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

Counties in Virginia by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over

Falls Church city had the highest graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over of 133 counties in 2021, at 49.1%. Dickenson County had the lowest, at 2%. The median was 9.5% and the figure for Virginia was 17.6%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest49.1Falls Church city
Lowest2Dickenson County
Median9.5133 counties
Virginia17.6History

Map of counties, 2021

Accomack County: 8.9 %Albemarle County: 28.7 %Alleghany County: 6.1 %Amelia County: 5.5 %Amherst County: 8.4 %Appomattox County: 5.2 %Arlington County: 41 %Augusta County: 7.7 %Bath County: 5.4 %Bedford County: 12.3 %Bland County: 4.6 %Botetourt County: 10.4 %Brunswick County: 6.6 %Buchanan County: 5.9 %Buckingham County: 4.7 %Campbell County: 8.2 %Caroline County: 7.4 %Carroll County: 4.6 %Charles City County: 4.2 %Charlotte County: 6 %Chesterfield County: 15.8 %Clarke County: 13.9 %Craig County: 5.8 %Culpeper County: 9.6 %Cumberland County: 8.1 %Dickenson County: 2 %Dinwiddie County: 6.8 %Essex County: 4.6 %Fairfax County: 32 %Fauquier County: 14.2 %Floyd County: 8.2 %Fluvanna County: 13.4 %Franklin County: 8.2 %Frederick County: 11.7 %Giles County: 6.7 %Gloucester County: 9.4 %Goochland County: 20.7 %Grayson County: 4.3 %Greene County: 11.2 %Greensville County: 3.9 %Halifax County: 6 %Hanover County: 14.8 %Henrico County: 18.4 %Henry County: 5.5 %Highland County: 10.2 %Isle of Wight County: 11.2 %James City County: 24.3 %King and Queen County: 5.4 %King George County: 14.2 %King William County: 6.4 %Lancaster County: 15.6 %Lee County: 2.4 %Loudoun County: 27.8 %Louisa County: 10.4 %Lunenburg County: 3.9 %Madison County: 10.3 %Mathews County: 8 %Mecklenburg County: 8.2 %Middlesex County: 10.1 %Montgomery County: 24.5 %Nelson County: 13.2 %New Kent County: 10.5 %Northampton County: 10.9 %Northumberland County: 13.8 %Nottoway County: 4.4 %Orange County: 9.9 %Page County: 6.2 %Patrick County: 5.1 %Pittsylvania County: 4.2 %Powhatan County: 9.6 %Prince Edward County: 9.7 %Prince George County: 7.1 %Prince William County: 17.6 %Pulaski County: 8.1 %Rappahannock County: 13.7 %Richmond County: 7.3 %Roanoke County: 13 %Rockbridge County: 12.2 %Rockingham County: 11.2 %Russell County: 3.5 %Scott County: 4.8 %Shenandoah County: 7.9 %Smyth County: 5.5 %Southampton County: 6.7 %Spotsylvania County: 13 %Stafford County: 16.5 %Surry County: 5.9 %Sussex County: 4.1 %Tazewell County: 5.8 %Warren County: 8 %Washington County: 9 %Westmoreland County: 6.6 %Wise County: 5.7 %Wythe County: 8 %York County: 22 %Alexandria city: 34.1 %Bristol city: 11.6 %Buena Vista city: 9.3 %Charlottesville city: 29.8 %Chesapeake city: 13.2 %Colonial Heights city: 10.6 %Covington city: 5.7 %Danville city: 7.3 %Emporia city: 5.1 %Fairfax city: 31 %Falls Church city: 49.1 %Franklin city: 9 %Fredericksburg city: 19.8 %Galax city: 7.2 %Hampton city: 10.7 %Harrisonburg city: 14.9 %Hopewell city: 3.2 %Lexington city: 30.6 %Lynchburg city: 15.7 %Manassas city: 12.8 %Manassas Park city: 7.4 %Martinsville city: 7.3 %Newport News city: 10.6 %Norfolk city: 12.6 %Norton city: 9.5 %Petersburg city: 8.3 %Poquoson city: 19.7 %Portsmouth city: 7.5 %Radford city: 20.6 %Richmond city: 18 %Roanoke city: 10.5 %Salem city: 13.1 %Staunton city: 12.5 %Suffolk city: 12.3 %Virginia Beach city: 14.4 %Waynesboro city: 10.4 %Williamsburg city: 23.5 %Winchester city: 13.5 %
  • Under 5.5
  • 5.5 to 7.3
  • 7.3 to 9.5
  • 9.5 to 12
  • 12 to 16
  • 16 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

