1,978,70712.3%+70%

33Ohio, OHOH11,810,29312.2%+65%

34Montana, MTMT1,116,87512.0%+67%

35Alaska, AKAK735,70611.8%+38%

36Tennessee, TNTN7,066,38311.7%+72%

37Wyoming, WYWY582,39711.5%+64%

38Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,87211.4%+59%

39Kentucky, KYKY4,534,82411.3%+65%

40Alabama, ALAL5,086,76811.1%+62%

41Indiana, ININ6,851,07310.8%+49%

42Iowa, IAIA3,210,50710.5%+61%

43Idaho, IDID1,934,26210.5%+54%

44Louisiana, LALA4,611,96110.1%+55%

45South Dakota, SDSD907,42810.0%+67%

46Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,6349.9%+45%

47Mississippi, MSMS2,946,7799.9%+69%

48Nevada, NVNV3,184,6129.8%+61%

49North Dakota, NDND784,8419.7%+78%

50West Virginia, WVWV1,778,3739.7%+63%

51Arkansas, ARAR3,049,3919.5%+67%

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 highest graduate degree?

District of Columbia ranks #1 with 38.0% (2024 American Community Survey).

What are the top 5 states by graduate degree?

District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, Vermont.

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).