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

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

Orange County had the highest graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over of 100 counties in 2024, at 34.6%. Anson County had the lowest, at 2.8%. The median was 8.2% and the figure for North Carolina was 13.5%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest34.6Orange County
Lowest2.8Anson County
Median8.2100 counties
North Carolina13.5History

Map of counties, 2024

Alamance County: 9.6 %Alexander County: 5.4 %Alleghany County: 7.8 %Anson County: 2.8 %Ashe County: 8.4 %Avery County: 8.5 %Beaufort County: 7.1 %Bertie County: 6.6 %Bladen County: 5.9 %Brunswick County: 12.7 %Buncombe County: 19 %Burke County: 7.4 %Cabarrus County: 13.9 %Caldwell County: 6.2 %Camden County: 11.6 %Carteret County: 12.9 %Caswell County: 5.8 %Catawba County: 7.7 %Chatham County: 23.2 %Cherokee County: 8.5 %Chowan County: 9.5 %Clay County: 9.8 %Cleveland County: 8 %Columbus County: 4.9 %Craven County: 10.7 %Cumberland County: 10.1 %Currituck County: 9.9 %Dare County: 13.2 %Davidson County: 6.7 %Davie County: 9.4 %Duplin County: 4.8 %Durham County: 26.3 %Edgecombe County: 5.6 %Forsyth County: 15.1 %Franklin County: 8.9 %Gaston County: 8.4 %Gates County: 4.3 %Graham County: 5.3 %Granville County: 8.5 %Greene County: 3 %Guilford County: 14.8 %Halifax County: 5.2 %Harnett County: 8.4 %Haywood County: 11.5 %Henderson County: 13.6 %Hertford County: 6.4 %Hoke County: 7.7 %Hyde County: 3.9 %Iredell County: 11.1 %Jackson County: 13.2 %Johnston County: 8.3 %Jones County: 4.7 %Lee County: 7.2 %Lenoir County: 5.9 %Lincoln County: 8.8 %McDowell County: 5.7 %Macon County: 10.6 %Madison County: 11.1 %Martin County: 4.4 %Mecklenburg County: 17.9 %Mitchell County: 9.5 %Montgomery County: 6.9 %Moore County: 17.7 %Nash County: 7.2 %New Hanover County: 16 %Northampton County: 6.9 %Onslow County: 9.1 %Orange County: 34.6 %Pamlico County: 11.6 %Pasquotank County: 8.9 %Pender County: 10.1 %Perquimans County: 9.1 %Person County: 6.4 %Pitt County: 14.3 %Polk County: 13.8 %Randolph County: 5 %Richmond County: 5.7 %Robeson County: 5.1 %Rockingham County: 5.7 %Rowan County: 7.3 %Rutherford County: 8.2 %Sampson County: 4.7 %Scotland County: 6.6 %Stanly County: 5.5 %Stokes County: 6.2 %Surry County: 7.1 %Swain County: 10 %Transylvania County: 15.5 %Tyrrell County: 5.6 %Union County: 14.2 %Vance County: 4.8 %Wake County: 23.4 %Warren County: 6.6 %Washington County: 4.8 %Watauga County: 21.8 %Wayne County: 6.6 %Wilkes County: 6.1 %Wilson County: 8.2 %Yadkin County: 5.3 %Yancey County: 8.3 %
  • Under 5.4
  • 5.4 to 6.6
  • 6.6 to 8.2
  • 8.2 to 9.6
  • 9.6 to 13
  • 13 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

