Education levels across the states
In 2025, 37.4% of American adults 25 and older held at least a bachelor's degree. The share ranged from 24.7% in West Virginia to 64.9% in the District of Columbia; Massachusetts (49.2%) led the 50 states. High school completion runs from 86.2% in California to 95.4% in Vermont1, and the two lists order the states very differently.
Data as of October 29, 2026 (newest release used on this page).
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B15003; Census Bureau, 2024 Cartographic Boundary Files. Darker states are higher; DC is the dot. Period: 2025.
Show the numbers
| State | Bachelor's degree or higher |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 64.9% |
| Massachusetts | 49.2% |
| Colorado | 47.1% |
| Maryland | 45.5% |
| New Jersey | 45.0% |
| Virginia | 44.7% |
| Vermont | 44.5% |
| Connecticut | 43.6% |
| New York | 42.0% |
| New Hampshire | 41.5% |
| Washington | 41.4% |
| Minnesota | 40.8% |
| Rhode Island | 39.9% |
| Illinois | 39.1% |
| Utah | 39.1% |
| Delaware | 39.0% |
| Hawaii | 38.9% |
| California | 38.8% |
| Maine | 38.6% |
| North Carolina | 38.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 37.1% |
| Florida | 36.7% |
| Kansas | 36.7% |
| Oregon | 36.6% |
| Georgia | 36.3% |
| Montana | 36.2% |
| Nebraska | 36.2% |
| Texas | 35.5% |
| Wisconsin | 35.2% |
| South Carolina | 34.5% |
| Arizona | 34.3% |
| North Dakota | 34.3% |
| Michigan | 33.9% |
| Missouri | 33.7% |
| Wyoming | 33.7% |
| Idaho | 33.2% |
| South Dakota | 33.0% |
| Alaska | 32.9% |
| Tennessee | 32.8% |
| Iowa | 32.6% |
| Ohio | 32.5% |
| New Mexico | 31.4% |
| Alabama | 31.1% |
| Indiana | 30.7% |
| Nevada | 29.0% |
| Arkansas | 28.8% |
| Kentucky | 28.7% |
| Oklahoma | 28.7% |
| Louisiana | 28.3% |
| Mississippi | 26.9% |
| West Virginia | 24.7% |
Most and least educated states in 2025
Measured by the share of adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher, the most educated places are the District of Columbia (64.9%, ±2.2 percentage points) and Massachusetts (49.2%, ±0.6 percentage points), then Colorado (47.1%) and Maryland (45.5%). The least educated by the same measure are West Virginia (24.7%, ±0.8 percentage points), Mississippi (26.9%, ±0.6 percentage points) and Louisiana (28.3%1). These are American Community Survey estimates for 2025.
Nationally the share was 37.4% (±0.1 percentage points), up from 36.8% in 2024. The middle state on the list sits at 36.2%, below the national figure: 28 states are significantly below it and 20, counting DC, significantly above. A few large states with high shares, such as California (38.8%) and New York (42.0%1), carry much weight in the US total.
The table below gives every rung of schooling for each state, from a high school diploma to a graduate degree, plus the public high school graduation rate. Sort it by any column; the next sections explain why the columns order the states so differently.
