Data / Rankings / Graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over / Cities in North Carolina

Cities in North Carolina by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over

Chapel Hill, NC had the highest graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over of 93 cities in 2022, at 45.9%. Lenoir, NC had the lowest, at 3.1%. The median was 12.8% and the figure for North Carolina was 12.5%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest45.9Chapel Hill, NC
Lowest3.1Lenoir, NC
Median12.893 cities
North Carolina12.5History

Top 40 cities, 2022

Chapel Hill, NC: 45.9 %Chapel Hill, NC45.9Carrboro, NC: 42 %Carrboro, NC42Davidson, NC: 33.3 %Davidson, NC33.3Morrisville, NC: 33.2 %Morrisville, NC33.2Cary, NC: 32 %Cary, NC32Apex, NC: 27.6 %Apex, NC27.6Boone, NC: 27.6 %Boone, NC27.6Rolesville, NC: 26.5 %Rolesville, NC26.5Pinehurst, NC: 25.9 %Pinehurst, NC25.9Durham, NC: 25.8 %Durham, NC25.8Weddington, NC: 25.3 %Weddington, NC25.3Holly Springs, NC: 24.5 %Holly Springs, NC24.5Southern Pines, NC: 23.8 %Southern Pines, NC23.8Elon, NC: 23.7 %Elon, NC23.7Wake Forest, NC: 21.9 %Wake Forest, NC21.9Asheville, NC: 21.6 %Asheville, NC21.6Summerfield, NC: 21.1 %Summerfield, NC21.1Raleigh, NC: 20 %Raleigh, NC20Cornelius, NC: 19.6 %Cornelius, NC19.6Huntersville, NC: 19.6 %Huntersville, NC19.6Waxhaw, NC: 19.2 %Waxhaw, NC19.2Clemmons, NC: 18.2 %Clemmons, NC18.2Greenville, NC: 17.1 %Greenville, NC17.1Garner, NC: 16.9 %Garner, NC16.9Winterville, NC: 16.8 %Winterville, NC16.8Harrisburg, NC: 16.7 %Harrisburg, NC16.7Charlotte, NC: 16.6 %Charlotte, NC16.6Stallings, NC: 16 %Stallings, NC16Knightdale, NC: 15.9 %Knightdale, NC15.9Belmont, NC: 15.6 %Belmont, NC15.6Wilmington, NC: 15.5 %Wilmington, NC15.5Greensboro, NC: 15.3 %Greensboro, NC15.3Winston-Salem, NC: 15.1 %Winston-Salem, NC15.1Hendersonville, NC: 14.5 %Hendersonville, NC14.5Concord, NC: 14.3 %Concord, NC14.3Matthews, NC: 14.3 %Matthews, NC14.3New Bern, NC: 14.1 %New Bern, NC14.1Indian Trail, NC: 14 %Indian Trail, NC14Fuquay-Varina, NC: 13.8 %Fuquay-Varina, NC13.8Leland, NC: 13.8 %Leland, NC13.8Chapel Hill, NC: 45.9 %Chapel Hill, NC45.9Carrboro, NC: 42 %Carrboro, NC42Davidson, NC: 33.3 %Davidson, NC33.3Morrisville, NC: 33.2 %Morrisville, NC33.2Cary, NC: 32 %Cary, NC32Apex, NC: 27.6 %Apex, NC27.6Boone, NC: 27.6 %Boone, NC27.6Rolesville, NC: 26.5 %Rolesville, NC26.5Pinehurst, NC: 25.9 %Pinehurst, NC25.9Durham, NC: 25.8 %Durham, NC25.8Weddington, NC: 25.3 %Weddington, NC25.3Holly Springs, NC: 24.5 %Holly Springs, NC24.5Southern Pines, NC: 23.8 %Southern Pines, NC23.8Elon, NC: 23.7 %Elon, NC23.7Wake Forest, NC: 21.9 %Wake Forest, NC21.9Asheville, NC: 21.6 %Asheville, NC21.6Summerfield, NC: 21.1 %Summerfield, NC21.1Raleigh, NC: 20 %Raleigh, NC20Cornelius, NC: 19.6 %Cornelius, NC19.6Huntersville, NC: 19.6 %Huntersville, NC19.6Waxhaw, NC: 19.2 %Waxhaw, NC19.2Clemmons, NC: 18.2 %Clemmons, NC18.2Greenville, NC: 17.1 %Greenville, NC17.1Garner, NC: 16.9 %Garner, NC16.9Winterville, NC: 16.8 %Winterville, NC16.8Harrisburg, NC: 16.7 %Harrisburg, NC16.7Charlotte, NC: 16.6 %Charlotte, NC16.6Stallings, NC: 16 %Stallings, NC16Knightdale, NC: 15.9 %Knightdale, NC15.9Belmont, NC: 15.6 %Belmont, NC15.6Wilmington, NC: 15.5 %Wilmington, NC15.5Greensboro, NC: 15.3 %Greensboro, NC15.3Winston-Salem, NC: 15.1 %Winston-Salem, NC15.1Hendersonville, NC: 14.5 %Hendersonville, NC14.5Concord, NC: 14.3 %Concord, NC14.3Matthews, NC: 14.3 %Matthews, NC14.3New Bern, NC: 14.1 %New Bern, NC14.1Indian Trail, NC: 14 %Indian Trail, NC14Fuquay-Varina, NC: 13.8 %Fuquay-Varina, NC13.8Leland, NC: 13.8 %Leland, NC13.8
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2022 (%)Change on 2021
1Chapel Hill, NC45.9-1.9 pts
2Carrboro, NC42-0.3 pts
3Davidson, NC33.3+1.9 pts
4Morrisville, NC33.2+0.9 pts
5Cary, NC32+0.2 pts
6Apex, NC27.6+1.1 pts
6Boone, NC27.6+0.3 pts
8Rolesville, NC26.5+0.4 pts
9Pinehurst, NC25.9+0.3 pts
10Durham, NC25.8+0.6 pts
11Weddington, NC25.3+1.7 pts
12Holly Springs, NC24.5+1 pts
13Southern Pines, NC23.8+1 pts
14Elon, NC23.7+0.2 pts
15Wake Forest, NC21.9+1.6 pts
16Asheville, NC21.6+1.2 pts
17Summerfield, NC21.1+0.1 pts
18Raleigh, NC20+0.3 pts
19Cornelius, NC19.6+2.4 pts
20Huntersville, NC19.6-0.5 pts
21Waxhaw, NC19.2-0.4 pts
22Clemmons, NC18.2-1.2 pts
23Greenville, NC17.1+1.2 pts
24Garner, NC16.9+1.1 pts
25Winterville, NC16.8-1.1 pts
26Harrisburg, NC16.7+0.3 pts
27Charlotte, NC16.6+0.4 pts
28Stallings, NC16+1.2 pts
29Knightdale, NC15.9-1.1 pts
30Belmont, NC15.6+1 pts
31Wilmington, NC15.5+0.2 pts
