Data / Rankings / Bachelor's degree or higher, population 25 and over / Cities in California

Cities in California by share of adults with a bachelor's degree

Orinda, CA had the highest share of adults with a bachelor's degree of 376 cities in 2021, at 87%. Mendota, CA had the lowest, at 2.9%. The median was 31.5% and the figure for California was 35.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest87Orinda, CA
Lowest2.9Mendota, CA
Median31.5376 cities
California35.3History

Top 40 cities, 2021

Orinda, CA: 87 %Orinda, CA87Los Altos, CA: 85.9 %Los Altos, CA85.9Piedmont, CA: 85.7 %Piedmont, CA85.7Hillsborough, CA: 83.1 %Hillsborough, CA83.1Palo Alto, CA: 82.7 %Palo Alto, CA82.7Palos Verdes Estates, CA: 81.5 %Palos Verdes Estates, CA81.5Cupertino, CA: 80.9 %Cupertino, CA80.9San Marino, CA: 80.8 %San Marino, CA80.8Saratoga, CA: 80.6 %Saratoga, CA80.6Manhattan Beach, CA: 77.9 %Manhattan Beach, CA77.9Hermosa Beach, CA: 77.9 %Hermosa Beach, CA77.9Moraga, CA: 77.2 %Moraga, CA77.2Davis, CA: 77.1 %Davis, CA77.1Mill Valley, CA: 75.4 %Mill Valley, CA75.4Lafayette, CA: 74.2 %Lafayette, CA74.2La Cañada Flintridge, CA: 73.6 %La Cañada Flintridge, CA73.6Berkeley, CA: 73.4 %Berkeley, CA73.4Los Gatos, CA: 73.4 %Los Gatos, CA73.4Albany, CA: 73.3 %Albany, CA73.3Menlo Park, CA: 72.6 %Menlo Park, CA72.6San Anselmo, CA: 72.3 %San Anselmo, CA72.3Mountain View, CA: 72.1 %Mountain View, CA72.1Emeryville, CA: 71.7 %Emeryville, CA71.7Larkspur, CA: 71.4 %Larkspur, CA71.4South Pasadena, CA: 71 %South Pasadena, CA71Danville, CA: 70.4 %Danville, CA70.4San Ramon, CA: 70.3 %San Ramon, CA70.3Foster City, CA: 70.2 %Foster City, CA70.2Walnut Creek, CA: 70 %Walnut Creek, CA70Solana Beach, CA: 69.2 %Solana Beach, CA69.2Belmont, CA: 69.2 %Belmont, CA69.2Irvine, CA: 68.7 %Irvine, CA68.7Rancho Palos Verdes, CA: 68.4 %Rancho Palos Verdes, CA68.4Santa Monica, CA: 67.8 %Santa Monica, CA67.8Newport Beach, CA: 67.8 %Newport Beach, CA67.8San Carlos, CA: 67.7 %San Carlos, CA67.7Dublin, CA: 67.6 %Dublin, CA67.6Laguna Beach, CA: 67.6 %Laguna Beach, CA67.6Sunnyvale, CA: 66.8 %Sunnyvale, CA66.8Pleasanton, CA: 66.3 %Pleasanton, CA66.3Orinda, CA: 87 %Orinda, CA87Los Altos, CA: 85.9 %Los Altos, CA85.9Piedmont, CA: 85.7 %Piedmont, CA85.7Hillsborough, CA: 83.1 %Hillsborough, CA83.1Palo Alto, CA: 82.7 %Palo Alto, CA82.7Palos Verdes Estates, CA: 81.5 %Palos Verdes Estates, CA81.5Cupertino, CA: 80.9 %Cupertino, CA80.9San Marino, CA: 80.8 %San Marino, CA80.8Saratoga, CA: 80.6 %Saratoga, CA80.6Manhattan Beach, CA: 77.9 %Manhattan Beach, CA77.9Hermosa Beach, CA: 77.9 %Hermosa Beach, CA77.9Moraga, CA: 77.2 %Moraga, CA77.2Davis, CA: 77.1 %Davis, CA77.1Mill Valley, CA: 75.4 %Mill Valley, CA75.4Lafayette, CA: 74.2 %Lafayette, CA74.2La Cañada Flintridge, CA: 73.6 %La Cañada Flintridge, CA73.6Berkeley, CA: 73.4 %Berkeley, CA73.4Los Gatos, CA: 73.4 %Los Gatos, CA73.4Albany, CA: 73.3 %Albany, CA73.3Menlo Park, CA: 72.6 %Menlo Park, CA72.6San Anselmo, CA: 72.3 %San Anselmo, CA72.3Mountain View, CA: 72.1 %Mountain View, CA72.1Emeryville, CA: 71.7 %Emeryville, CA71.7Larkspur, CA: 71.4 %Larkspur, CA71.4South Pasadena, CA: 71 %South Pasadena, CA71Danville, CA: 70.4 %Danville, CA70.4San Ramon, CA: 70.3 %San Ramon, CA70.3Foster City, CA: 70.2 %Foster City, CA70.2Walnut Creek, CA: 70 %Walnut Creek, CA70Solana Beach, CA: 69.2 %Solana Beach, CA69.2Belmont, CA: 69.2 %Belmont, CA69.2Irvine, CA: 68.7 %Irvine, CA68.7Rancho Palos Verdes, CA: 68.4 %Rancho Palos Verdes, CA68.4Santa Monica, CA: 67.8 %Santa Monica, CA67.8Newport Beach, CA: 67.8 %Newport Beach, CA67.8San Carlos, CA: 67.7 %San Carlos, CA67.7Dublin, CA: 67.6 %Dublin, CA67.6Laguna Beach, CA: 67.6 %Laguna Beach, CA67.6Sunnyvale, CA: 66.8 %Sunnyvale, CA66.8Pleasanton, CA: 66.3 %Pleasanton, CA66.3