| District of Columbia | 92.8% ±2.9 | 2.8% ±0.6 | 64.9% ±2.2 | 38.7% ±1.7 | 76% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 92.2% ±0.8 | 7.2% ±0.2 | 49.2% ±0.6 | 23.2% ±0.4 | 90% |
| Colorado | 93.6% ±0.9 | 8.7% ±0.3 | 47.1% ±0.6 | 18.4% ±0.4 | 82% |
| Maryland | 91.9% ±0.9 | 6.7% ±0.3 | 45.5% ±0.6 | 21.8% ±0.4 | 86% |
| New Jersey | 91.4% ±0.7 | 6.7% ±0.2 | 45.0% ±0.5 | 18.8% ±0.3 | 85% |
| Virginia | 92.6% ±0.7 | 8.2% ±0.2 | 44.7% ±0.5 | 20.1% ±0.3 | 89% |
| Vermont | 95.4% ±2.2 | 9.4% ±0.7 | 44.5% ±1.5 | 20.1% ±1.1 | 83% |
| Connecticut | 92.3% ±1.2 | 7.2% ±0.3 | 43.6% ±0.8 | 19.8% ±0.5 | 89% |
| New York | 88.8% ±0.5 | 8.6% ±0.1 | 42.0% ±0.3 | 18.7% ±0.2 | 87% |
| New Hampshire | 94.9% ±1.6 | 9.9% ±0.5 | 41.5% ±1.1 | 17.6% ±0.8 | 88% |
| Washington | 92.7% ±0.8 | 9.8% ±0.3 | 41.4% ±0.5 | 16.7% ±0.3 | 84% |
| Minnesota | 94.7% ±0.8 | 11.8% ±0.3 | 40.8% ±0.5 | 14.5% ±0.3 | 84% |
| Rhode Island | 89.8% ±2.1 | 8.2% ±0.7 | 39.9% ±1.4 | 16.6% ±1.0 | 83% |
| Illinois | 91.7% ±0.7 | 8.7% ±0.2 | 39.1% ±0.4 | 16.0% ±0.3 | 87% |
| Utah | 93.5% ±1.2 | 10.4% ±0.4 | 39.1% ±0.7 | 14.4% ±0.4 | 88% |
| Delaware | 93.2% ±2.3 | 9.0% ±0.8 | 39.0% ±1.4 | 17.5% ±1.0 | 88% |
| Hawaii | 93.8% ±1.6 | 10.8% ±0.5 | 38.9% ±1.0 | 14.4% ±0.7 | 86% |
| California | 86.2% ±0.4 | 7.8% ±0.1 | 38.8% ±0.2 | 15.3% ±0.2 | 87% |
| Maine | 95.0% ±1.6 | 9.8% ±0.5 | 38.6% ±1.1 | 14.8% ±0.7 | 86% |
| North Carolina | 91.3% ±0.7 | 10.3% ±0.2 | 38.1% ±0.5 | 14.8% ±0.3 | 86% |
| Pennsylvania | 92.4% ±0.6 | 8.9% ±0.2 | 37.1% ±0.4 | 15.2% ±0.3 | 87% |
| Florida | 91.3% ±0.5 | 10.3% ±0.2 | 36.7% ±0.3 | 14.3% ±0.2 | 87% |
| Kansas | 92.7% ±1.2 | 9.1% ±0.4 | 36.7% ±0.7 | 13.8% ±0.5 | 89% |
| Oregon | 92.2% ±1.0 | 9.5% ±0.3 | 36.6% ±0.6 | 14.5% ±0.4 | 81% |
| Georgia | 90.7% ±0.7 | 8.3% ±0.2 | 36.3% ±0.5 | 14.8% ±0.3 | 84% |
| Montana | 94.6% ±1.8 | 9.6% ±0.5 | 36.2% ±1.2 | 13.0% ±0.7 | 86% |
| Nebraska | 93.2% ±1.3 | 11.4% ±0.5 | 36.2% ±0.8 | 13.6% ±0.6 | 87% |
| Texas | 87.8% ±0.5 | 8.0% ±0.2 | 35.5% ±0.3 | 13.3% ±0.2 | 90% |
| Wisconsin | 93.9% ±0.8 | 11.3% ±0.3 | 35.2% ±0.5 | 12.7% ±0.3 | 90% |
| South Carolina | 90.9% ±1.0 | 10.2% ±0.3 | 34.5% ±0.6 | 12.9% ±0.4 | 84% |
| Arizona | 90.5% ±0.8 | 9.2% ±0.3 | 34.3% ±0.5 | 13.4% ±0.3 | 77% |
| North Dakota | 94.2% ±2.2 | 14.4% ±1.0 | 34.3% ±1.3 | 10.5% ±0.8 | 85% |
| Michigan | 92.7% ±0.6 | 9.8% ±0.2 | 33.9% ±0.4 | 13.6% ±0.2 | 81% |
| Missouri | 92.4% ±0.8 | 8.6% ±0.3 | 33.7% ±0.5 | 13.4% ±0.3 | 90% |
| Wyoming | 94.8% ±2.7 | 11.3% ±1.1 | 33.7% ±1.6 | 13.0% ±1.0 | 82% |
| Idaho | 92.6% ±1.5 | 10.5% ±0.5 | 33.2% ±0.9 | 11.3% ±0.5 | 80% |
| South Dakota | 93.7% ±2.0 | 13.2% ±0.8 | 33.0% ±1.2 | 10.8% ±0.7 | 82% |
| Alaska | 94.1% ±2.4 | 9.8% ±0.7 | 32.9% ±1.4 | 13.3% ±1.0 | 78% |
| Tennessee | 91.0% ±0.9 | 8.1% ±0.3 | 32.8% ±0.6 | 12.4% ±0.3 | 90% |
| Iowa | 93.7% ±1.0 | 12.5% ±0.4 | 32.6% ±0.6 | 11.1% ±0.4 | 90% |
| Ohio | 92.7% ±0.6 | 9.4% ±0.2 | 32.5% ±0.3 | 13.0% ±0.2 | 86% |
| New Mexico | 88.6% ±1.6 | 8.9% ±0.6 | 31.4% ±0.9 | 14.0% ±0.6 | – |
| Alabama | 89.6% ±1.0 | 9.5% ±0.3 | 31.1% ±0.6 | 12.3% ±0.4 | 88% |
| Indiana | 91.2% ±0.8 | 9.2% ±0.3 | 30.7% ±0.5 | 11.2% ±0.3 | 88% |
| Nevada | 89.4% ±1.3 | 9.0% ±0.4 | 29.0% ±0.8 | 10.4% ±0.4 | 82% |
