U.S. Educational Attainment by State 2026: Statistics & Charts
State-level adult educational attainment is ranked by the share of residents age 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher. The latest available annual state data are from 2024.
The data table covers all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with high school completion rates shown as a second attainment measure.
Educational Attainment Statistics
Figures use 2024 annual state estimates. State averages are unweighted across the 51 jurisdictions.
Highest Bachelor’s Degree Attainment Rates
Top 20 jurisdictions by the share of adults age 25+ with a bachelor’s degree or higher, 2024.
The chart is a visual summary. The full 51-jurisdiction table follows with 2024 values, prior-year values, and high school completion rates.
Chart analysis
- District of Columbia ranks first at 65.5%, ahead of every state.
- Massachusetts is the highest-ranked state at 48.3%.
- Colorado follows at 47.8%, and Vermont reaches 45.1%.
- The top 20 cut point is 37.1%, shared by Maine and North Carolina.
- Ranks use bachelor’s degree or higher only; high school completion is shown separately.
Full State Educational Attainment Table
Ranking is by 2024 bachelor’s degree or higher rate. Ties are ordered alphabetically by jurisdiction name.
| Rank | State | Code | Region | Bachelor 2024 | Bachelor 2023 | Change | High school 2024 | HS change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | DC | South | 65.5% | 65.9% | -0.4 pts | 92.0% | -0.7 pts |
| 2 | Massachusetts | MA | Northeast | 48.3% | 47.8% | +0.5 pts | 91.4% | 0.0 pts |
| 3 | Colorado | CO | West | 47.8% | 46.4% | +1.4 pts | 93.2% | -0.1 pts |
| 4 | Vermont | VT | Northeast | 45.1% | 43.7% | +1.4 pts | 94.7% | -0.8 pts |
| 5 | Maryland | MD | South | 44.7% | 43.7% | +1.0 pts | 91.4% | +0.2 pts |
| 6 | New Jersey | NJ | Northeast | 44.5% | 43.8% | +0.7 pts | 90.4% | -0.3 pts |
| 7 | Virginia | VA | South | 43.3% | 42.4% | +0.9 pts | 91.7% | +0.3 pts |
| 8 | Connecticut | CT | Northeast | 42.6% | 42.9% | -0.3 pts | 91.8% | 0.0 pts |
| 9 | New Hampshire | NH | Northeast | 41.5% | 40.7% | +0.8 pts | 95.0% | +0.6 pts |
| 10 | New York | NY | Northeast | 41.2% | 40.6% | +0.6 pts | 88.0% | -0.3 pts |
| 11 | Washington | WA | West | 41.0% | 40.5% | +0.5 pts | 92.3% | -0.1 pts |
| 12 | Minnesota | MN | Midwest | 40.0% | 40.0% | 0.0 pts | 94.2% | -0.1 pts |
| 13 | Illinois | IL | Midwest | 39.2% | 38.3% | +0.9 pts | 90.7% | +0.1 pts |
| 14 | Utah | UT | West | 39.1% | 38.4% | +0.7 pts | 93.6% | +0.5 pts |
| 15 | Rhode Island | RI | Northeast | 39.0% | 39.0% | 0.0 pts | 90.4% | +0.8 pts |
| 16 | California | CA | West | 38.1% | 37.5% | +0.6 pts | 84.8% | 0.0 pts |
| 17 | Hawaii | HI | West | 37.8% | 37.0% | +0.8 pts | 93.7% | +0.7 pts |