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2021 (%)
1Orinda, CA87
2Los Altos, CA85.9
3Piedmont, CA85.7
4Hillsborough, CA83.1
5Palo Alto, CA82.7
6Palos Verdes Estates, CA81.5
7Cupertino, CA80.9
8San Marino, CA80.8
9Saratoga, CA80.6
10Manhattan Beach, CA77.9
11Hermosa Beach, CA77.9
12Moraga, CA77.2
13Davis, CA77.1
14Mill Valley, CA75.4
15Lafayette, CA74.2
16La Cañada Flintridge, CA73.6
17Berkeley, CA73.4
18Los Gatos, CA73.4
19Albany, CA73.3
20Menlo Park, CA72.6
21San Anselmo, CA72.3
22Mountain View, CA72.1
23Emeryville, CA71.7
24Larkspur, CA71.4
25South Pasadena, CA71
26Danville, CA70.4
27San Ramon, CA70.3
28Foster City, CA70.2
29Walnut Creek, CA70
30Solana Beach, CA69.2
31Belmont, CA69.2
32Irvine, CA68.7
33Rancho Palos Verdes, CA68.4
34Santa Monica, CA67.8
35Newport Beach, CA67.8
36San Carlos, CA67.7
37Dublin, CA67.6
38Laguna Beach, CA67.6
39Sunnyvale, CA66.8
40Pleasanton, CA66.3
41Calabasas, CA66.2
42El Cerrito, CA65.4
43Agoura Hills, CA65.2
44Burlingame, CA65.1
45Redondo Beach, CA64.7
46Beverly Hills, CA64.2
47Coronado, CA64.1
48Encinitas, CA63.6
49Sierra Madre, CA63.5
50Santa Clara, CA63.2
51Culver City, CA62.4
52West Hollywood, CA61.1
53Fremont, CA60.1
54San Francisco, CA59.5
55Carlsbad, CA59.5
56Alameda, CA59.4
57Truckee, CA58.5
58San Mateo, CA58.2
59Clayton, CA57.8
60Claremont, CA57.7
61Campbell, CA56.9
62Santa Cruz, CA56.6
63El Segundo, CA56.6
64Aliso Viejo, CA56.2
65Laguna Niguel, CA55.9
65Pleasant Hill, CA55.9
67Walnut, CA55.8
68Arcadia, CA55.5
69Pacific Grove, CA55.4
70Monterey, CA54
71Cerritos, CA54
72Diamond Bar, CA53.8
73Yorba Linda, CA53.6
74Milpitas, CA53.6
75Pasadena, CA53.4
76Dana Point, CA53.2
77Redwood City, CA52.5
78Poway, CA52.4
79Scotts Valley, CA52.3
80Torrance, CA52.3
81Folsom, CA51.8
82San Luis Obispo, CA51.6
83Laguna Woods, CA51.5
84Millbrae, CA51.2
85Loma Linda, CA51.2
86San Clemente, CA51.2
87Mission Viejo, CA50.9
88Laguna Hills, CA50.8
89Santa Barbara, CA50.5
90San Rafael, CA50.4
91Half Moon Bay, CA50.4
92Seal Beach, CA50.1
93Chino Hills, CA50
94Brea, CA49.5
95Rancho Santa Margarita, CA49.5
96Thousand Oaks, CA49.2
97Cypress, CA48.9
98Lake Forest, CA48.7
99Goleta, CA48
100Rocklin, CA47.8
101San Diego, CA47.6
102La Palma, CA47.4
103Oakland, CA47.3
104Pacifica, CA47.2
105Novato, CA46.5
106Livermore, CA46.4
107Arcata, CA46.4
108Healdsburg, CA46.2
109Sonoma, CA45.7
110Mountain House, CA45.5
111Tustin, CA45.5
112San Jose, CA45.4
113Benicia, CA45.2
114Huntington Beach, CA45.2
115Los Alamitos, CA45.1
116Hercules, CA45.1
117Martinez, CA45
118Roseville, CA44.4
119Rancho Mirage, CA44.3
120Morgan Hill, CA44.3
121Burbank, CA44
122Redlands, CA44
123Fullerton, CA43.5
124Moorpark, CA43.1
125Glendale, CA43
126Palm Springs, CA43
127Morro Bay, CA42.8
128San Bruno, CA42.8
129Monrovia, CA42.7
130Temple City, CA42.7
131Fountain Valley, CA42.6
132Camarillo, CA42.3
133Costa Mesa, CA42.2
134Union City, CA41.8
135Eastvale, CA41.4
136Newark, CA41
137San Marcos, CA40.9
138Placentia, CA40.7
139La Verne, CA40.4
140Petaluma, CA40.3
141San Juan Capistrano, CA39.8
142Chico, CA39.6
143Auburn, CA39.4
144Carpinteria, CA39.3
145Lomita, CA39
146Orange, CA39
147Glendora, CA38.9
148Palm Desert, CA38.7
149San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA38.6
150Signal Hill, CA38.4
151South San Francisco, CA38.4
152Rio Vista, CA38.3
153La Mesa, CA37.8
154Daly City, CA37.8
155Santa Clarita, CA37.7
156Brentwood, CA37.5
157San Dimas, CA37.5
158Alhambra, CA37.5
159La Mirada, CA37.4
160Arroyo Grande, CA37.1
160Elk Grove, CA37.1
162Concord, CA36.7
163Temecula, CA36.6
164Rancho Cucamonga, CA36.5
165Los Angeles, CA36.2
166Napa, CA35.2
167Lincoln, CA35.2
168Sacramento, CA35.1
169La Quinta, CA35
170Pinole, CA34.9
171Clovis, CA34.7
172Simi Valley, CA34.6
