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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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RANKPLACESTATEPOPGRADUATE DEGREEVS 2000
USUnited States334,922,49914.0%–
01District of Columbia, DCDC681,29438.0%+17.0 pts
02Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,05621.8%+8.1 pts
03Maryland, MDMD6,206,01120.8%+7.3 pts
04Connecticut, CTCT3,624,50819.2%+5.9 pts
05Vermont, VTVT647,10618.6%+7.5 pts
06Virginia, VAVA8,705,17018.5%+6.9 pts
07New York, NYNY19,852,36617.9%+6.1 pts
08Colorado, COCO5,862,18917.6%+6.5 pts
09New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,80917.6%+6.6 pts
10New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,86816.1%+6.2 pts
11Washington, WAWA7,816,11615.6%+6.3 pts
12Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,80115.4%+5.6 pts
13Delaware, DEDE1,021,19115.3%+5.9 pts
14Illinois, ILIL12,694,79815.3%+5.7 pts
15California, CACA39,287,37714.4%+4.9 pts
16Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,63914.3%+5.9 pts
17Oregon, OROR4,254,29314.1%+5.5 pts
18New Mexico, NMNM2,120,24613.9%+4.1 pts
19Georgia, GAGA10,940,40713.9%+5.6 pts
20Minnesota, MNMN5,739,44513.8%+5.5 pts
21Maine, MEME1,387,81713.7%+5.8 pts
22North Carolina, NCNC10,730,40413.5%+6.3 pts
23Kansas, KSKS2,947,19713.4%+4.7 pts
24Hawaii, HIHI1,445,23513.3%+4.9 pts
25Utah, UTUT3,392,33113.0%+4.8 pts
26Arizona, AZAZ7,378,83813.0%+4.6 pts
27Florida, FLFL22,416,07712.9%+4.8 pts
28Michigan, MIMI10,077,76112.7%+4.7 pts
29Missouri, MOMO6,191,81412.6%+5.0 pts
30Texas, TXTX30,188,42412.3%+4.7 pts
31South Carolina, SCSC5,296,22512.3%+5.5 pts
32Nebraska, NENE1,978,70712.3%+5.0 pts
33Ohio, OHOH11,810,29312.2%+4.8 pts
34Montana, MTMT1,116,87512.0%+4.8 pts
35Alaska, AKAK735,70611.8%+3.2 pts
36Tennessee, TNTN7,066,38311.7%+4.9 pts
37Wyoming, WYWY582,39711.5%+4.5 pts
38Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,87211.4%+4.2 pts
39Kentucky, KYKY4,534,82411.3%+4.5 pts
40Alabama, ALAL5,086,76811.1%+4.2 pts
41Indiana, ININ6,851,07310.8%+3.6 pts
42Iowa, IAIA3,210,50710.5%+4.0 pts
43Idaho, IDID1,934,26210.5%+3.7 pts
44Louisiana, LALA4,611,96110.1%+3.6 pts
45South Dakota, SDSD907,42810.0%+4.0 pts
46Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,6349.9%+3.1 pts
47Mississippi, MSMS2,946,7799.9%+4.0 pts
48Nevada, NVNV3,184,6129.8%+3.7 pts
49North Dakota, NDND784,8419.7%+4.2 pts
50West Virginia, WVWV1,778,3739.7%+3.8 pts
51Arkansas, ARAR3,049,3919.5%+3.8 pts
SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

UPDATED 2026-08-08 · 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).