32Greensboro, NC15.3+0.3 pts
33Winston-Salem, NC15.1+0.8 pts
34Hendersonville, NC14.5-0.4 pts
35Concord, NC14.3-0.3 pts
36Matthews, NC14.3-0.8 pts
37New Bern, NC14.1+0.4 pts
38Indian Trail, NC14+0.2 pts
39Fuquay-Varina, NC13.8+1.2 pts
40Leland, NC13.8+0.7 pts
41Wendell, NC13.8+1.2 pts
42Morehead City, NC13.5-0.6 pts
43Kernersville, NC13.4+2.3 pts
44Hickory, NC13.3-0 pts
45Mooresville, NC13+0.2 pts
46Waynesville, NC12.8+0.7 pts
47Clayton, NC12.8+0.4 pts
48Mebane, NC12.7+0.3 pts
49Aberdeen, NC12.3-1 pts
50High Point, NC12.2+1.5 pts
51Mount Holly, NC11.9+0.8 pts
52Mint Hill, NC11.7-0.3 pts
53Pineville, NC11.5-0.3 pts
54Lewisville, NC11.1-0.9 pts
55Morganton, NC10.3+0.4 pts
56Fayetteville, NC9.8+0.3 pts
57Mount Airy, NC9.8-1.2 pts
58Lumberton, NC9.4-0.5 pts
59Salisbury, NC9.4+0.5 pts
60Roanoke Rapids, NC9+1.1 pts
61Elizabeth City, NC9-0 pts
61Shelby, NC9-0 pts
63Kannapolis, NC8.9+0.3 pts
64Tarboro, NC8.8+0.3 pts
65Jacksonville, NC8.5-0.4 pts
66Gastonia, NC8.5-0.1 pts
67Wilson, NC8.4+0.3 pts
68Goldsboro, NC8.3+0.7 pts
69Statesville, NC8.2+0.2 pts
70Smithfield, NC7.7+0.2 pts
71Burlington, NC7.7+0.7 pts
72Laurinburg, NC7.6-0.7 pts
73Archdale, NC7.4-0.6 pts
74Rocky Mount, NC7.4+0.4 pts
75Spring Lake, NC6.9-1.3 pts
76Hope Mills, NC6.7-0.2 pts
77Monroe, NC6.7+1.5 pts
78Zebulon, NC6.4+0.1 pts
79Asheboro, NC6+0.9 pts
79Lincolnton, NC6+0.2 pts
81Sanford, NC5.9-1.2 pts
82Graham, NC5.9+0.4 pts
83Reidsville, NC5.7-0.5 pts
84Albemarle, NC5.60 pts
85Havelock, NC5.5+0.9 pts
86Kings Mountain, NC5.4+1 pts
87Kinston, NC5.2-0.1 pts
88Newton, NC5.1-1.1 pts
89Thomasville, NC4.6+0.1 pts
90Henderson, NC4.5-0.3 pts
91Eden, NC4.5-1.2 pts
92Lexington, NC4+0.5 pts
93Lenoir, NC3.1-1 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 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 master's, professional school or doctorate degree 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/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in North Carolina by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2022) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in North Carolina by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2022. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b15003.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/north-carolina-cities?period=2022. 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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in North Carolina by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2022. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b15003.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/north-carolina-cities?period=2022.

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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in North Carolina by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2022 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b15003.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/north-carolina-cities?period=2022 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_north_carolina_2022,
  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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in North Carolina by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2022}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b15003.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/north-carolina-cities?period=2022. 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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in North Carolina by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2022
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b15003.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/north-carolina-cities?period=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/north-carolina-cities?period=2022.
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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Cities in North Carolina by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"graduate_degree_share","level":"municipality","within":"North Carolina","limit":10}
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Questions

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

Chapel Hill, NC, with 45.9% in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Lenoir, NC, with 3.1% in 2022.

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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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

Cities in North Carolina: more rankings