| Arkansas | 90.7% ±1.1 | 8.6% ±0.4 | 28.8% ±0.7 | 11.3% ±0.5 | 88% |
| Kentucky | 90.1% ±0.9 | 9.1% ±0.3 | 28.7% ±0.6 | 12.1% ±0.4 | 90% |
| Oklahoma | 90.5% ±0.8 | 8.4% ±0.3 | 28.7% ±0.5 | 10.5% ±0.3 | – |
| Louisiana | 88.3% ±1.0 | 7.5% ±0.3 | 28.3% ±0.6 | 10.4% ±0.4 | 83% |
| Mississippi | 88.3% ±1.2 | 11.3% ±0.4 | 26.9% ±0.6 | 10.5% ±0.5 | 89% |
| West Virginia | 90.3% ±1.4 | 8.2% ±0.5 | 24.7% ±0.8 | 9.9% ±0.5 | 91% |
| United States | 90.6% ±0.2 | 8.9% | 37.4% ±0.1 | 15.0% ±0.1 | 87% |
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B15003; Department of Education, NCES, Digest of Education Statistics 2023, Table 219.46. ± is the 90% margin of error.
Five measures of schooling, ranked one by one
Each column of the table answers a different question. Only the two degree columns at the top share the same leaders.
- High school diploma or GED. 90.6% of adults nationally (±0.2 percentage points), up from 89.9% in 2024. Highest in Vermont (95.4%), Maine (95.0%) and New Hampshire (94.9%), all small states whose margins of error overlap with many others.
- Associate's degree as the highest degree. 8.9% nationally. Highest in North Dakota (14.4%, ±1.0 percentage points), then South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota.
- Bachelor's degree or more. 37.4% nationally; Massachusetts leads the states.
- Master's, professional or doctoral degree. 15.0% nationally (±0.1 percentage points). Highest in the District of Columbia (38.7%), then Massachusetts (23.2%) and Maryland (21.8%). Doctorates alone account for 1.8% of US adults and 4.4%1 in the District.
- Public high school graduation rate. 87% of public school students in the cohort that finished in 2021–22 graduated on time. Highest in West Virginia (91%3).
The associate's degree column runs almost opposite to the graduate column. The places with the fewest adults whose highest degree is an associate's are the District of Columbia (2.8%), New Jersey (6.7%), Maryland (6.7%), Massachusetts and Connecticut, all in the top ten for bachelor's degrees. The Plains states lead instead: North Dakota's associate's share is 5.5 percentage points above the US figure (8.9%), while its bachelor's share is 3.1 percentage points below the US figure (37.4%)1.
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B15003. Whiskers show the 90% margin of error; states whose whiskers overlap may not differ significantly. Period: 2025.
Show the numbers
| State | Associate's degree | MOE |
|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | 14.4% | ±1.0 |
| South Dakota | 13.2% | ±0.8 |
| Iowa | 12.5% | ±0.4 |
| Minnesota | 11.8% | ±0.3 |
| Nebraska | 11.4% | ±0.5 |
| Mississippi | 11.3% | ±0.4 |
| Wisconsin | 11.3% | ±0.3 |
| Wyoming | 11.3% | ±1.1 |
| Hawaii | 10.8% | ±0.5 |
| Idaho | 10.5% | ±0.5 |
| United States | 8.9% |
The graduate column also separates states with the same bachelor's share. Utah and Illinois are tied at 39.1%, but Illinois's graduate share (16.0%) is 1.0 percentage points above the US figure (15.0%), while Utah's (14.4%) is 0.6 percentage points below the US figure (15.0%). At the other end, West Virginia (9.9%), Nevada (10.4%) and Louisiana (10.4%1) have the lowest graduate shares.
