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

Orange County had the highest graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over of 100 counties in 2021, at 34.7%. Washington County had the lowest, at 2.4%. The median was 7.3% and the figure for North Carolina was 12.1%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest34.7Orange County
Lowest2.4Washington County
Median7.3100 counties
North Carolina12.1History

Map of counties, 2021

Alamance County: 7.9 %Alexander County: 4.2 %Alleghany County: 7.7 %Anson County: 3 %Ashe County: 7.1 %Avery County: 9.2 %Beaufort County: 7.6 %Bertie County: 5.8 %Bladen County: 5.7 %Brunswick County: 11.5 %Buncombe County: 16.8 %Burke County: 6.8 %Cabarrus County: 12.3 %Caldwell County: 5.3 %Camden County: 8.4 %Carteret County: 12 %Caswell County: 5.5 %Catawba County: 7.6 %Chatham County: 20.7 %Cherokee County: 8.1 %Chowan County: 8.2 %Clay County: 11.2 %Cleveland County: 6.9 %Columbus County: 4.6 %Craven County: 10.3 %Cumberland County: 9 %Currituck County: 7.8 %Dare County: 13.5 %Davidson County: 5.4 %Davie County: 8.8 %Duplin County: 4.3 %Durham County: 24.2 %Edgecombe County: 4.7 %Forsyth County: 13.1 %Franklin County: 7.1 %Gaston County: 7.2 %Gates County: 4.4 %Graham County: 4.8 %Granville County: 7.5 %Greene County: 3.1 %Guilford County: 13.4 %Halifax County: 5 %Harnett County: 7.5 %Haywood County: 10.9 %Henderson County: 12.2 %Hertford County: 7.5 %Hoke County: 6.4 %Hyde County: 2.6 %Iredell County: 9.7 %Jackson County: 12.4 %Johnston County: 7 %Jones County: 3.8 %Lee County: 6.8 %Lenoir County: 4.4 %Lincoln County: 7.7 %McDowell County: 5.5 %Macon County: 8.1 %Madison County: 10.5 %Martin County: 4.8 %Mecklenburg County: 16.4 %Mitchell County: 8.5 %Montgomery County: 5 %Moore County: 16 %Nash County: 6.2 %New Hanover County: 14.8 %Northampton County: 6.1 %Onslow County: 7.9 %Orange County: 34.7 %Pamlico County: 10.6 %Pasquotank County: 8.6 %Pender County: 9.9 %Perquimans County: 8.9 %Person County: 4.9 %Pitt County: 12.2 %Polk County: 12.3 %Randolph County: 4.6 %Richmond County: 6.4 %Robeson County: 5 %Rockingham County: 5 %Rowan County: 5.9 %Rutherford County: 6.5 %Sampson County: 4.5 %Scotland County: 5.6 %Stanly County: 5.2 %Stokes County: 5.3 %Surry County: 6.2 %Swain County: 8.3 %Transylvania County: 13.1 %Tyrrell County: 4.1 %Union County: 12.3 %Vance County: 5.7 %Wake County: 21.4 %Warren County: 5.2 %Washington County: 2.4 %Watauga County: 20.1 %Wayne County: 5.9 %Wilkes County: 5 %Wilson County: 6.8 %Yadkin County: 3.1 %Yancey County: 7.6 %
  • Under 4.9
  • 4.9 to 5.8
  • 5.8 to 7.3
  • 7.3 to 8.5
  • 8.5 to 12
  • 12 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Orange County: 34.7 %Orange County34.7Durham County: 24.2 %Durham County24.2Wake County: 21.4 %Wake County21.4Chatham County: 20.7 %Chatham County20.7Watauga County: 20.1 %Watauga County20.1Buncombe County: 16.8 %Buncombe County16.8Mecklenburg County: 16.4 %Mecklenburg County16.4Moore County: 16 %Moore County16New Hanover County: 14.8 %New Hanover County14.8Dare County: 13.5 %Dare County13.5Guilford County: 13.4 %Guilford County13.4Forsyth County: 13.1 %Forsyth County13.1Transylvania County: 13.1 %Transylvania County13.1Jackson County: 12.4 %Jackson County12.4Polk County: 12.3 %Polk County12.3Cabarrus County: 12.3 %Cabarrus County12.3Union County: 12.3 %Union County12.3Pitt County: 12.2 %Pitt County12.2Henderson County: 12.2 %Henderson County12.2Carteret County: 12 %Carteret County12Brunswick County: 11.5 %Brunswick County11.5Clay County: 11.2 %Clay County11.2Haywood County: 10.9 %Haywood County10.9Pamlico County: 10.6 %Pamlico County10.6Madison County: 10.5 %Madison County10.5Craven County: 10.3 %Craven County10.3Pender County: 9.9 %Pender County9.9Iredell County: 9.7 %Iredell County9.7Avery County: 9.2 %Avery County9.2Cumberland County: 9 %Cumberland County9Perquimans County: 8.9 %Perquimans County8.9Davie County: 8.8 %Davie County8.8Pasquotank County: 8.6 %Pasquotank County8.6Mitchell County: 8.5 %Mitchell County8.5Camden County: 8.4 %Camden County8.4Swain County: 8.3 %Swain County8.3Chowan County: 8.2 %Chowan County8.2Macon County: 8.1 %Macon County8.1Cherokee County: 8.1 %Cherokee County8.1Alamance County: 7.9 %Alamance County7.9Orange County: 34.7 %Orange County34.7Durham County: 24.2 %Durham County24.2Wake County: 21.4 %Wake County21.4Chatham County: 20.7 %Chatham County20.7Watauga County: 20.1 %Watauga County20.1Buncombe County: 16.8 %Buncombe County16.8Mecklenburg County: 16.4 %Mecklenburg County16.4Moore County: 16 %Moore County16New Hanover County: 14.8 %New Hanover County14.8Dare County: 13.5 %Dare County13.5Guilford County: 13.4 %Guilford