Falls Church city: 49.1 %Falls Church city49.1Arlington County: 41 %Arlington County41Alexandria city: 34.1 %Alexandria city34.1Fairfax County: 32 %Fairfax County32Fairfax city: 31 %Fairfax city31Lexington city: 30.6 %Lexington city30.6Charlottesville city: 29.8 %Charlottesville city29.8Albemarle County: 28.7 %Albemarle County28.7Loudoun County: 27.8 %Loudoun County27.8Montgomery County: 24.5 %Montgomery County24.5James City County: 24.3 %James City County24.3Williamsburg city: 23.5 %Williamsburg city23.5York County: 22 %York County22Goochland County: 20.7 %Goochland County20.7Radford city: 20.6 %Radford city20.6Fredericksburg city: 19.8 %Fredericksburg city19.8Poquoson city: 19.7 %Poquoson city19.7Henrico County: 18.4 %Henrico County18.4Richmond city: 18 %Richmond city18Prince William County: 17.6 %Prince William County17.6Stafford County: 16.5 %Stafford County16.5Chesterfield County: 15.8 %Chesterfield County15.8Lynchburg city: 15.7 %Lynchburg city15.7Lancaster County: 15.6 %Lancaster County15.6Harrisonburg city: 14.9 %Harrisonburg city14.9Hanover County: 14.8 %Hanover County14.8Virginia Beach city: 14.4 %Virginia Beach city14.4King George County: 14.2 %King George County14.2Fauquier County: 14.2 %Fauquier County14.2Clarke County: 13.9 %Clarke County13.9Northumberland County: 13.8 %Northumberland County13.8Rappahannock County: 13.7 %Rappahannock County13.7Winchester city: 13.5 %Winchester city13.5Fluvanna County: 13.4 %Fluvanna County13.4Chesapeake city: 13.2 %Chesapeake city13.2Nelson County: 13.2 %Nelson County13.2Salem city: 13.1 %Salem city13.1Roanoke County: 13 %Roanoke County13Spotsylvania County: 13 %Spotsylvania County13Manassas city: 12.8 %Manassas city12.8Falls Church city: 49.1 %Falls Church city49.1Arlington County: 41 %Arlington County41Alexandria city: 34.1 %Alexandria city34.1Fairfax County: 32 %Fairfax County32Fairfax city: 31 %Fairfax city31Lexington city: 30.6 %Lexington city30.6Charlottesville city: 29.8 %Charlottesville city29.8Albemarle County: 28.7 %Albemarle County28.7Loudoun County: 27.8 %Loudoun County27.8Montgomery County: 24.5 %Montgomery County24.5James City County: 24.3 %James City County24.3Williamsburg city: 23.5 %Williamsburg city23.5York County: 22 %York County22Goochland County: 20.7 %Goochland County20.7Radford city: 20.6 %Radford city20.6Fredericksburg city: 19.8 %Fredericksburg city19.8Poquoson city: 19.7 %Poquoson city19.7Henrico County: 18.4 %Henrico County18.4Richmond city: 18 %Richmond city18Prince William County: 17.6 %Prince William County17.6Stafford County: 16.5 %Stafford County16.5Chesterfield County: 15.8 %Chesterfield County15.8Lynchburg city: 15.7 %Lynchburg city15.7Lancaster County: 15.6 %Lancaster County15.6Harrisonburg city: 14.9 %Harrisonburg city14.9Hanover County: 14.8 %Hanover County14.8Virginia Beach city: 14.4 %Virginia Beach city14.4King George County: 14.2 %King George County14.2Fauquier County: 14.2 %Fauquier County14.2Clarke County: 13.9 %Clarke County13.9Northumberland County: 13.8 %Northumberland County13.8Rappahannock County: 13.7 %Rappahannock County13.7Winchester city: 13.5 %Winchester city13.5Fluvanna County: 13.4 %Fluvanna County13.4Chesapeake city: 13.2 %Chesapeake city13.2Nelson County: 13.2 %Nelson County13.2Salem city: 13.1 %Salem city13.1Roanoke County: 13 %Roanoke County13Spotsylvania County: 13 %Spotsylvania County13Manassas city: 12.8 %Manassas city12.8
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Falls Church city49.1
2Arlington County41
3Alexandria city34.1
4Fairfax County32
5Fairfax city31
6Lexington city30.6
7Charlottesville city29.8
8Albemarle County28.7
9Loudoun County27.8
10Montgomery County24.5
11James City County24.3