Where the rankings contradict each other
Four places show how far apart the measures can be.
West Virginia has the lowest share of adults with a bachelor's degree and the lowest share with a graduate degree (9.9%). Its high school graduation rate of 91% is the highest of the 48 states and DC with published data and higher than every bordering state (Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia)3. The share of its adults with a diploma or GED (90.3%) is not statistically different from the US figure (90.6%)1.
The District of Columbia is the reverse: first for bachelor's and graduate degrees, last for on-time graduation (76%, 11.0 percentage points below the US figure (87%)3). Its adult high school share (92.8%) is not statistically different from the US figure (90.6%)1.
California and Texas, the largest and 2nd largest4 states, have the lowest shares of adults with a high school diploma or GED: 86.2% (±0.4 percentage points) and 87.8% (±0.5 percentage points). Yet California's bachelor's share is 1.4 percentage points above the US figure (37.4%), and Texas's public high school graduation rate (90%) is tied for 2nd highest3 in the country. Both states' high school shares rose in 2025: California's up from 84.8% in 2024, Texas's up from 86.7% in 20241.
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B15003. Whiskers show the 90% margin of error. Period: 2025.
Show the numbers
| State | High school graduate or higher | MOE |
|---|---|---|
| Vermont | 95.4% | ±2.2 |
| Maine | 95.0% | ±1.6 |
| New Hampshire | 94.9% | ±1.6 |
| Minnesota | 94.7% | ±0.8 |
| United States | 90.6% | ±0.2 |
| Texas | 87.8% | ±0.5 |
| California | 86.2% | ±0.4 |
Vermont has the highest adult high school share in the survey, yet its 2021–22 graduation rate (83%) was 4.0 percentage points below the US figure (87%) and lower than every bordering state (Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York)3.
The contradictions come from what is being counted. The survey measures adults who live in a state today, wherever they went to school; a state's adult education level therefore also reflects who moves in and out. The graduation rate measures students in that state's public schools in one year. A state can do well on one and poorly on the other.
Regional patterns
The Northeast holds most of the top of the bachelor's list. Even its lowest state, Pennsylvania (37.1%), is not statistically different from the US figure (37.4%). The South holds both extremes: the District of Columbia at the top and West Virginia at the bottom. Maryland (45.5%) is above every bordering state except the District, and Virginia (44.7%) above all its neighbors except those two. In the West the range runs from Colorado (47.1%) to Nevada (29.0%); in the Midwest from Minnesota (40.8%) to Indiana (30.7%1).
High school completion has a different geography. Northern New England, the upper Midwest and the northern Rockies and Plains fill most of the top: Wyoming (94.8%) leads the West and Minnesota (94.7%) the Midwest. Most states are above the national share: 31 significantly above and only 6 significantly below, because the national figure weights each state by its adult population and several large states have low shares. New York (88.8%) is 1.8 percentage points below the US figure (90.6%), as are Mississippi, Louisiana and New Mexico1.
Twenty years of rising degree shares
The share of US adults with a bachelor's degree or more rose from 27.2% in 2005 to 30.6% in 2015 and 37.4%5 in 2025, in the Census Bureau's annual survey. The District of Columbia and Mississippi, near the two ends of the list, both rose over the period, and the distance between them did not narrow.
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2005-2019 and 2021-2025. ACS 1-year estimates; no standard 1-year release for 2020. Shaded band: 90% margin of error.
