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

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

Mercer Island, WA had the highest share of adults with a bachelor's degree of 91 cities in 2023, at 78.8%. Grandview, WA had the lowest, at 6.6%. The median was 32.2% and the figure for Washington was 38.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest78.8Mercer Island, WA
Lowest6.6Grandview, WA
Median32.291 cities
Washington38.8History

Top 40 cities, 2023

Mercer Island, WA: 78.8 %Mercer Island, WA78.8Sammamish, WA: 77 %Sammamish, WA77Bainbridge Island, WA: 75 %Bainbridge Island, WA75Redmond, WA: 74.7 %Redmond, WA74.7Bellevue, WA: 71.4 %Bellevue, WA71.4Newcastle, WA: 71.1 %Newcastle, WA71.1Woodinville, WA: 70.7 %Woodinville, WA70.7Issaquah, WA: 69.6 %Issaquah, WA69.6Seattle, WA: 67.5 %Seattle, WA67.5Snoqualmie, WA: 67.1 %Snoqualmie, WA67.1Lake Forest Park, WA: 66 %Lake Forest Park, WA66Kirkland, WA: 64.4 %Kirkland, WA64.4Pullman, WA: 62.5 %Pullman, WA62.5Bothell, WA: 58.6 %Bothell, WA58.6Kenmore, WA: 57.2 %Kenmore, WA57.2Mukilteo, WA: 54.8 %Mukilteo, WA54.8Camas, WA: 54.3 %Camas, WA54.3Mill Creek, WA: 53.7 %Mill Creek, WA53.7Shoreline, WA: 52.8 %Shoreline, WA52.8Edmonds, WA: 52.2 %Edmonds, WA52.2Port Townsend, WA: 52.2 %Port Townsend, WA52.2Gig Harbor, WA: 50.6 %Gig Harbor, WA50.6Olympia, WA: 50 %Olympia, WA50Poulsbo, WA: 48.3 %Poulsbo, WA48.3Maple Valley, WA: 47.5 %Maple Valley, WA47.5Bellingham, WA: 46.5 %Bellingham, WA46.5Richland, WA: 46 %Richland, WA46Anacortes, WA: 45.7 %Anacortes, WA45.7Liberty Lake, WA: 45.2 %Liberty Lake, WA45.2University Place, WA: 43.5 %University Place, WA43.5Mountlake Terrace, WA: 41.9 %Mountlake Terrace, WA41.9Tumwater, WA: 41.6 %Tumwater, WA41.6Ellensburg, WA: 41.3 %Ellensburg, WA41.3West Richland, WA: 39.6 %West Richland, WA39.6Renton, WA: 39 %Renton, WA39Ridgefield, WA: 38 %Ridgefield, WA38Cheney, WA: 36.8 %Cheney, WA36.8Covington, WA: 35.9 %Covington, WA35.9Lake Stevens, WA: 33.6 %Lake Stevens, WA33.6Tacoma, WA: 33.5 %Tacoma, WA33.5Mercer Island, WA: 78.8 %Mercer Island, WA78.8Sammamish, WA: 77 %Sammamish, WA77Bainbridge Island, WA: 75 %Bainbridge Island, WA75Redmond, WA: 74.7 %Redmond, WA74.7Bellevue, WA: 71.4 %Bellevue, WA71.4Newcastle, WA: 71.1 %Newcastle, WA71.1Woodinville, WA: 70.7 %Woodinville, WA70.7Issaquah, WA: 69.6 %Issaquah, WA69.6Seattle, WA: 67.5 %Seattle, WA67.5Snoqualmie, WA: 67.1 %Snoqualmie, WA67.1Lake Forest Park, WA: 66 %Lake Forest Park, WA66Kirkland, WA: 64.4 %Kirkland, WA64.4Pullman, WA: 62.5 %Pullman, WA62.5Bothell, WA: 58.6 %Bothell, WA58.6Kenmore, WA: 57.2 %Kenmore, WA57.2Mukilteo, WA: 54.8 %Mukilteo, WA54.8Camas, WA: 54.3 %Camas, WA54.3Mill Creek, WA: 53.7 %Mill Creek, WA53.7Shoreline, WA: 52.8 %Shoreline, WA52.8Edmonds, WA: 52.2 %Edmonds, WA52.2Port Townsend, WA: 52.2 %Port Townsend, WA52.2Gig Harbor, WA: 50.6 %Gig Harbor, WA50.6Olympia, WA: 50 %Olympia, WA50Poulsbo, WA: 48.3 %Poulsbo, WA48.3Maple Valley, WA: 47.5 %Maple Valley, WA47.5Bellingham, WA: 46.5 %Bellingham, WA46.5Richland, WA: 46 %Richland, WA46Anacortes, WA: 45.7 %Anacortes, WA45.7Liberty Lake, WA: 45.2 %Liberty Lake, WA45.2University Place, WA: 43.5 %University Place, WA43.5Mountlake Terrace, WA: 41.9 %Mountlake Terrace, WA41.9Tumwater, WA: 41.6 %Tumwater, WA41.6Ellensburg, WA: 41.3 %Ellensburg, WA41.3West Richland, WA: 39.6 %West Richland, WA39.6Renton, WA: 39 %Renton, WA39Ridgefield, WA: 38 %Ridgefield, WA38Cheney, WA: 36.8 %Cheney, WA36.8Covington, WA: 35.9 %Covington, WA35.9Lake Stevens, WA: 33.6 %Lake Stevens, WA33.6Tacoma, WA: 33.5 %Tacoma, WA33.5
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Mercer Island, WA78.8+1.1 pts
2Sammamish, WA77+0.9 pts
3Bainbridge Island, WA75+1.2 pts
4Redmond, WA74.7+1.5 pts
5Bellevue, WA71.4+1.4 pts
6Newcastle, WA71.1+0.3 pts
7Woodinville, WA70.7+8.1 pts
8Issaquah, WA69.6+1.1 pts
9Seattle, WA67.5+0.9 pts
10Snoqualmie, WA67.1-0.9 pts
11Lake Forest Park, WA66+0.8 pts
12Kirkland, WA64.4+1.6 pts
13Pullman, WA62.5-2.3 pts
14Bothell, WA58.6+1.9 pts
15Kenmore, WA57.2-0.8 pts
16Mukilteo, WA54.8+0.7 pts
17Camas, WA54.3+1.8 pts