County13.4Forsyth County: 13.1 %Forsyth County13.1Transylvania County: 13.1 %Transylvania County13.1Jackson County: 12.4 %Jackson County12.4Polk County: 12.3 %Polk County12.3Cabarrus County: 12.3 %Cabarrus County12.3Union County: 12.3 %Union County12.3Pitt County: 12.2 %Pitt County12.2Henderson County: 12.2 %Henderson County12.2Carteret County: 12 %Carteret County12Brunswick County: 11.5 %Brunswick County11.5Clay County: 11.2 %Clay County11.2Haywood County: 10.9 %Haywood County10.9Pamlico County: 10.6 %Pamlico County10.6Madison County: 10.5 %Madison County10.5Craven County: 10.3 %Craven County10.3Pender County: 9.9 %Pender County9.9Iredell County: 9.7 %Iredell County9.7Avery County: 9.2 %Avery County9.2Cumberland County: 9 %Cumberland County9Perquimans County: 8.9 %Perquimans County8.9Davie County: 8.8 %Davie County8.8Pasquotank County: 8.6 %Pasquotank County8.6Mitchell County: 8.5 %Mitchell County8.5Camden County: 8.4 %Camden County8.4Swain County: 8.3 %Swain County8.3Chowan County: 8.2 %Chowan County8.2Macon County: 8.1 %Macon County8.1Cherokee County: 8.1 %Cherokee County8.1Alamance County: 7.9 %Alamance County7.9
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Orange County34.7
2Durham County24.2
3Wake County21.4
4Chatham County20.7
5Watauga County20.1
6Buncombe County16.8
7Mecklenburg County16.4
8Moore County16
9New Hanover County14.8
10Dare County13.5
11Guilford County13.4
12Forsyth County13.1
13Transylvania County13.1
14Jackson County12.4
15Polk County12.3
16Cabarrus County12.3
17Union County12.3
18Pitt County12.2
19Henderson County12.2
20Carteret County12
21Brunswick County11.5
22Clay County11.2
23Haywood County10.9
24Pamlico County10.6
25Madison County10.5
26Craven County10.3
27Pender County9.9
28Iredell County9.7
29Avery County9.2
30Cumberland County9
31Perquimans County8.9
32Davie County8.8
33Pasquotank County8.6
34Mitchell County8.5
35Camden County8.4
36Swain County8.3
37Chowan County8.2
38Macon County8.1
39Cherokee County8.1
40Alamance County7.9
40Onslow County7.9
42Currituck County7.8
43Lincoln County7.7
44Alleghany County7.7
45Yancey County7.6
46Beaufort County7.6
46Catawba County7.6
48Harnett County7.5
49Hertford County7.5
50Granville County7.5
51Gaston County7.2
52Ashe County7.1
52Franklin County7.1
54Johnston County7
55Cleveland County6.9
56Wilson County6.8
57Burke County6.8
57Lee County6.8
59Rutherford County6.5
60Hoke County6.4
61Richmond County6.4
62Nash County6.2
63Surry County6.2
64Northampton County6.1
65Rowan County5.9
65Wayne County5.9
67Bertie County5.8
68Bladen County5.7
69Vance County5.7
70Scotland County5.6
71McDowell County5.5
72Caswell County5.5
73Davidson County5.4
74Caldwell County5.3
75Stokes County5.3
76Warren County5.2
77Stanly County5.2
78Rockingham County5
79Montgomery County5
80Halifax County5
81Robeson County5
81Wilkes County5
83Person County4.9
84Graham County4.8
85Martin County4.8
86Edgecombe County4.7
87Columbus County4.6
87Randolph County4.6
89Sampson County4.5
90Gates County4.4
91Lenoir County4.4
92Duplin County4.3
93Alexander County4.2
94Tyrrell County4.1
95Jones County3.8
96Yadkin County3.1
97Greene County3.1
98Anson County3
99Hyde County2.6
100Washington County2.4

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/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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, 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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, 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/north-carolina-counties?period=2021. 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, 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/north-carolina-counties?period=2021.

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, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/north-carolina-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2021,
  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, 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/north-carolina-counties?period=2021. 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/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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, 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/north-carolina-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/north-carolina-counties?period=2021.
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/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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?

Orange County, with 34.7% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Washington County, with 2.4% in 2021.

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