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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 (2020 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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RANKPLACESTATEPOPGRADUATE DEGREEVS 2000
USUnited States331,449,28112.7%–
01District of Columbia, DCDC681,29434.5%+13.5 pts
02Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,05620.0%+6.3 pts
03Maryland, MDMD6,206,01119.1%+5.7 pts
04Connecticut, CTCT3,624,50817.9%+4.6 pts
05Virginia, VAVA8,705,17017.2%+5.6 pts
06New York, NYNY19,852,36616.5%+4.8 pts
07Vermont, VTVT647,10616.1%+5.0 pts
08New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,80915.9%+5.0 pts
09Colorado, COCO5,862,18915.6%+4.4 pts
10New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,86814.5%+4.5 pts
11Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,80114.0%+4.2 pts
12Illinois, ILIL12,694,79813.9%+4.4 pts
13Washington, WAWA7,816,11613.9%+4.6 pts
14Delaware, DEDE1,021,19113.7%+4.2 pts
15Oregon, OROR4,254,29313.1%+4.4 pts
16California, CACA39,287,37713.1%+3.6 pts
17Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,63912.8%+4.4 pts
18Minnesota, MNMN5,739,44512.6%+4.3 pts
19Georgia, GAGA10,940,40712.5%+4.2 pts
20Kansas, KSKS2,947,19712.5%+3.7 pts
21New Mexico, NMNM2,120,24612.3%+2.5 pts
22Maine, MEME1,387,81712.2%+4.2 pts
23Michigan, MIMI10,077,76111.7%+3.7 pts
24Utah, UTUT3,392,33111.7%+3.4 pts
25North Carolina, NCNC10,730,40411.6%+4.5 pts
26Hawaii, HIHI1,445,23511.6%+3.2 pts
27Arizona, AZAZ7,378,83811.5%+3.1 pts
28Missouri, MOMO6,191,81411.5%+3.9 pts
29Alaska, AKAK735,70611.3%+2.7 pts
30Florida, FLFL22,416,07711.3%+3.2 pts
31Nebraska, NENE1,978,70711.1%+3.9 pts
32Ohio, OHOH11,810,29310.9%+3.6 pts
33Montana, MTMT1,116,87510.9%+3.7 pts
34South Carolina, SCSC5,296,22510.8%+3.9 pts
35Texas, TXTX30,188,42410.8%+3.2 pts
36Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,87210.5%+3.4 pts
37Wyoming, WYWY582,39710.5%+3.5 pts
38Tennessee, TNTN7,066,38310.4%+3.6 pts
39Kentucky, KYKY4,534,82410.3%+3.4 pts
40Indiana, ININ6,851,0739.9%+2.7 pts
41Alabama, ALAL5,086,7689.9%+3.0 pts
42Iowa, IAIA3,210,5079.6%+3.1 pts
43Idaho, IDID1,934,2629.4%+2.5 pts
44South Dakota, SDSD907,4289.2%+3.2 pts
45Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,6349.0%+2.2 pts
46Louisiana, LALA4,611,9618.9%+2.4 pts
47Mississippi, MSMS2,946,7798.9%+3.1 pts
48Nevada, NVNV3,184,6128.8%+2.7 pts
49Arkansas, ARAR3,049,3918.6%+2.9 pts
50North Dakota, NDND784,8418.6%+3.1 pts
51West Virginia, WVWV1,778,3738.6%+2.6 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 34.5% (2020 Decennial Census).

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 Decennial Census data.

How is graduate degree measured?

Share of adults 25+ with a graduate or professional degree. Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census.