18Mill Creek, WA53.7+1.1 pts
19Shoreline, WA52.8+0.3 pts
20Edmonds, WA52.2+1.9 pts
21Port Townsend, WA52.2-2.6 pts
22Gig Harbor, WA50.6+1.1 pts
23Olympia, WA50+2.1 pts
24Poulsbo, WA48.3+2.8 pts
25Maple Valley, WA47.5+1.2 pts
26Bellingham, WA46.5+0.4 pts
27Richland, WA46+0.3 pts
28Anacortes, WA45.7+0.6 pts
29Liberty Lake, WA45.2+1.7 pts
30University Place, WA43.5+1.7 pts
31Mountlake Terrace, WA41.9+0.6 pts
32Tumwater, WA41.6+1.1 pts
33Ellensburg, WA41.3-4 pts
34West Richland, WA39.60 pts
35Renton, WA39+2.1 pts
36Ridgefield, WA38+3.7 pts
37Cheney, WA36.8-4.9 pts
38Covington, WA35.9+2.3 pts
39Lake Stevens, WA33.6+1.4 pts
40Tacoma, WA33.5+0.8 pts
41Des Moines, WA33.2+2.8 pts
42Ferndale, WA32.8-0.4 pts
43Lynnwood, WA32.6+2 pts
44Spokane, WA32.6-0.1 pts
45Snohomish, WA32.3+2.2 pts
46Port Orchard, WA32.2+0.5 pts
47Lacey, WA32.2+0.1 pts
48Vancouver, WA31.5+0.3 pts
49Burien, WA31.5+1.6 pts
50Port Angeles, WA31.4+0.8 pts
51Federal Way, WA31.1+0.4 pts
52Bonney Lake, WA29.6+1.1 pts
53Kent, WA29.4+1.5 pts
54Walla Walla, WA28.9-0.4 pts
55Everett, WA28.9+1.9 pts
56Edgewood, WA28.8-0.1 pts
57Wenatchee, WA28.7-0.1 pts
58Washougal, WA28.5-1.6 pts
59Puyallup, WA28.3+1.2 pts
60Lynden, WA28.2+0.9 pts
61Fife, WA28+2.4 pts
62Oak Harbor, WA27.9+0.8 pts
63Enumclaw, WA27-4 pts
64Auburn, WA27-0.4 pts
65Kennewick, WA27+0.6 pts
66Bremerton, WA26.9+1.1 pts
67Monroe, WA26.7+3.1 pts
68SeaTac, WA26.6+1.2 pts
69Yelm, WA26.1+4.9 pts
70Mount Vernon, WA25.6+0.9 pts
71Spokane Valley, WA24.8-0.6 pts
72Battle Ground, WA24.5+0.8 pts
73Tukwila, WA23.9-1.9 pts
74Sumner, WA23.5-0.7 pts
75Marysville, WA22.7+1.1 pts
76Lakewood, WA22.6-0.8 pts
77Moses Lake, WA21.7+0.1 pts
78Burlington, WA21.2-1.8 pts
79Yakima, WA20.8+1.4 pts
80Pasco, WA20.7+1.1 pts
81Arlington, WA20.3-1.2 pts
82Airway Heights, WA20.2+3 pts
83East Wenatchee, WA20+1.2 pts
84Shelton, WA18.8-0.3 pts
85Centralia, WA17.6+0.5 pts
86Sedro-Woolley, WA17.1+0.7 pts
87Longview, WA16.7+1 pts
88Aberdeen, WA14.7-1.9 pts
89Kelso, WA11.8+0.4 pts
90Sunnyside, WA9+0.8 pts
91Grandview, WA6.6+1.3 pts

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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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 Washington by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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 Washington by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b15003.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/bachelors-degree-or-higher/washington-cities?period=2023. 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 Washington by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b15003.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/bachelors-degree-or-higher/washington-cities?period=2023.

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 Washington by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b15003.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/bachelors-degree-or-higher/washington-cities?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_washington_by_2023,
  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 Washington by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b15003.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/bachelors-degree-or-higher/washington-cities?period=2023. 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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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 Washington by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b15003.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/bachelors-degree-or-higher/washington-cities?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/bachelors-degree-or-higher/washington-cities?period=2023.
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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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?

Mercer Island, WA, with 78.8% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Grandview, WA, with 6.6% in 2023.

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 Washington: more rankings