Show the numbers
| Year | District of Columbia | United States | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 45.3% ±1.6 | 27.2% ±0.1 | 18.7% ±0.5 |
| 2006 | 45.9% ±1.6 | 27.0% ±0.1 | 18.8% ±0.5 |
| 2007 | 47.5% ±1.6 | 27.5% ±0.1 | 18.9% ±0.5 |
| 2008 | 48.2% ±1.6 | 27.7% ±0.1 | 19.4% ±0.5 |
| 2009 | 48.5% ±1.6 | 27.9% ±0.1 | 19.6% ±0.5 |
| 2010 | 50.1% ±1.5 | 28.2% ±0.1 | 19.5% ±0.5 |
| 2011 | 52.5% ±1.6 | 28.5% ±0.1 | 19.8% ±0.5 |
| 2012 | 53.0% ±1.5 | 29.1% ±0.1 | 20.7% ±0.5 |
| 2013 | 55.1% ±1.6 | 29.6% ±0.1 | 20.4% ±0.5 |
| 2014 | 55.0% ±1.5 | 30.1% ±0.1 | 21.1% ±0.6 |
| 2015 | 56.7% ±1.5 | 30.6% ±0.1 | 20.8% ±0.5 |
| 2016 | 56.8% ±1.5 | 31.3% ±0.1 | 21.8% ±0.5 |
| 2017 | 57.3% ±1.6 | 32.0% ±0.1 | 21.9% ±0.6 |
| 2018 | 60.4% ±1.6 | 32.6% ±0.1 | 23.2% ±0.6 |
| 2019 | 59.7% ±1.5 | 33.1% ±0.1 | 22.3% ±0.6 |
| 2021 | 63.0% ±1.9 | 35.0% ±0.1 | 24.8% ±0.6 |
| 2022 | 65.4% ±1.9 | 35.7% ±0.1 | 24.8% ±0.6 |
| 2023 | 65.9% ±1.8 | 36.2% ±0.1 | 25.5% ±0.6 |
| 2024 | 65.5% ±2.0 | 36.8% ±0.1 | 27.0% ±0.6 |
| 2025 | 64.9% ±2.2 | 37.4% ±0.1 | 26.9% ±0.6 |
From 2024 to 2025 alone, the bachelor's share rose significantly in several states, among them California (up from 38.1% in 2024), Florida (up from 35.8% in 2024), Pennsylvania (up from 36.4% in 2024) and Delaware (up from 36.0% in 2024). Oregon's share fell (down from 37.8% in 20241). In most states the one-year change is not statistically significant, so single-year moves in the table should be read with their margins of error.
Two sources and what each counts
American Community Survey (Census Bureau), 2025. The four attainment columns come from table B15003, which records the highest level of school completed by people 25 and older. "High school or more" includes a GED or other equivalent credential. The associate's column counts only people whose highest degree is an associate's; people with an associate's who went on to a bachelor's are in the bachelor's column. Every figure has a 90% margin of error, so states a few places apart in the table, especially small states, are often not statistically different.
Adjusted cohort graduation rate (NCES), 2021–22. The share of public school students who graduate with a regular diploma within four years of entering ninth grade, from the Department of Education's Digest of Education Statistics. It is an administrative count with no margin of error. Private schools are not included, and students who earn a GED or need more than four years count as non-graduates. The 2021–22 rate is not published for New Mexico and Oklahoma, so that column covers 493 states, counting DC.
The two sources describe different people at different times, so they are not added or compared as if they measured the same thing.
What this page does not rank
Searches for "education rankings by state" often look for school quality: test scores, spending per pupil or college rankings. This site covers population and demographics, so it reports how much schooling residents have and how many public school students graduate on time, and does not grade schools or colleges. State pages give each state's education figures alongside its neighbors'.
Questions about education levels by state
Which is the most educated state?
On the usual measure, the share of adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or more, it is Massachusetts at 49.2% (±0.6 percentage points) in 2025. The District of Columbia, a single city, is higher at 64.9% (±2.2 percentage points). If the measure is a high school diploma or GED, Vermont has the highest share (95.4%), though its small sample places it between 1st and 17th1.
Which states are the least educated?
West Virginia (24.7%), Mississippi (26.9%) and Louisiana (28.3%) have the lowest shares of adults with a bachelor's degree. The lowest shares with a high school diploma or GED are in California (86.2%) and Texas (87.8%1).
Which state has the highest high school graduation rate?
West Virginia. In the 2021–22 school year 91% of its public high school students graduated with a regular diploma within four years of starting ninth grade, against 87% nationally (NCES). The lowest rate was in the District of Columbia (76%3).
Which state has the highest literacy rate?
This site does not publish literacy rates: the federal sources it uses do not measure reading skill by state. The closest measure it carries is the share of adults with a high school diploma or GED, highest in Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire1.
Rankings on this topic
Sources
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B15003; 2025; released October 29, 2026. data.census.gov
- Census Bureau, 2024 Cartographic Boundary Files; table cb_2024_us_state_20m; 2024; released April 10, 2025. www2.census.gov
- Department of Education, NCES, Digest of Education Statistics 2023, Table 219.46; school year 2021-22. nces.ed.gov
- Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025; released January 27, 2026. www2.census.gov
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2005-2019 and 2021-2025; 2005-2025 (no standard 2020 1-year release); released October 29, 2026. api.census.gov
Margins of error (±) are at the 90% confidence level. A difference is called significant only when it passes the Census Bureau's test at that level. How every figure is built: methodology. Found an error? Write to [email protected]; corrections are listed on the updates page.