RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Most graduate degrees, US states · 1990

US states ranked by the share of adults 25+ holding a graduate or professional degree (2023 ACS). District of Columbia leads at 17.2%. 51 states qualify in total. The top 25 average 8.5%, against an all-states median of 6.4%.

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SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPGRADUATE DEGREEVS 2000

01District of Columbia, DCDC681,29417.2%−18%

02Connecticut, CTCT3,624,50811.0%−17%

03Maryland, MDMD6,206,01110.9%−19%

04Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,05610.6%−22%

05New York, NYNY19,852,3669.9%−16%

06Virginia, VAVA8,705,1709.1%−22%

07Colorado, COCO5,862,1899.0%−19%

08Vermont, VTVT647,1068.9%−20%

09New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,8098.8%−19%

10New Mexico, NMNM2,120,2468.3%−16%

11California, CACA39,287,3778.1%−15%

12Alaska, AKAK735,7068.0%−7%

13New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,8687.9%−20%

14Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,8017.8%−20%

15Delaware, DEDE1,021,1917.7%−18%

16Illinois, ILIL12,694,7987.5%−22%

17Hawaii, HIHI1,445,2357.1%−15%

18Washington, WAWA7,816,1167.0%−24%

19Kansas, KSKS2,947,1977.0%−20%

20Oregon, OROR4,254,2937.0%−20%

21Arizona, AZAZ7,378,8387.0%−17%

22Utah, UTUT3,392,3316.8%−17%

23Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,6396.6%−21%

24Texas, TXTX30,188,4246.5%−15%

25Michigan, MIMI10,077,7616.4%−20%

26Georgia, GAGA10,940,4076.4%−23%

27Indiana, ININ6,851,0736.4%−12%

28Florida, FLFL22,416,0776.3%−22%

29Minnesota, MNMN5,739,4456.3%−25%

30Missouri, MOMO6,191,8146.1%−19%

31Maine, MEME1,387,8176.1%−23%

32Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,6346.0%−12%

33Ohio, OHOH11,810,2935.9%−20%

34Nebraska, NENE1,978,7075.9%−19%

35Wyoming, WYWY582,3975.7%−19%

36Montana, MTMT1,116,8755.7%−21%

37Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,8725.6%−22%

38Louisiana, LALA4,611,9615.6%−14%

39Alabama, ALAL5,086,7685.5%−19%

40Kentucky, KYKY4,534,8245.5%−20%

41South Carolina, SCSC5,296,2255.4%−21%

42Tennessee, TNTN7,066,3835.4%−20%

43North Carolina, NCNC10,730,4045.4%−25%

44Idaho, IDID1,934,2625.3%−23%

45Nevada, NVNV3,184,6125.2%−15%

46Iowa, IAIA3,210,5075.2%−21%

47Mississippi, MSMS2,946,7795.1%−14%

48South Dakota, SDSD907,4284.9%−18%

49West Virginia, WVWV1,778,3734.8%−19%

50North Dakota, NDND784,8414.5%−17%

51Arkansas, ARAR3,049,3914.5%−21%

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

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UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES

Frequently asked

Which state has the highest graduate degree?

District of Columbia ranks #1 with 17.2% (1990 American Community Survey).

What are the top 5 states by graduate degree?

District of Columbia, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York.

How many states are in this ranking?

51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 1990 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 (1990).