| 18 | Oregon | OR | West | 37.8% | 37.7% | +0.1 pts | 92.3% | +0.3 pts |
| 19 | Maine | ME | Northeast | 37.1% | 37.0% | +0.1 pts | 94.8% | -0.1 pts |
| 20 | North Carolina | NC | South | 37.1% | 36.8% | +0.3 pts | 90.9% | +0.3 pts |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | PA | Northeast | 36.4% | 35.3% | +1.1 pts | 92.4% | +0.2 pts |
| 22 | Georgia | GA | South | 36.3% | 35.4% | +0.9 pts | 89.8% | +0.5 pts |
| 23 | Montana | MT | West | 36.3% | 34.6% | +1.7 pts | 94.6% | +0.2 pts |
| 24 | Delaware | DE | South | 36.0% | 36.5% | -0.5 pts | 91.8% | +0.4 pts |
| 25 | Kansas | KS | Midwest | 36.0% | 35.8% | +0.2 pts | 92.0% | +0.3 pts |
| 26 | Florida | FL | South | 35.8% | 34.9% | +0.9 pts | 90.4% | +0.2 pts |
| 27 | Nebraska | NE | Midwest | 35.4% | 35.3% | +0.1 pts | 92.6% | -0.1 pts |
| 28 | Texas | TX | South | 35.2% | 34.2% | +1.0 pts | 86.7% | +0.4 pts |
| 29 | Arizona | AZ | West | 34.7% | 33.5% | +1.2 pts | 89.7% | +0.3 pts |
| 30 | Wisconsin | WI | Midwest | 34.6% | 33.8% | +0.8 pts | 93.7% | 0.0 pts |
| 31 | South Dakota | SD | Midwest | 34.2% | 33.3% | +0.9 pts | 94.0% | +0.5 pts |
| 32 | North Dakota | ND | Midwest | 34.0% | 33.6% | +0.4 pts | 94.1% | -0.4 pts |
| 33 | Missouri | MO | Midwest | 33.5% | 33.2% | +0.3 pts | 92.0% | 0.0 pts |
| 34 | Michigan | MI | Midwest | 33.3% | 32.7% | +0.6 pts | 92.2% | +0.2 pts |
| 35 | South Carolina | SC | South | 33.3% | 32.9% | +0.4 pts | 91.0% | +0.8 pts |
| 36 | Idaho | ID | West | 33.0% | 32.1% | +0.9 pts | 92.5% | +0.3 pts |
| 37 | Alaska | AK | West | 32.8% | 32.2% | +0.6 pts | 93.4% | +0.2 pts |
| 38 | Ohio | OH | Midwest | 32.4% | 32.0% | +0.4 pts | 92.2% | +0.3 pts |
| 39 | Tennessee | TN | South | 32.4% | 31.7% | +0.7 pts | 90.6% | +0.5 pts |
| 40 | Wyoming | WY | West | 32.3% | 30.4% | +1.9 pts | 94.4% | +0.5 pts |
| 41 | Iowa | IA | Midwest | 32.1% | 31.5% | +0.6 pts | 93.0% | -0.3 pts |
| 42 | New Mexico | NM | West | 31.8% | 31.6% | +0.2 pts | 87.9% | +0.4 pts |
| 43 | Indiana | IN | Midwest | 30.7% | 30.2% | +0.5 pts | 90.6% | +0.2 pts |
| 44 | Alabama | AL | South | 29.9% | 28.9% | +1.0 pts | 89.6% | +0.5 pts |
| 45 | Oklahoma | OK | South | 29.3% | 28.7% | +0.6 pts | 90.2% | +0.5 pts |
| 46 | Nevada | NV | West | 28.5% | 28.7% | -0.2 pts | 87.7% | 0.0 pts |
| 47 | Kentucky | KY | South | 27.9% | 27.8% | +0.1 pts | 89.0% | -0.5 pts |
| 48 | Louisiana | LA | South | 27.8% | 27.0% | +0.8 pts | 88.2% | +0.4 pts |
| 49 | Arkansas | AR | South | 27.1% | 26.2% | +0.9 pts | 89.3% | 0.0 pts |
| 50 | Mississippi | MS | South | 27.0% | 25.5% | +1.5 pts | 88.0% | +0.2 pts |
| 51 | West Virginia | WV | South | 24.4% | 24.0% | +0.4 pts | 90.1% | +1.1 pts |
Table analysis
- The highest bachelor’s-or-higher value is 65.5% in the District of Columbia.
