Data / Rankings / Graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over / Counties in Illinois

Counties in Illinois by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2024

Champaign County had the highest graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over of 102 counties in 2024, at 25.3%. Brown County had the lowest, at 2.8%. The median was 7% and the figure for Illinois was 15.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest25.3Champaign County
Lowest2.8Brown County
Median7102 counties
Illinois15.3History

Map of counties, 2024

Adams County: 8.8 %Alexander County: 4.6 %Bond County: 9.2 %Boone County: 9.4 %Brown County: 2.8 %Bureau County: 6.8 %Calhoun County: 5.1 %Carroll County: 4.6 %Cass County: 6 %Champaign County: 25.3 %Christian County: 5 %Clark County: 8.7 %Clay County: 4.3 %Clinton County: 8.3 %Coles County: 11.1 %Cook County: 18 %Crawford County: 6.5 %Cumberland County: 6.1 %DeKalb County: 13.3 %De Witt County: 6.9 %Douglas County: 7.2 %DuPage County: 21.2 %Edgar County: 4.8 %Edwards County: 5.9 %Effingham County: 8.9 %Fayette County: 5.1 %Ford County: 6.2 %Franklin County: 5.1 %Fulton County: 6 %Gallatin County: 5.1 %Greene County: 6 %Grundy County: 7.5 %Hamilton County: 8.6 %Hancock County: 7.6 %Hardin County: 5.2 %Henderson County: 4.7 %Henry County: 8 %Iroquois County: 5.5 %Jackson County: 16.8 %Jasper County: 7.3 %Jefferson County: 6.7 %Jersey County: 7.8 %Jo Daviess County: 9 %Johnson County: 7.6 %Kane County: 13.6 %Kankakee County: 8.1 %Kendall County: 12.7 %Knox County: 7.4 %Lake County: 20.2 %LaSalle County: 6.5 %Lawrence County: 5.4 %Lee County: 6.9 %Livingston County: 6 %Logan County: 7 %McDonough County: 15.3 %McHenry County: 12.1 %McLean County: 16.3 %Macon County: 8.3 %Macoupin County: 6.4 %Madison County: 11.2 %Marion County: 5.3 %Marshall County: 5.4 %Mason County: 5.5 %Massac County: 4.6 %Menard County: 10.9 %Mercer County: 7.1 %Monroe County: 13.7 %Montgomery County: 6.3 %Morgan County: 7.1 %Moultrie County: 6.7 %Ogle County: 8.1 %Peoria County: 13.3 %Perry County: 4.5 %Piatt County: 11.8 %Pike County: 4.9 %Pope County: 4.4 %Pulaski County: 4.7 %Putnam County: 8.1 %Randolph County: 5 %Richland County: 5.8 %Rock Island County: 9 %St. Clair County: 13.8 %Saline County: 5.7 %Sangamon County: 14.8 %Schuyler County: 6.7 %Scott County: 4.3 %Shelby County: 4.5 %Stark County: 5.5 %Stephenson County: 7 %Tazewell County: 9.2 %Union County: 6.9 %Vermilion County: 7.8 %Wabash County: 6.3 %Warren County: 7.9 %Washington County: 8.3 %Wayne County: 5.1 %White County: 6.4 %Whiteside County: 7.7 %Will County: 14.9 %Williamson County: 10.6 %Winnebago County: 9.4 %Woodford County: 13 %
  • Under 5.1
  • 5.1 to 6.1
  • 6.1 to 7
  • 7 to 8.3
  • 8.3 to 12
  • 12 and over
%, 2024. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2024

