U.S. States · Highest to lowest
States ranked by bachelor's degree or higher
The share of adults aged 25+ holding a bachelor's degree or higher is the cleanest single measure of state-level human capital. It correlates strongly with median income, productivity, and long-run growth.
Top 5
DC, Massachusetts, Colorado, Maryland, Virginia, and Connecticut lead. The Northeast plus Colorado and Virginia (heavily federal/contracting) dominate the top of the ranking.
- #1 District of Columbia63.6%
- #2 Massachusetts46.6%
- #3 Colorado44.7%
- #4 New Jersey42.9%
- #5 Maryland42.7%
Bottom 5
West Virginia, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Kentucky anchor the bottom. The same Deep South / Appalachian cluster that ranks low on income.
- #51 West Virginia23.3%
- #50 Mississippi24.2%
- #49 Arkansas25.1%
- #48 Louisiana26.6%
- #47 Kentucky27%
All 50 states
| # | State | Bachelor's degree or higher |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of ColumbiaDC | 63.6% |
| 2 | MassachusettsMA | 46.6% |
| 3 | ColoradoCO | 44.7% |
| 4 | New JerseyNJ | 42.9% |
| 5 | MarylandMD | 42.7% |
| 6 | VermontVT | 42.6% |
| 7 | ConnecticutCT | 41.9% |
| 8 | VirginiaVA | 41.5% |
| 9 | New HampshireNH | 39.8% |
| 10 | New YorkNY | 39.6% |
| 11 | MinnesotaMN | 38.8% |
| 12 | WashingtonWA | 38.8% |
| 13 | Rhode IslandRI | 37.3% |
| 14 | IllinoisIL | 37.2% |
| 15 | UtahUT | 36.9% |
| 16 | CaliforniaCA | 36.5% |
| 17 | OregonOR | 36.2% |
| 18 | HawaiiHI | 35.5% |
| 19 | DelawareDE | 35.3% |
| 20 | MaineME | 35.3% |
| 21 | KansasKS | 35.2% |
| 22 | North CarolinaNC | 34.7% |
| 23 | MontanaMT | 34.5% |
| 24 | PennsylvaniaPA | 34.5% |
| 25 | GeorgiaGA | 34.2% |
| 26 | NebraskaNE | 34.1% |
| 27 | FloridaFL | 33.2% |
| 28 | TexasTX | 33.1% |
| 29 | WisconsinWI | 32.8% |
| 30 | ArizonaAZ | 32.6% |
| 31 | North DakotaND | 32.3% |
| 32 | MissouriMO | 31.9% |
| 33 | MichiganMI | 31.8% |
| 34 | South CarolinaSC | 31.5% |
| 35 | AlaskaAK | 31.2% |
| 36 | IdahoID | 31.2% |
| 37 | South DakotaSD | 31.1% |
| 38 | IowaIA | 30.9% |
| 39 | OhioOH | 30.9% |
| 40 | TennesseeTN | 30.4% |
| 41 | New MexicoNM | 30.2% |
| 42 | WyomingWY | 29.9% |
| 43 | IndianaIN | 28.8% |
| 44 | AlabamaAL | 27.8% |
| 45 | OklahomaOK | 27.8% |
| 46 | NevadaNV | 27.4% |
| 47 | KentuckyKY | 27% |
| 48 | LouisianaLA | 26.6% |
| 49 | ArkansasAR | 25.1% |
| 50 | MississippiMS | 24.2% |
| 51 | West VirginiaWV | 23.3% |
Methodology
- What this measures
- ACS5 Table B15003: educational attainment of the population 25 years and over. We measure the share with a bachelor's, master's, professional, or doctorate degree.
- Why it matters
- Educational attainment predicts state-level income, healthcare outcomes, and economic resilience better than almost any other single variable. The states that lead this ranking are also the states that lead income, longevity, and labor force participation rankings.
- Caveats
- Doesn't distinguish degree quality, field of study, or whether the degree was earned in-state. A state can rank high on attainment by importing degree-holders from elsewhere (Massachusetts, Colorado, DC).
- Source
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, vintage 2023 (released December 2024). census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
Frequently asked
- Is Massachusetts the most-educated state?
- By bachelor's-and-above share, yes — among states. DC ranks higher but isn't a state. Massachusetts's combination of universities, healthcare, and biotech imports highly-educated workers from across the country.