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RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Most graduate degrees, US states · 2000

US states ranked by the share of adults 25+ holding a graduate or professional degree (2000 ACS). District of Columbia leads at 21.0%. 51 states qualify in total. The top 25 average 10.5%, against an all-states median of 8.1%.

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RANKPLACESTATEPOPGRADUATE DEGREEVS 1990
USUnited States281,421,9068.8%–
01District of Columbia, DCDC681,29421.0%+3.8 pts
02Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,05613.7%+3.0 pts
03Maryland, MDMD6,206,01113.4%+2.6 pts
04Connecticut, CTCT3,624,50813.3%+2.3 pts
05New York, NYNY19,852,36611.8%+1.9 pts
06Virginia, VAVA8,705,17011.6%+2.5 pts
07Colorado, COCO5,862,18911.1%+2.1 pts
08Vermont, VTVT647,10611.1%+2.2 pts
09New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,80911.0%+2.1 pts
10New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,86810.0%+2.0 pts
11New Mexico, NMNM2,120,2469.8%+1.6 pts
12Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,8019.7%+1.9 pts
13Illinois, ILIL12,694,7989.5%+2.1 pts
14California, CACA39,287,3779.5%+1.5 pts
15Delaware, DEDE1,021,1919.4%+1.7 pts
16Washington, WAWA7,816,1169.3%+2.3 pts
17Kansas, KSKS2,947,1978.7%+1.8 pts
18Oregon, OROR4,254,2938.7%+1.7 pts
19Alaska, AKAK735,7068.6%+0.6 pts
20Hawaii, HIHI1,445,2358.4%+1.3 pts
21Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,6398.4%+1.8 pts
22Arizona, AZAZ7,378,8388.4%+1.4 pts
23Minnesota, MNMN5,739,4458.3%+2.1 pts
24Georgia, GAGA10,940,4078.3%+1.9 pts
25Utah, UTUT3,392,3318.3%+1.4 pts
26Michigan, MIMI10,077,7618.1%+1.6 pts
27Florida, FLFL22,416,0778.1%+1.7 pts
28Maine, MEME1,387,8177.9%+1.8 pts
29Texas, TXTX30,188,4247.6%+1.2 pts
30Missouri, MOMO6,191,8147.6%+1.5 pts
31Ohio, OHOH11,810,2937.4%+1.5 pts
32Nebraska, NENE1,978,7077.3%+1.4 pts
33Indiana, ININ6,851,0737.2%+0.8 pts
34Montana, MTMT1,116,8757.2%+1.5 pts
35North Carolina, NCNC10,730,4047.2%+1.8 pts
36Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,8727.2%+1.6 pts
37Wyoming, WYWY582,3977.0%+1.3 pts
38Kentucky, KYKY4,534,8246.9%+1.4 pts
39South Carolina, SCSC5,296,2256.9%+1.4 pts
40Alabama, ALAL5,086,7686.9%+1.3 pts
41Idaho, IDID1,934,2626.8%+1.6 pts
42Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,6346.8%+0.8 pts
43Tennessee, TNTN7,066,3836.8%+1.4 pts
44Iowa, IAIA3,210,5076.5%+1.3 pts
45Louisiana, LALA4,611,9616.5%+0.9 pts
46Nevada, NVNV3,184,6126.1%+0.9 pts
47South Dakota, SDSD907,4286.0%+1.1 pts
48West Virginia, WVWV1,778,3735.9%+1.1 pts
49Mississippi, MSMS2,946,7795.8%+0.8 pts
50Arkansas, ARAR3,049,3915.7%+1.2 pts
51North Dakota, NDND784,8415.5%+0.9 pts
SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

UPDATED 2026-08-08 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS

Frequently asked

Which state has the highest graduate degree?

District of Columbia ranks #1 with 21.0% (2000 Decennial Census).

What are the top 5 states by graduate degree?

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

How many states are in this ranking?

51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 2000 Decennial Census data.

How is graduate degree measured?

Share of adults 25+ with a graduate or professional degree. Source: US Census Bureau, 2000 Decennial Census.