Data / Rankings / Graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over / US states

US states by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over

District of Columbia had the highest graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over of 51 states in 2022, at 36.9%. North Dakota had the lowest, at 9.1%. The median was 12.2% and the figure for the United States was 13.4%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest36.9District of Columbia
Lowest9.1North Dakota
Median12.251 states
United States13.4History

Map of states, 2022

Alabama: 10.5 %Alaska: 11.5 %Arizona: 12.2 %Arkansas: 9.1 %California: 13.8 %Colorado: 16.5 %Connecticut: 18.6 %Delaware: 14.6 %District of Columbia: 36.9 %Florida: 12.1 %Georgia: 13.2 %Hawaii: 12.5 %Idaho: 10.1 %Illinois: 14.7 %Indiana: 10.2 %Iowa: 10 %Kansas: 13 %Kentucky: 10.9 %Louisiana: 9.5 %Maine: 12.8 %Maryland: 19.9 %Massachusetts: 20.8 %Michigan: 12.2 %Minnesota: 13.3 %Mississippi: 9.3 %Missouri: 12 %Montana: 11.5 %Nebraska: 11.6 %Nevada: 9.3 %New Hampshire: 15.4 %New Jersey: 16.8 %New Mexico: 13 %New York: 17.2 %North Carolina: 12.5 %North Dakota: 9.1 %Ohio: 11.7 %Oklahoma: 9.5 %Oregon: 13.7 %Pennsylvania: 13.6 %Rhode Island: 14.8 %South Carolina: 11.7 %South Dakota: 9.4 %Tennessee: 11 %Texas: 11.5 %Utah: 12.2 %Vermont: 17.4 %Virginia: 17.9 %Washington: 14.7 %West Virginia: 9.2 %Wisconsin: 11 %Wyoming: 10.8 %
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 11
  • 11 to 12
  • 12 to 13
  • 13 to 16
  • 16 and over
%, 2022. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2022