12Williamsburg city23.5
13York County22
14Goochland County20.7
15Radford city20.6
16Fredericksburg city19.8
17Poquoson city19.7
18Henrico County18.4
19Richmond city18
20Prince William County17.6
21Stafford County16.5
22Chesterfield County15.8
23Lynchburg city15.7
24Lancaster County15.6
25Harrisonburg city14.9
26Hanover County14.8
27Virginia Beach city14.4
28King George County14.2
29Fauquier County14.2
30Clarke County13.9
31Northumberland County13.8
32Rappahannock County13.7
33Winchester city13.5
34Fluvanna County13.4
35Chesapeake city13.2
36Nelson County13.2
37Salem city13.1
38Roanoke County13
39Spotsylvania County13
40Manassas city12.8
41Norfolk city12.6
42Staunton city12.5
43Suffolk city12.3
44Bedford County12.3
45Rockbridge County12.2
46Frederick County11.7
47Bristol city11.6
48Isle of Wight County11.2
49Greene County11.2
49Rockingham County11.2
51Northampton County10.9
52Hampton city10.7
53Colonial Heights city10.6
54Newport News city10.6
55New Kent County10.5
55Roanoke city10.5
57Botetourt County10.4
58Waynesboro city10.4
59Louisa County10.4
60Madison County10.3
61Highland County10.2
62Middlesex County10.1
63Orange County9.9
64Prince Edward County9.7
65Culpeper County9.6
66Powhatan County9.6
67Norton city9.5
68Gloucester County9.4
69Buena Vista city9.3
70Franklin city9
71Washington County9
72Accomack County8.9
73Amherst County8.4
74Petersburg city8.3
75Franklin County8.2
76Floyd County8.2
77Campbell County8.2
78Mecklenburg County8.2
79Cumberland County8.1
79Pulaski County8.1
81Wythe County8
82Warren County8
83Mathews County8
84Shenandoah County7.9
85Augusta County7.7
86Portsmouth city7.5
87Manassas Park city7.4
88Caroline County7.4
89Richmond County7.3
90Danville city7.3
90Martinsville city7.3
92Galax city7.2
93Prince George County7.1
94Dinwiddie County6.8
95Giles County6.7
95Southampton County6.7
97Westmoreland County6.6
98Brunswick County6.6
99King William County6.4
100Page County6.2
101Alleghany County6.1
102Halifax County6
103Charlotte County6
104Buchanan County5.9
105Surry County5.9
106Tazewell County5.8
107Craig County5.8
108Covington city5.7
108Wise County5.7
110Smyth County5.5
111Henry County5.5
112Amelia County5.5
113Bath County5.4
114King and Queen County5.4
115Appomattox County5.2
116Emporia city5.1
117Patrick County5.1
118Scott County4.8
119Buckingham County4.7
120Essex County4.6
121Bland County4.6
121Carroll County4.6
123Nottoway County4.4
124Grayson County4.3
125Pittsylvania County4.2
126Charles City County4.2
127Sussex County4.1
128Greensville County3.9
129Lunenburg County3.9
130Russell County3.5
131Hopewell city3.2
132Lee County2.4
133Dickenson County2

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 Virginia 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 Virginia 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/virginia-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 Virginia 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/virginia-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 Virginia 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/virginia-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_virginia_by_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 Virginia 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/virginia-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 Virginia 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/virginia-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/virginia-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?

Falls Church city, with 49.1% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Dickenson County, with 2% 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 Virginia: more rankings