Counties in California by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over

Santa Clara County had the highest graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over of 58 counties in 2023, at 27.7%. Colusa County had the lowest, at 3.2%. The median was 9.3% and the figure for California was 14.1%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Lowest3.2Colusa County
Median9.358 counties
California14.1History

Map of counties, 2023

Alameda County: 22.8 %Alpine County: 19.7 %Amador County: 7 %Butte County: 11 %Calaveras County: 7.5 %Colusa County: 3.2 %Contra Costa County: 17.5 %Del Norte County: 8.2 %El Dorado County: 13.1 %Fresno County: 8.2 %Glenn County: 4.1 %Humboldt County: 11.2 %Imperial County: 4.6 %Inyo County: 12 %Kern County: 6.2 %Kings County: 4.5 %Lake County: 6 %Lassen County: 3.3 %Los Angeles County: 12.7 %Madera County: 5.5 %Marin County: 27.3 %Mariposa County: 11.6 %Mendocino County: 9.8 %Merced County: 4.4 %Modoc County: 7 %Mono County: 15.5 %Monterey County: 11.4 %Napa County: 14.1 %Nevada County: 14.5 %Orange County: 16.1 %Placer County: 15.2 %Plumas County: 7.1 %Riverside County: 9.1 %Sacramento County: 11.9 %San Benito County: 6.3 %San Bernardino County: 8.2 %San Diego County: 16.5 %San Francisco County: 25.1 %San Joaquin County: 7 %San Luis Obispo County: 14.9 %San Mateo County: 23.9 %Santa Barbara County: 14.2 %Santa Clara County: 27.7 %Santa Cruz County: 18.3 %Shasta County: 7.4 %Sierra County: 9.5 %Siskiyou County: 7.3 %Solano County: 9 %Sonoma County: 14.3 %Stanislaus County: 6 %Sutter County: 6.6 %Tehama County: 5.6 %Trinity County: 8.6 %Tulare County: 5.7 %Tuolumne County: 8 %Ventura County: 13.5 %Yolo County: 21.2 %Yuba County: 6 %
  • Under 6
  • 6 to 7.3
  • 7.3 to 9.3
  • 9.3 to 13
  • 13 to 16
  • 16 and over
%, 2023. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2023