District of Columbia: 36.9 %District of Columbia36.9Massachusetts: 20.8 %Massachusetts20.8Maryland: 19.9 %Maryland19.9Connecticut: 18.6 %Connecticut18.6Virginia: 17.9 %Virginia17.9Vermont: 17.4 %Vermont17.4New York: 17.2 %New York17.2New Jersey: 16.8 %New Jersey16.8Colorado: 16.5 %Colorado16.5New Hampshire: 15.4 %New Hampshire15.4Rhode Island: 14.8 %Rhode Island14.8Washington: 14.7 %Washington14.7Illinois: 14.7 %Illinois14.7Delaware: 14.6 %Delaware14.6California: 13.8 %California13.8Oregon: 13.7 %Oregon13.7Pennsylvania: 13.6 %Pennsylvania13.6Minnesota: 13.3 %Minnesota13.3Georgia: 13.2 %Georgia13.2Kansas: 13 %Kansas13New Mexico: 13 %New Mexico13Maine: 12.8 %Maine12.8Hawaii: 12.5 %Hawaii12.5North Carolina: 12.5 %North Carolina12.5Michigan: 12.2 %Michigan12.2Utah: 12.2 %Utah12.2Arizona: 12.2 %Arizona12.2Florida: 12.1 %Florida12.1Missouri: 12 %Missouri12South Carolina: 11.7 %South Carolina11.7Ohio: 11.7 %Ohio11.7Nebraska: 11.6 %Nebraska11.6Texas: 11.5 %Texas11.5Montana: 11.5 %Montana11.5Alaska: 11.5 %Alaska11.5Tennessee: 11 %Tennessee11Wisconsin: 11 %Wisconsin11Kentucky: 10.9 %Kentucky10.9Wyoming: 10.8 %Wyoming10.8Alabama: 10.5 %Alabama10.5Indiana: 10.2 %Indiana10.2Idaho: 10.1 %Idaho10.1Iowa: 10 %Iowa10Oklahoma: 9.5 %Oklahoma9.5Louisiana: 9.5 %Louisiana9.5South Dakota: 9.4 %South Dakota9.4Mississippi: 9.3 %Mississippi9.3Nevada: 9.3 %Nevada9.3West Virginia: 9.2 %West Virginia9.2Arkansas: 9.1 %Arkansas9.1North Dakota: 9.1 %North Dakota9.1District of Columbia: 36.9 %District of Columbia36.9Massachusetts: 20.8 %Massachusetts20.8Maryland: 19.9 %Maryland19.9Connecticut: 18.6 %Connecticut18.6Virginia: 17.9 %Virginia17.9Vermont: 17.4 %Vermont17.4New York: 17.2 %New York17.2New Jersey: 16.8 %New Jersey16.8Colorado: 16.5 %Colorado16.5New Hampshire: 15.4 %New Hampshire15.4Rhode Island: 14.8 %Rhode Island14.8Washington: 14.7 %Washington14.7Illinois: 14.7 %Illinois14.7Delaware: 14.6 %Delaware14.6California: 13.8 %California13.8Oregon: 13.7 %Oregon13.7Pennsylvania: 13.6 %Pennsylvania13.6Minnesota: 13.3 %Minnesota13.3Georgia: 13.2 %Georgia13.2Kansas: 13 %Kansas13New Mexico: 13 %New Mexico13Maine: 12.8 %Maine12.8Hawaii: 12.5 %Hawaii12.5North Carolina: 12.5 %North Carolina12.5Michigan: 12.2 %Michigan12.2Utah: 12.2 %Utah12.2Arizona: 12.2 %Arizona12.2Florida: 12.1 %Florida12.1Missouri: 12 %Missouri12South Carolina: 11.7 %South Carolina11.7Ohio: 11.7 %Ohio11.7Nebraska: 11.6 %Nebraska11.6Texas: 11.5 %Texas11.5Montana: 11.5 %Montana11.5Alaska: 11.5 %Alaska11.5Tennessee: 11 %Tennessee11Wisconsin: 11 %Wisconsin11Kentucky: 10.9 %Kentucky10.9Wyoming: 10.8 %Wyoming10.8Alabama: 10.5 %Alabama10.5Indiana: 10.2 %Indiana10.2Idaho: 10.1 %Idaho10.1Iowa: 10 %Iowa10Oklahoma: 9.5 %Oklahoma9.5Louisiana: 9.5 %Louisiana9.5South Dakota: 9.4 %South Dakota9.4Mississippi: 9.3 %Mississippi9.3Nevada: 9.3 %Nevada9.3West Virginia: 9.2 %West Virginia9.2Arkansas: 9.1 %Arkansas9.1North Dakota: 9.1 %North Dakota9.1
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2022 (%)Change on 2021
1District of Columbia36.9+0.9 pts
2Massachusetts20.8+0.4 pts
3Maryland19.9+0.3 pts
4Connecticut18.6+0.4 pts
5Virginia17.9+0.3 pts
6Vermont17.4+0.8 pts
7New York17.2+0.3 pts
8New Jersey16.8+0.4 pts
9Colorado16.5+0.4 pts
10New Hampshire15.4+0.5 pts
11Rhode Island14.8+0.4 pts
12Washington14.7+0.5 pts
13Illinois14.7+0.3 pts
14Delaware14.6+0.4 pts
15California13.8+0.3 pts
16Oregon13.7+0.3 pts
17Pennsylvania13.6+0.3 pts
18Minnesota13.3+0.3 pts
19Georgia13.2+0.3 pts
20Kansas13+0.2 pts
21New Mexico13+0.3 pts
22Maine12.8+0.2 pts
23Hawaii12.5+0.3 pts
24North Carolina12.5+0.4 pts
25Michigan12.2+0.2 pts
26Utah12.2+0.3 pts
27Arizona12.2+0.2 pts
28Florida12.1+0.3 pts
29Missouri12+0.2 pts
30South Carolina11.7+0.5 pts
31Ohio11.7+0.3 pts
32Nebraska11.6+0.2 pts
33Texas11.5+0.4 pts
34Montana11.5+0.2 pts
35Alaska11.5-0 pts
36Tennessee11+0.2 pts
37Wisconsin11+0.2 pts
38Kentucky10.9+0.3 pts
39Wyoming10.8+0.2 pts
40Alabama10.5+0.4 pts
41Indiana10.2+0.1 pts
42Idaho10.1+0.4 pts
43Iowa10+0.2 pts
44Oklahoma9.5+0.2 pts
45Louisiana9.5+0.3 pts
46South Dakota9.40 pts
47Mississippi9.3+0.3 pts
48Nevada9.3+0.2 pts
49West Virginia9.2+0.4 pts
50Arkansas9.1+0.3 pts
50North Dakota9.1+0.2 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 states 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/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 states 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 states 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/us-states?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 states 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/us-states?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 states 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/us-states?period=2022 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_graduate_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 states 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/us-states?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. 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 states 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/us-states?period=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/us-states?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. 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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Questions

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

District of Columbia, with 36.9% in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

North Dakota, with 9.1% 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. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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

US states: more rankings