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 2023, at 37.5%. Arkansas had the lowest, at 9.2%. The median was 12.6% and the figure for the United States was 13.7%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest37.5District of Columbia
Lowest9.2Arkansas
Median12.651 states
United States13.7History

Map of states, 2023

Alabama: 10.8 %Alaska: 11.6 %Arizona: 12.6 %Arkansas: 9.2 %California: 14.1 %Colorado: 17.1 %Connecticut: 19 %Delaware: 15 %District of Columbia: 37.5 %Florida: 12.5 %Georgia: 13.5 %Hawaii: 13 %Idaho: 10.4 %Illinois: 14.9 %Indiana: 10.5 %Iowa: 10.2 %Kansas: 13.2 %Kentucky: 11.1 %Louisiana: 9.8 %Maine: 13.3 %Maryland: 20.3 %Massachusetts: 21.4 %Michigan: 12.5 %Minnesota: 13.6 %Mississippi: 9.4 %Missouri: 12.3 %Montana: 11.7 %Nebraska: 11.9 %Nevada: 9.6 %New Hampshire: 15.7 %New Jersey: 17.1 %New Mexico: 13.6 %New York: 17.5 %North Carolina: 12.9 %North Dakota: 9.6 %Ohio: 11.9 %Oklahoma: 9.7 %Oregon: 13.9 %Pennsylvania: 13.9 %Rhode Island: 15.1 %South Carolina: 12 %South Dakota: 9.6 %Tennessee: 11.4 %Texas: 11.9 %Utah: 12.7 %Vermont: 18 %Virginia: 18.2 %Washington: 15.1 %West Virginia: 9.4 %Wisconsin: 11.1 %Wyoming: 11.1 %
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 12
  • 12 to 13
  • 13 to 14
  • 14 to 17
  • 17 and over
%, 2023. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2023