Orange County: 34.6 %Orange County34.6Durham County: 26.3 %Durham County26.3Wake County: 23.4 %Wake County23.4Chatham County: 23.2 %Chatham County23.2Watauga County: 21.8 %Watauga County21.8Buncombe County: 19 %Buncombe County19Mecklenburg County: 17.9 %Mecklenburg County17.9Moore County: 17.7 %Moore County17.7New Hanover County: 16 %New Hanover County16Transylvania County: 15.5 %Transylvania County15.5Forsyth County: 15.1 %Forsyth County15.1Guilford County: 14.8 %Guilford County14.8Pitt County: 14.3 %Pitt County14.3Union County: 14.2 %Union County14.2Cabarrus County: 13.9 %Cabarrus County13.9Polk County: 13.8 %Polk County13.8Henderson County: 13.6 %Henderson County13.6Dare County: 13.2 %Dare County13.2Jackson County: 13.2 %Jackson County13.2Carteret County: 12.9 %Carteret County12.9Brunswick County: 12.7 %Brunswick County12.7Pamlico County: 11.6 %Pamlico County11.6Camden County: 11.6 %Camden County11.6Haywood County: 11.5 %Haywood County11.5Iredell County: 11.1 %Iredell County11.1Madison County: 11.1 %Madison County11.1Craven County: 10.7 %Craven County10.7Macon County: 10.6 %Macon County10.6Pender County: 10.1 %Pender County10.1Cumberland County: 10.1 %Cumberland County10.1Swain County: 10 %Swain County10Currituck County: 9.9 %Currituck County9.9Clay County: 9.8 %Clay County9.8Alamance County: 9.6 %Alamance County9.6Chowan County: 9.5 %Chowan County9.5Mitchell County: 9.5 %Mitchell County9.5Davie County: 9.4 %Davie County9.4Perquimans County: 9.1 %Perquimans County9.1Onslow County: 9.1 %Onslow County9.1Pasquotank County: 8.9 %Pasquotank County8.9Orange County: 34.6 %Orange County34.6Durham County: 26.3 %Durham County26.3Wake County: 23.4 %Wake County23.4Chatham County: 23.2 %Chatham County23.2Watauga County: 21.8 %Watauga County21.8Buncombe County: 19 %Buncombe County19Mecklenburg County: 17.9 %Mecklenburg County17.9Moore County: 17.7 %Moore County17.7New Hanover County: 16 %New Hanover County16Transylvania County: 15.5 %Transylvania County15.5Forsyth County: 15.1 %Forsyth County15.1Guilford County: 14.8 %Guilford County14.8Pitt County: 14.3 %Pitt County14.3Union County: 14.2 %Union County14.2Cabarrus County: 13.9 %Cabarrus County13.9Polk County: 13.8 %Polk County13.8Henderson County: 13.6 %Henderson County13.6Dare County: 13.2 %Dare County13.2Jackson County: 13.2 %Jackson County13.2Carteret County: 12.9 %Carteret County12.9Brunswick County: 12.7 %Brunswick County12.7Pamlico County: 11.6 %Pamlico County11.6Camden County: 11.6 %Camden County11.6Haywood County: 11.5 %Haywood County11.5Iredell County: 11.1 %Iredell County11.1Madison County: 11.1 %Madison County11.1Craven County: 10.7 %Craven County10.7Macon County: 10.6 %Macon County10.6Pender County: 10.1 %Pender County10.1Cumberland County: 10.1 %Cumberland County10.1Swain County: 10 %Swain County10Currituck County: 9.9 %Currituck County9.9Clay County: 9.8 %Clay County9.8Alamance County: 9.6 %Alamance County9.6Chowan County: 9.5 %Chowan County9.5Mitchell County: 9.5 %Mitchell County9.5Davie County: 9.4 %Davie County9.4Perquimans County: 9.1 %Perquimans County9.1Onslow County: 9.1 %Onslow County9.1Pasquotank County: 8.9 %Pasquotank County8.9
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2024 (%)Change on 2023
1Orange County34.6+0.3 pts
2Durham County26.3+0.4 pts
3Wake County23.4+0.9 pts
4Chatham County23.2+0.3 pts
5Watauga County21.8-0.1 pts
6Buncombe County19+0.9 pts
7Mecklenburg County17.9+0.5 pts
8Moore County17.7+1.2 pts