- The highest state value is 48.3% in Massachusetts.
- The lowest value is 24.4% in West Virginia.
- The median jurisdiction value is 35.8%.
- The unweighted 51-jurisdiction average is 36.4%.
- Wyoming had the largest one-year bachelor’s-rate movement at +1.9 points.
- Delaware had the largest one-year decline in the bachelor’s-rate series at -0.5 points.
- The highest high school-or-higher rate is 95.0% in New Hampshire.
- The lowest high school-or-higher rate is 84.8% in California.
- One-year changes are percentage-point differences, not percent changes.
Regional and Distribution Views
Regional averages are unweighted across jurisdictions. District of Columbia is grouped with the South under Census regional geography.
Regional Average Attainment
Bachelor’s degree or higher and high school graduate or higher, 2024.
The regional chart uses unweighted jurisdiction averages and does not adjust for population size.
Chart analysis
- Northeast has the highest average bachelor’s-or-higher rate at 41.7%.
- Midwest has the highest average high school-or-higher rate at 92.6%.
- South has the lowest regional average high school-or-higher rate at 90.0%.
| Band | Jurisdictions | Range | States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 30% | 8 | 24.4%–29.9% | Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma, West Virginia |
| 30.0%–34.9% | 15 | 30.7%–34.7% | Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Wyoming |
| 35.0%–39.9% | 16 | 35.2%–39.2% | California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah |
| 40.0%–44.9% | 8 | 40.0%–44.7% | Connecticut, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Washington |
| 45.0% or higher | 4 | 45.1%–65.5% | Colorado, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Vermont |
Table analysis
- The largest band is 35.0%–39.9% with 16 jurisdictions.
- 15 jurisdictions fall in the 30.0%–34.9% band.
- 4 jurisdictions are at 45.0% or higher.
- 8 jurisdictions are below 30.0%.
| Region | Jurisdictions | Average bachelor | Median bachelor | Lowest bachelor | Highest bachelor | Average high school |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast | 9 | 41.7% | 41.5% | 36.4% | 48.3% | 92.1% |
| Midwest | 12 | 34.6% | 34.1% | 30.7% | 40.0% | 92.6% |
| South | 17 | 34.9% | 33.3% | 24.4% | 65.5% | 90.0% |
| West | 13 | 36.2% | 36.3% | 28.5% | 47.8% | 91.5% |
Table analysis
- Northeast leads the regional bachelor’s average at 41.7%.
- Midwest has the narrowest bachelor’s range, from 30.7% to 40.0%.
- South has the widest range because the District of Columbia is included with the region.
Educational Attainment Data Notes
The ranking shows adult resident attainment, not school graduation rates or college completion rates.
Bachelor’s ranking scope
The main rank uses one selected indicator: adults age 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher. It does not rank school quality, college access, or workforce outcomes.
High school measure
High school graduate or higher is a cumulative adult attainment measure. It differs from the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate used for public high schools.
Resident population basis
Rates reflect where adults live when surveyed. Migration, age structure, and labor-market composition can affect state attainment profiles.
One-year movement
Year-to-year changes are small for many states. Sampling error, population shifts, and rounding can affect short-run movement.
Regional averages
Regional figures are unweighted jurisdiction averages. They do not represent the share of the regional population with each credential level.
Source and Methodology
Unit of measure is percent of the resident population age 25 and older as reported in the source series. Ranking uses the 2024 bachelor’s degree or higher percentage. Prior-year movement subtracts the 2023 value from the 2024 value and is shown in percentage points. Values are rounded to one decimal place, matching the published release-table format.
Coverage is 50 states and the District of Columbia. Puerto Rico is not included because the requested scope is U.S. states plus District of Columbia. Regional grouping follows Census region naming, with District of Columbia placed in the South for regional summaries.
Educational attainment rates measure completed education among adults living in each state. They should not be read as school-system rankings, graduation-rate rankings, college-quality rankings, or causal evidence about state education policy.