173Santa Rosa, CA34.4
174Upland, CA33.8
175Grover Beach, CA33.7
176Monterey Park, CA33.6
177San Gabriel, CA33.5
178Windsor, CA33.4
179Duarte, CA33.1
180Oceanside, CA32.9
181American Canyon, CA32.9
182Long Beach, CA32.8
183Ridgecrest, CA32.8
184Marina, CA32.7
185San Leandro, CA32.2
186Lakewood, CA32.1
187Richmond, CA32
188Canyon Lake, CA31.5
189Buena Park, CA31.4
190Rohnert Park, CA31
191Hayward, CA30.9
192Murrieta, CA30.9
193Artesia, CA30.6
194West Covina, CA30.4
195West Sacramento, CA30.4
196Chula Vista, CA30.3
197Santee, CA30.2
198Atascadero, CA30
199Eureka, CA29.8
200Carson, CA29.6
201Corona, CA29
202Gilroy, CA28.5
203La Habra, CA28.3
204Fairfield, CA28
205Woodland, CA27.9
206South Lake Tahoe, CA27.9
207Grass Valley, CA27.8
208Whittier, CA27.7
209Vallejo, CA27.5
210Grand Terrace, CA27.3
211Rancho Cordova, CA27.2
212Azusa, CA27.2
213Anaheim, CA27.1
214Placerville, CA26.8
215Westminster, CA26.7
216Beaumont, CA26.5
217Covina, CA26.3
218East Palo Alto, CA26.2
219El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles), CA26.1
220Gardena, CA25.9
221Vista, CA25.8
222Chino, CA25.7
223Redding, CA25.6
224Calimesa, CA25.6
225Escondido, CA25.5
226Yucaipa, CA25.1
227Paradise, CA25.1
227Turlock, CA25.1
229Vacaville, CA25
230Ripon, CA25
231Downey, CA24.9
232Kingsburg, CA24.4
233Seaside, CA24.2
234Cathedral City, CA24.1
235Hawthorne, CA24
236Twentynine Palms, CA23.9
237Riverside, CA23.9
238Fresno, CA23.6
239Ukiah, CA23.6
240El Cajon, CA23.5
241Imperial Beach, CA23.4
242Visalia, CA23
243Garden Grove, CA23
244Bakersfield, CA22.9
245Santa Fe Springs, CA22.8
246Inglewood, CA22.5
247Lodi, CA22.5
248Citrus Heights, CA22.4
249Tracy, CA22.4
250Antioch, CA22.4

Showing the top 250 of 376. The Excel download has every row.

Other periods

About this ranking

People aged 25 and over whose highest degree is a bachelor's, master's, professional school or doctorate degree, as a percentage of all people aged 25 and over. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

Excludes associate degrees and college without a degree. Not comparable with EU tertiary attainment, which includes short-cycle tertiary education and usually covers ages 25 to 64.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the cities are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in California by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in California by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/bachelors-degree-or-higher/california-cities?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in California by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/bachelors-degree-or-higher/california-cities?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in California by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/bachelors-degree-or-higher/california-cities?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_california_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in California by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/bachelors-degree-or-higher/california-cities?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in California by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/bachelors-degree-or-higher/california-cities?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/bachelors-degree-or-higher/california-cities?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which city has the highest share of adults with a bachelor's degree?

Orinda, CA, with 87% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest share of adults with a bachelor's degree?

Mendota, CA, with 2.9% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Bachelor's degree or higher, population 25 and over: other rankings

Cities in California: more rankings