Champaign County: 25.3 %Champaign County25.3DuPage County: 21.2 %DuPage County21.2Lake County: 20.2 %Lake County20.2Cook County: 18 %Cook County18Jackson County: 16.8 %Jackson County16.8McLean County: 16.3 %McLean County16.3McDonough County: 15.3 %McDonough County15.3Will County: 14.9 %Will County14.9Sangamon County: 14.8 %Sangamon County14.8St. Clair County: 13.8 %St. Clair County13.8Monroe County: 13.7 %Monroe County13.7Kane County: 13.6 %Kane County13.6Peoria County: 13.3 %Peoria County13.3DeKalb County: 13.3 %DeKalb County13.3Woodford County: 13 %Woodford County13Kendall County: 12.7 %Kendall County12.7McHenry County: 12.1 %McHenry County12.1Piatt County: 11.8 %Piatt County11.8Madison County: 11.2 %Madison County11.2Coles County: 11.1 %Coles County11.1Menard County: 10.9 %Menard County10.9Williamson County: 10.6 %Williamson County10.6Winnebago County: 9.4 %Winnebago County9.4Boone County: 9.4 %Boone County9.4Bond County: 9.2 %Bond County9.2Tazewell County: 9.2 %Tazewell County9.2Jo Daviess County: 9 %Jo Daviess County9Rock Island County: 9 %Rock Island County9Effingham County: 8.9 %Effingham County8.9Adams County: 8.8 %Adams County8.8Clark County: 8.7 %Clark County8.7Hamilton County: 8.6 %Hamilton County8.6Macon County: 8.3 %Macon County8.3Clinton County: 8.3 %Clinton County8.3Washington County: 8.3 %Washington County8.3Putnam County: 8.1 %Putnam County8.1Kankakee County: 8.1 %Kankakee County8.1Ogle County: 8.1 %Ogle County8.1Henry County: 8 %Henry County8Warren County: 7.9 %Warren County7.9Champaign County: 25.3 %Champaign County25.3DuPage County: 21.2 %DuPage County21.2Lake County: 20.2 %Lake County20.2Cook County: 18 %Cook County18Jackson County: 16.8 %Jackson County16.8McLean County: 16.3 %McLean County16.3McDonough County: 15.3 %McDonough County15.3Will County: 14.9 %Will County14.9Sangamon County: 14.8 %Sangamon County14.8St. Clair County: 13.8 %St. Clair County13.8Monroe County: 13.7 %Monroe County13.7Kane County: 13.6 %Kane County13.6Peoria County: 13.3 %Peoria County13.3DeKalb County: 13.3 %DeKalb County13.3Woodford County: 13 %Woodford County13Kendall County: 12.7 %Kendall County12.7McHenry County: 12.1 %McHenry County12.1Piatt County: 11.8 %Piatt County11.8Madison County: 11.2 %Madison County11.2Coles County: 11.1 %Coles County11.1Menard County: 10.9 %Menard County10.9Williamson County: 10.6 %Williamson County10.6Winnebago County: 9.4 %Winnebago County9.4Boone County: 9.4 %Boone County9.4Bond County: 9.2 %Bond County9.2Tazewell County: 9.2 %Tazewell County9.2Jo Daviess County: 9 %Jo Daviess County9Rock Island County: 9 %Rock Island County9Effingham County: 8.9 %Effingham County8.9Adams County: 8.8 %Adams County8.8Clark County: 8.7 %Clark County8.7Hamilton County: 8.6 %Hamilton County8.6Macon County: 8.3 %Macon County8.3Clinton County: 8.3 %Clinton County8.3Washington County: 8.3 %Washington County8.3Putnam County: 8.1 %Putnam County8.1Kankakee County: 8.1 %Kankakee County8.1Ogle County: 8.1 %Ogle County8.1Henry County: 8 %Henry County8Warren County: 7.9 %Warren County7.9
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2024 (%)Change on 2023
1Champaign County25.3-0.3 pts
2DuPage County21.2+0.2 pts
3Lake County20.2+0.6 pts
4Cook County18+0.4 pts
5Jackson County16.8-0 pts
6McLean County16.3+0.6 pts
7McDonough County15.3+0.1 pts
8Will County14.9+1.2 pts
9Sangamon County14.8+0.6 pts
10St. Clair County13.8+0.6 pts
11Monroe County13.7-0.3 pts
12Kane County13.6+0.2 pts
13Peoria County13.3-0.4 pts
14DeKalb County13.3+0.6 pts
15Woodford County13+0.6 pts
16Kendall County12.7-0.3 pts
17McHenry County12.1+0.2 pts
18Piatt County11.8+0.5 pts
19Madison County11.20 pts
20Coles County11.1+0.6 pts
21Menard County10.9+0.4 pts
22Williamson County10.6-0.4 pts
23Winnebago County9.4+0.5 pts
24Boone County9.4+0.6 pts
25Bond County9.2+0.3 pts
26Tazewell County9.2+0.4 pts
27Jo Daviess County9-0.6 pts
28Rock Island County90 pts
29Effingham County8.9+0.8 pts