Santa Clara County: 27.7 %Santa Clara County27.7Marin County: 27.3 %Marin County27.3San Francisco County: 25.1 %San Francisco County25.1San Mateo County: 23.9 %San Mateo County23.9Alameda County: 22.8 %Alameda County22.8Yolo County: 21.2 %Yolo County21.2Alpine County: 19.7 %Alpine County19.7Santa Cruz County: 18.3 %Santa Cruz County18.3Contra Costa County: 17.5 %Contra Costa County17.5San Diego County: 16.5 %San Diego County16.5Orange County: 16.1 %Orange County16.1Mono County: 15.5 %Mono County15.5Placer County: 15.2 %Placer County15.2San Luis Obispo County: 14.9 %San Luis Obispo County14.9Nevada County: 14.5 %Nevada County14.5Sonoma County: 14.3 %Sonoma County14.3Santa Barbara County: 14.2 %Santa Barbara County14.2Napa County: 14.1 %Napa County14.1Ventura County: 13.5 %Ventura County13.5El Dorado County: 13.1 %El Dorado County13.1Los Angeles County: 12.7 %Los Angeles County12.7Inyo County: 12 %Inyo County12Sacramento County: 11.9 %Sacramento County11.9Mariposa County: 11.6 %Mariposa County11.6Monterey County: 11.4 %Monterey County11.4Humboldt County: 11.2 %Humboldt County11.2Butte County: 11 %Butte County11Mendocino County: 9.8 %Mendocino County9.8Sierra County: 9.5 %Sierra County9.5Riverside County: 9.1 %Riverside County9.1Solano County: 9 %Solano County9Trinity County: 8.6 %Trinity County8.6Del Norte County: 8.2 %Del Norte County8.2Fresno County: 8.2 %Fresno County8.2San Bernardino County: 8.2 %San Bernardino County8.2Tuolumne County: 8 %Tuolumne County8Calaveras County: 7.5 %Calaveras County7.5Shasta County: 7.4 %Shasta County7.4Siskiyou County: 7.3 %Siskiyou County7.3Plumas County: 7.1 %Plumas County7.1Modoc County: 7 %Modoc County7Amador County: 7 %Amador County7San Joaquin County: 7 %San Joaquin County7Sutter County: 6.6 %Sutter County6.6San Benito County: 6.3 %San Benito County6.3Kern County: 6.2 %Kern County6.2Yuba County: 6 %Yuba County6Lake County: 6 %Lake County6Stanislaus County: 6 %Stanislaus County6Tulare County: 5.7 %Tulare County5.7Tehama County: 5.6 %Tehama County5.6Madera County: 5.5 %Madera County5.5Imperial County: 4.6 %Imperial County4.6Kings County: 4.5 %Kings County4.5Merced County: 4.4 %Merced County4.4Glenn County: 4.1 %Glenn County4.1Lassen County: 3.3 %Lassen County3.3Colusa County: 3.2 %Colusa County3.2Santa Clara County: 27.7 %Santa Clara County27.7Marin County: 27.3 %Marin County27.3San Francisco County: 25.1 %San Francisco County25.1San Mateo County: 23.9 %San Mateo County23.9Alameda County: 22.8 %Alameda County22.8Yolo County: 21.2 %Yolo County21.2Alpine County: 19.7 %Alpine County19.7Santa Cruz County: 18.3 %Santa Cruz County18.3Contra Costa County: 17.5 %Contra Costa County17.5San Diego County: 16.5 %San Diego County16.5Orange County: 16.1 %Orange County16.1Mono County: 15.5 %Mono County15.5Placer County: 15.2 %Placer County15.2San Luis Obispo County: 14.9 %San Luis Obispo County14.9Nevada County: 14.5 %Nevada County14.5Sonoma County: 14.3 %Sonoma County14.3Santa Barbara County: 14.2 %Santa Barbara County14.2Napa County: 14.1 %Napa County14.1Ventura County: 13.5 %Ventura County13.5El Dorado County: 13.1 %El Dorado County13.1Los Angeles County: 12.7 %Los Angeles County12.7Inyo County: 12 %Inyo County12Sacramento County: 11.9 %Sacramento County11.9Mariposa County: 11.6 %Mariposa County11.6Monterey County: 11.4 %Monterey County11.4Humboldt County: 11.2 %Humboldt County11.2Butte County: 11 %Butte County11Mendocino County: 9.8 %Mendocino County9.8Sierra County: 9.5 %Sierra County9.5Riverside County: 9.1 %Riverside County9.1Solano County: 9 %Solano County9Trinity County: 8.6 %Trinity County8.6Del Norte County: 8.2 %Del Norte County8.2Fresno County: 8.2 %Fresno County8.2San Bernardino County: 8.2 %San Bernardino County8.2Tuolumne County: 8 %Tuolumne County8Calaveras County: 7.5 %Calaveras County7.5Shasta County: 7.4 %Shasta County7.4Siskiyou County: 7.3 %Siskiyou County7.3Plumas County: 7.1 %Plumas County7.1Modoc County: 7 %Modoc County7Amador County: 7 %Amador County7San Joaquin County: 7 %San Joaquin County7Sutter County: 6.6 %Sutter County6.6San Benito County: 6.3 %San Benito County6.3Kern County: 6.2 %Kern County6.2Yuba County: 6 %Yuba County6Lake County: 6 %Lake County6Stanislaus County: 6 %Stanislaus County6Tulare County: 5.7 %Tulare County5.7Tehama County: 5.6 %Tehama County5.6Madera County: 5.5 %Madera County5.5Imperial County: 4.6 %Imperial County4.6Kings County: 4.5 %Kings County4.5Merced County: 4.4 %Merced County4.4Glenn County: 4.1 %Glenn County4.1Lassen County: 3.3 %Lassen County3.3Colusa County: 3.2 %Colusa County3.2
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Santa Clara County27.7+0.5 pts
2Marin County27.3+0.2 pts
3San Francisco County25.1+0.3 pts
4San Mateo County23.9+0.4 pts
5Alameda County22.8+0.6 pts
6Yolo County21.2+0.3 pts
7Alpine County19.7+3.3 pts
8Santa Cruz County18.3+0.4 pts
9Contra Costa County17.5+0.2 pts
10San Diego County16.5+0.5 pts
11Orange County16.1+0.3 pts
12Mono County15.5+3.5 pts
13Placer County15.2+0.4 pts
14San Luis Obispo County14.9+0.9 pts
15Nevada County14.5+0.8 pts
16Sonoma County14.3-0.2 pts
17Santa Barbara County14.2-0.1 pts
18Napa County14.1+0.7 pts
19Ventura County13.5+0.6 pts
20El Dorado County13.1+0.4 pts
21Los Angeles County12.7+0.4 pts
22Inyo County12+0.4 pts
23Sacramento County11.9+0.4 pts
24Mariposa County11.6+2.2 pts
25Monterey County11.4+0.5 pts
26Humboldt County11.2+0.4 pts
27Butte County11+0.4 pts
28Mendocino County9.8+0.2 pts
29Sierra County9.5-2.6 pts
30Riverside County9.1+0.4 pts
31Solano County9+0.1 pts
32Trinity County8.6+1 pts
33Del Norte County8.2+1.6 pts
33Fresno County8.2+0.3 pts
33San Bernardino County8.2+0.2 pts
36Tuolumne County80 pts
37Calaveras County7.5+0.7 pts
38Shasta County7.4-0.1 pts
39Siskiyou County7.3+0.2 pts
40Plumas County7.1+0.6 pts
41Modoc County7-0.5 pts
42Amador County7+0.8 pts
42San Joaquin County7+0.5 pts
44Sutter County6.6-0.1 pts
45San Benito County6.30 pts
46Kern County6.20 pts
47Yuba County6+0.1 pts
48Lake County6-0.1 pts
48Stanislaus County6+0.4 pts
50Tulare County5.7+0.2 pts
51Tehama County5.6+0.7 pts
52Madera County5.5-0 pts
53Imperial County4.6+0.5 pts
54Kings County4.5-0.2 pts
55Merced County4.4-0 pts
56Glenn County4.1+0.7 pts
57Lassen County3.3+0.2 pts
58Colusa County3.2-0.1 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People aged 25 and over whose highest degree is a 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.

A subset of bachelors_degree_share, which also counts people whose highest degree is a bachelor's.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties 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 master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. 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 master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in California by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 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 master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in California by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 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/graduate-or-professional-degree/california-counties?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 master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in California by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 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/graduate-or-professional-degree/california-counties?period=2023.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in California by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 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/graduate-or-professional-degree/california-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_california_by_2023,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in California by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 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/graduate-or-professional-degree/california-counties?period=2023. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. 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 master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in California by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 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/graduate-or-professional-degree/california-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/california-counties?period=2023.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. 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 county has the highest graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over?

Santa Clara County, with 27.7% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over?

Colusa County, with 3.2% 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 master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over: other rankings

Counties in California: more rankings