Most Educated States in the US
Source: US Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates. Share of adults age 25+.
| # | State | Bachelor's degree or higher ▼ | Graduate degree or higher |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 47.3% | 21.8% |
| 2 | Colorado | 45.7% | 17.6% |
| 3 | Vermont | 43.8% | 18.6% |
| 4 | New Jersey | 43.6% | 17.6% |
| 5 | Maryland | 43.4% | 20.8% |
| 6 | Connecticut | 42.5% | 19.2% |
| 7 | Virginia | 42.2% | 18.5% |
| 8 | New Hampshire | 40.6% | 16.1% |
| 9 | New York | 40.2% | 17.9% |
| 10 | Washington | 39.6% | 15.6% |
| 11 | Minnesota | 39.4% | 13.8% |
| 12 | Illinois | 37.8% | 15.3% |
| 13 | Rhode Island | 37.7% | 15.4% |
| 14 | Utah | 37.7% | 13.0% |
| 15 | California | 37.1% | 14.4% |
| 16 | Oregon | 36.8% | 14.1% |
| 17 | Maine | 36.2% | 13.7% |
| 18 | Hawaii | 36.1% | 13.3% |
| 19 | Delaware | 35.8% | 15.3% |
| 20 | North Carolina | 35.7% | 13.5% |
| 21 | Kansas | 35.6% | 13.4% |
| 22 | Montana | 35.2% | 12.0% |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | 35.2% | 14.3% |
| 24 | Georgia | 34.9% | 13.9% |
| 25 | Nebraska | 34.6% | 12.3% |
| 26 | Florida | 34.1% | 12.9% |
| 27 | Texas | 33.8% | 12.3% |
| 28 | Wisconsin | 33.4% | 11.4% |
| 29 | Arizona | 33.3% | 13.0% |
| 30 | North Dakota | 32.7% | 9.7% |
| 31 | Michigan | 32.4% | 12.7% |
| 32 | Missouri | 32.4% | 12.6% |
| 33 | South Carolina | 32.1% | 12.3% |
| 34 | South Dakota | 31.9% | 10.0% |
| 35 | Idaho | 31.8% | 10.5% |
| 36 | Alaska | 31.7% | 11.8% |
| 37 | Ohio | 31.5% | 12.2% |
| 38 | Iowa | 31.4% | 10.5% |
| 39 | Tennessee | 31.1% | 11.7% |
| 40 | New Mexico | 31.0% | 13.9% |
| 41 | Wyoming | 30.6% | 11.5% |
| 42 | Indiana | 29.5% | 10.8% |
| 43 | Alabama | 28.4% | 11.1% |
| 44 | Oklahoma | 28.3% | 9.9% |
| 45 | Nevada | 27.9% | 9.8% |
| 46 | Kentucky | 27.6% | 11.3% |
| 47 | Louisiana | 27.0% | 10.1% |
| 48 | Arkansas | 25.7% | 9.5% |
| 49 | Mississippi | 25.1% | 9.9% |
| 50 | West Virginia | 24.1% | 9.7% |
What this means
Massachusetts has the highest share of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher (47.3%), West Virginia the lowest (24.1%). Educational attainment correlates with local industry mix (tech and finance hubs skew higher) and the presence of large universities — it isn't a ranking of which state is “better.”
About the data
US Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates, table B15003 (educational attainment for the population 25 years and over).