9New Hanover County16+0.2 pts
10Transylvania County15.5+0.8 pts
11Forsyth County15.1+0.8 pts
12Guilford County14.8+0.4 pts
13Pitt County14.30 pts
14Union County14.2+0.7 pts
15Cabarrus County13.9+0.2 pts
16Polk County13.8+1.3 pts
17Henderson County13.6+0.8 pts
18Dare County13.2-0.3 pts
18Jackson County13.2+0.5 pts
20Carteret County12.9+0.8 pts
21Brunswick County12.7+0.6 pts
22Pamlico County11.6+0.2 pts
23Camden County11.6+4.3 pts
24Haywood County11.5-0 pts
25Iredell County11.1+0.5 pts
26Madison County11.1+0.7 pts
27Craven County10.7+0.3 pts
28Macon County10.6+1.7 pts
29Pender County10.10 pts
30Cumberland County10.1+0.3 pts
31Swain County10+1 pts
32Currituck County9.9+1.1 pts
33Clay County9.8-0.3 pts
34Alamance County9.6+0.7 pts
35Chowan County9.5-0.8 pts
36Mitchell County9.5-0.1 pts
37Davie County9.4+0.6 pts
38Perquimans County9.1+0.8 pts
39Onslow County9.1+0.9 pts
40Pasquotank County8.9-0.1 pts
41Franklin County8.9+1.4 pts
42Lincoln County8.8+1.1 pts
43Avery County8.5+0.3 pts
44Granville County8.5+1.4 pts
45Cherokee County8.5+0.4 pts
46Gaston County8.4+0.7 pts
47Ashe County8.4+0.4 pts
47Harnett County8.4+0.3 pts
49Yancey County8.3+0.4 pts
50Johnston County8.3+0.6 pts
51Wilson County8.2+0.3 pts
52Rutherford County8.2+0.8 pts
53Cleveland County8+0.4 pts
54Alleghany County7.8-0.2 pts
55Hoke County7.7+1.1 pts
56Catawba County7.7+0.4 pts
57Burke County7.4+0.1 pts
58Rowan County7.3+0.7 pts
59Nash County7.2+0.2 pts
60Lee County7.2+0.4 pts
61Beaufort County7.1-0.4 pts
62Surry County7.1+0.7 pts
63Montgomery County6.9+0.4 pts
64Northampton County6.9-0.6 pts
65Davidson County6.7+0.6 pts
66Scotland County6.6+1.1 pts
67Wayne County6.6-0 pts
68Bertie County6.6-0.2 pts
68Warren County6.6+0.3 pts
70Person County6.4+0.7 pts
71Hertford County6.40 pts
72Caldwell County6.2+0.6 pts
73Stokes County6.20 pts
74Wilkes County6.1+1 pts
75Lenoir County5.9+0.4 pts
76Bladen County5.9-0.1 pts
77Caswell County5.8+0.3 pts
78McDowell County5.7+0.3 pts
78Rockingham County5.7+0.5 pts
80Richmond County5.7-0.2 pts
81Edgecombe County5.6+0.5 pts
82Tyrrell County5.6+0.1 pts
83Stanly County5.5+0.6 pts
84Alexander County5.4+0.4 pts
85Graham County5.3-0.1 pts
86Yadkin County5.3+1.4 pts
87Halifax County5.2-0 pts
88Robeson County5.1+0.1 pts
89Randolph County50 pts
90Columbus County4.9-0.1 pts
91Duplin County4.8-0.1 pts
91Vance County4.8-0.8 pts
93Washington County4.8+1.1 pts
94Jones County4.7+1.1 pts
95Sampson County4.7+0.2 pts
96Martin County4.4+0.3 pts
97Gates County4.3-0.9 pts
98Hyde County3.9+0.2 pts
99Greene County3-0.5 pts
100Anson County2.8+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/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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-counties (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-counties
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/north-carolina-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  -
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Counties 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":"province","within":"North Carolina","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=graduate_degree_share&level=province&within=North%20Carolina&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

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

Orange County, with 34.6% in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Anson 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 North Carolina: more rankings