District of Columbia: 37.5 %District of Columbia37.5Massachusetts: 21.4 %Massachusetts21.4Maryland: 20.3 %Maryland20.3Connecticut: 19 %Connecticut19Virginia: 18.2 %Virginia18.2Vermont: 18 %Vermont18New York: 17.5 %New York17.5New Jersey: 17.1 %New Jersey17.1Colorado: 17.1 %Colorado17.1New Hampshire: 15.7 %New Hampshire15.7Washington: 15.1 %Washington15.1Rhode Island: 15.1 %Rhode Island15.1Delaware: 15 %Delaware15Illinois: 14.9 %Illinois14.9California: 14.1 %California14.1Pennsylvania: 13.9 %Pennsylvania13.9Oregon: 13.9 %Oregon13.9New Mexico: 13.6 %New Mexico13.6Minnesota: 13.6 %Minnesota13.6Georgia: 13.5 %Georgia13.5Maine: 13.3 %Maine13.3Kansas: 13.2 %Kansas13.2Hawaii: 13 %Hawaii13North Carolina: 12.9 %North Carolina12.9Utah: 12.7 %Utah12.7Arizona: 12.6 %Arizona12.6Florida: 12.5 %Florida12.5Michigan: 12.5 %Michigan12.5Missouri: 12.3 %Missouri12.3South Carolina: 12 %South Carolina12Texas: 11.9 %Texas11.9Nebraska: 11.9 %Nebraska11.9Ohio: 11.9 %Ohio11.9Montana: 11.7 %Montana11.7Alaska: 11.6 %Alaska11.6Tennessee: 11.4 %Tennessee11.4Wisconsin: 11.1 %Wisconsin11.1Wyoming: 11.1 %Wyoming11.1Kentucky: 11.1 %Kentucky11.1Alabama: 10.8 %Alabama10.8Indiana: 10.5 %Indiana10.5Idaho: 10.4 %Idaho10.4Iowa: 10.2 %Iowa10.2Louisiana: 9.8 %Louisiana9.8Oklahoma: 9.7 %Oklahoma9.7North Dakota: 9.6 %North Dakota9.6Nevada: 9.6 %Nevada9.6South Dakota: 9.6 %South Dakota9.6Mississippi: 9.4 %Mississippi9.4West Virginia: 9.4 %West Virginia9.4Arkansas: 9.2 %Arkansas9.2District of Columbia: 37.5 %District of Columbia37.5Massachusetts: 21.4 %Massachusetts21.4Maryland: 20.3 %Maryland20.3Connecticut: 19 %Connecticut19Virginia: 18.2 %Virginia18.2Vermont: 18 %Vermont18New York: 17.5 %New York17.5New Jersey: 17.1 %New Jersey17.1Colorado: 17.1 %Colorado17.1New Hampshire: 15.7 %New Hampshire15.7Washington: 15.1 %Washington15.1Rhode Island: 15.1 %Rhode Island15.1Delaware: 15 %Delaware15Illinois: 14.9 %Illinois14.9California: 14.1 %California14.1Pennsylvania: 13.9 %Pennsylvania13.9Oregon: 13.9 %Oregon13.9New Mexico: 13.6 %New Mexico13.6Minnesota: 13.6 %Minnesota13.6Georgia: 13.5 %Georgia13.5Maine: 13.3 %Maine13.3Kansas: 13.2 %Kansas13.2Hawaii: 13 %Hawaii13North Carolina: 12.9 %North Carolina12.9Utah: 12.7 %Utah12.7Arizona: 12.6 %Arizona12.6Florida: 12.5 %Florida12.5Michigan: 12.5 %Michigan12.5Missouri: 12.3 %Missouri12.3South Carolina: 12 %South Carolina12Texas: 11.9 %Texas11.9Nebraska: 11.9 %Nebraska11.9Ohio: 11.9 %Ohio11.9Montana: 11.7 %Montana11.7Alaska: 11.6 %Alaska11.6Tennessee: 11.4 %Tennessee11.4Wisconsin: 11.1 %Wisconsin11.1Wyoming: 11.1 %Wyoming11.1Kentucky: 11.1 %Kentucky11.1Alabama: 10.8 %Alabama10.8Indiana: 10.5 %Indiana10.5Idaho: 10.4 %Idaho10.4Iowa: 10.2 %Iowa10.2Louisiana: 9.8 %Louisiana9.8Oklahoma: 9.7 %Oklahoma9.7North Dakota: 9.6 %North Dakota9.6Nevada: 9.6 %Nevada9.6South Dakota: 9.6 %South Dakota9.6Mississippi: 9.4 %Mississippi9.4West Virginia: 9.4 %West Virginia9.4Arkansas: 9.2 %Arkansas9.2
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2023 (%)Change on 2022
1District of Columbia37.5+0.6 pts
2Massachusetts21.4+0.5 pts
3Maryland20.3+0.4 pts
4Connecticut19+0.3 pts
5Virginia18.2+0.3 pts
6Vermont18+0.6 pts
7New York17.5+0.4 pts
8New Jersey17.1+0.3 pts
9Colorado17.1+0.5 pts
10New Hampshire15.7+0.3 pts
11Washington15.1+0.4 pts
12Rhode Island15.1+0.2 pts
13Delaware15+0.4 pts
14Illinois14.9+0.2 pts
15California14.1+0.3 pts
16Pennsylvania13.9+0.4 pts
17Oregon13.9+0.2 pts
18New Mexico13.6+0.6 pts
19Minnesota13.6+0.3 pts
20Georgia13.5+0.3 pts
21Maine13.3+0.6 pts
22Kansas13.2+0.1 pts
23Hawaii13+0.5 pts
24North Carolina12.9+0.4 pts
25Utah12.7+0.4 pts
26Arizona12.6+0.4 pts
27Florida12.5+0.4 pts
27Michigan12.5+0.3 pts
29Missouri12.3+0.3 pts
30South Carolina12+0.4 pts
31Texas11.9+0.4 pts
32Nebraska11.9+0.3 pts
32Ohio11.9+0.3 pts
34Montana11.7+0.2 pts
35Alaska11.6+0.2 pts
36Tennessee11.4+0.4 pts
37Wisconsin11.1+0.2 pts
38Wyoming11.1+0.3 pts
39Kentucky11.1+0.2 pts
40Alabama10.8+0.3 pts
41Indiana10.5+0.3 pts
42Idaho10.4+0.3 pts
43Iowa10.2+0.3 pts
44Louisiana9.8+0.3 pts
45Oklahoma9.7+0.2 pts
46North Dakota9.6+0.6 pts
47Nevada9.6+0.3 pts
48South Dakota9.6+0.2 pts
49Mississippi9.4+0.1 pts
49West Virginia9.4+0.2 pts
51Arkansas9.2+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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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, 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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, 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b15003.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/us-states?period=2023. 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, 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b15003.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/us-states?period=2023.

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, 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b15003.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/us-states?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_graduate_2023,
  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, 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b15003.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/us-states?period=2023. 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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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, 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b15003.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/us-states?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/us-states?period=2023.
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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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 37.5% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Arkansas, with 9.2% in 2023.

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