30Adams County8.8-0 pts
31Clark County8.7-1.2 pts
32Hamilton County8.6+1.6 pts
33Macon County8.3+0.2 pts
34Clinton County8.3+0.8 pts
34Washington County8.3+0.2 pts
36Putnam County8.1-0.3 pts
37Kankakee County8.1+0.2 pts
38Ogle County8.1-0.5 pts
39Henry County8+0.3 pts
40Warren County7.9+0.1 pts
41Jersey County7.8+0.8 pts
42Vermilion County7.8+1.2 pts
43Whiteside County7.7+0.1 pts
44Johnson County7.6+1 pts
45Hancock County7.6+0.5 pts
46Grundy County7.5-0.4 pts
47Knox County7.4+0.2 pts
48Jasper County7.3+0.7 pts
49Douglas County7.2+1 pts
50Mercer County7.1+0.8 pts
51Morgan County7.1-0.1 pts
52Logan County7+0.6 pts
53Stephenson County7-0.7 pts
54Lee County6.9-0.1 pts
55Union County6.9+0.1 pts
56De Witt County6.9+0.1 pts
57Bureau County6.8-0.3 pts
58Jefferson County6.7-0 pts
59Moultrie County6.7+0.9 pts
60Schuyler County6.7+0.4 pts
61LaSalle County6.5+0.5 pts
62Crawford County6.5+0.1 pts
63Macoupin County6.4+0.8 pts
63White County6.4+1.2 pts
65Montgomery County6.3-0.2 pts
65Wabash County6.3-0.1 pts
67Ford County6.2-0.8 pts
68Cumberland County6.1+0.2 pts
69Fulton County6+0.5 pts
70Cass County6+1.1 pts
70Greene County6+0.9 pts
72Livingston County6+0.1 pts
73Edwards County5.9+0.9 pts
74Richland County5.8-0.6 pts
75Saline County5.7-0 pts
76Iroquois County5.5+0.6 pts
76Stark County5.5+1.1 pts
78Mason County5.5+0.8 pts
79Lawrence County5.4-0.4 pts
79Marshall County5.4-0.3 pts
81Marion County5.3-0.2 pts
82Hardin County5.20 pts
83Wayne County5.1-0.1 pts
84Fayette County5.1+0.1 pts
85Gallatin County5.1-0.6 pts
86Calhoun County5.1-0.1 pts
87Franklin County5.1-0.3 pts
88Christian County5-0 pts
89Randolph County5+0.2 pts
90Pike County4.9+0.2 pts
91Edgar County4.8-0.3 pts
92Pulaski County4.7-0 pts
93Henderson County4.7-0.2 pts
94Carroll County4.6-0.2 pts
95Alexander County4.6-0.7 pts
96Massac County4.6-0.4 pts
97Perry County4.5+0.4 pts
98Shelby County4.50 pts
99Pope County4.4-1.5 pts
100Clay County4.3-1.3 pts
101Scott County4.3-0.3 pts
102Brown County2.8-0.6 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/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-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 Illinois by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-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 Illinois by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2024. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b15003.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/illinois-counties. 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 Illinois by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b15003.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/illinois-counties.

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 Illinois by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b15003.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/illinois-counties (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_illinois_by_2024,
  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 Illinois by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b15003.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/illinois-counties. 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/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-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 Illinois by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b15003.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/illinois-counties
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/illinois-counties.
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/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Counties in Illinois by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

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

Champaign County, with 25.3% in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Brown County, with 2.8% in 2024.

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 Illinois: more rankings