RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Most graduate degrees, US states · 2020

US states ranked by the share of adults 25+ holding a graduate or professional degree (2023 ACS). District of Columbia leads at 34.5%. 51 states qualify in total. The top 25 average 15.2%, against an all-states median of 11.6%.

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SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPGRADUATE DEGREEVS 2000

01District of Columbia, DCDC681,29434.5%+64%

02Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,05620.0%+46%

03Maryland, MDMD6,206,01119.1%+42%

04Connecticut, CTCT3,624,50817.9%+35%

05Virginia, VAVA8,705,17017.2%+48%

06New York, NYNY19,852,36616.5%+40%

07Vermont, VTVT647,10616.1%+45%

08New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,80915.9%+45%

09Colorado, COCO5,862,18915.6%+40%

10New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,86814.5%+45%

11Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,80114.0%+44%

12Illinois, ILIL12,694,79813.9%+46%

13Washington, WAWA7,816,11613.9%+49%

14Delaware, DEDE1,021,19113.7%+45%

15Oregon, OROR4,254,29313.1%+51%

16California, CACA39,287,37713.1%+37%

17Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,63912.8%+53%

18Minnesota, MNMN5,739,44512.6%+52%

19Georgia, GAGA10,940,40712.5%+51%

20Kansas, KSKS2,947,19712.5%+43%

21New Mexico, NMNM2,120,24612.3%+25%

22Maine, MEME1,387,81712.2%+53%

23Michigan, MIMI10,077,76111.7%+45%

24Utah, UTUT3,392,33111.7%+41%

25North Carolina, NCNC10,730,40411.6%+62%

26Hawaii, HIHI1,445,23511.6%+38%

27Arizona, AZAZ7,378,83811.5%+37%

28Missouri, MOMO6,191,81411.5%+51%

29Alaska, AKAK735,70611.3%+32%

30Florida, FLFL22,416,07711.3%+40%

31Nebraska, NENE1,978,70711.1%+53%

32Ohio, OHOH11,810,29310.9%+48%

33Montana, MTMT1,116,87510.9%+52%

34South Carolina, SCSC5,296,22510.8%+57%

35Texas, TXTX30,188,42410.8%+41%

36Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,87210.5%+47%

37Wyoming, WYWY582,39710.5%+50%

38Tennessee, TNTN7,066,38310.4%+53%

39Kentucky, KYKY4,534,82410.3%+49%

40Indiana, ININ6,851,0739.9%+37%

41Alabama, ALAL5,086,7689.9%+44%

42Iowa, IAIA3,210,5079.6%+47%

43Idaho, IDID1,934,2629.4%+37%

44South Dakota, SDSD907,4289.2%+54%

45Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,6349.0%+32%

46Louisiana, LALA4,611,9618.9%+38%

47Mississippi, MSMS2,946,7798.9%+52%

48Nevada, NVNV3,184,6128.8%+45%

49Arkansas, ARAR3,049,3918.6%+52%

50North Dakota, NDND784,8418.6%+57%

51West Virginia, WVWV1,778,3738.6%+44%

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 34.5% (2020 American Community Survey).

What are the top 5 states by graduate degree?

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

How many states are in this ranking?

51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 2020 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 (2020).