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 2023, at 49.8%. Dickenson County had the lowest, at 1.9%. The median was 9.8% and the figure for Virginia was 18.2%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest49.8Falls Church city
Lowest1.9Dickenson County
Median9.8133 counties
Virginia18.2History

Map of counties, 2023

Accomack County: 9.1 %Albemarle County: 30.8 %Alleghany County: 6.8 %Amelia County: 3.9 %Amherst County: 9.1 %Appomattox County: 5.3 %Arlington County: 41.4 %Augusta County: 7.7 %Bath County: 5.2 %Bedford County: 12.8 %Bland County: 4.5 %Botetourt County: 10 %Brunswick County: 6.1 %Buchanan County: 5.4 %Buckingham County: 4.1 %Campbell County: 8.8 %Caroline County: 9.5 %Carroll County: 5 %Charles City County: 4.4 %Charlotte County: 8 %Chesterfield County: 16.3 %Clarke County: 14.1 %Craig County: 6.7 %Culpeper County: 9 %Cumberland County: 8.3 %Dickenson County: 1.9 %Dinwiddie County: 7.7 %Essex County: 6.4 %Fairfax County: 32.4 %Fauquier County: 15 %Floyd County: 8.9 %Fluvanna County: 13.3 %Franklin County: 8.8 %Frederick County: 12.4 %Giles County: 8.5 %Gloucester County: 9.4 %Goochland County: 20.6 %Grayson County: 4.5 %Greene County: 10 %Greensville County: 3.8 %Halifax County: 6.3 %Hanover County: 16 %Henrico County: 19.3 %Henry County: 5.7 %Highland County: 13.2 %Isle of Wight County: 12.2 %James City County: 24.3 %King and Queen County: 5.1 %King George County: 14.3 %King William County: 6.1 %Lancaster County: 15.7 %Lee County: 3.6 %Loudoun County: 28.1 %Louisa County: 12.1 %Lunenburg County: 3.7 %Madison County: 13.5 %Mathews County: 8.4 %Mecklenburg County: 8.1 %Middlesex County: 10.5 %Montgomery County: 25.8 %Nelson County: 11.6 %New Kent County: 10.6 %Northampton County: 13.3 %Northumberland County: 16.2 %Nottoway County: 4.4 %Orange County: 11.1 %Page County: 5.9 %Patrick County: 3.7 %Pittsylvania County: 4.7 %Powhatan County: 11.1 %Prince Edward County: 10.2 %Prince George County: 8.8 %Prince William County: 18.1 %Pulaski County: 8.4 %Rappahannock County: 15.1 %Richmond County: 5.5 %Roanoke County: 13.2 %Rockbridge County: 15.4 %Rockingham County: 11.8 %Russell County: 4.4 %Scott County: 4.5 %Shenandoah County: 9.1 %Smyth County: 6.5 %Southampton County: 6.4 %Spotsylvania County: 13.3 %Stafford County: 18.1 %Surry County: 7.1 %Sussex County: 6 %Tazewell County: 6 %Warren County: 9.6 %Washington County: 9.1 %Westmoreland County: 8.2 %Wise County: 5.8 %Wythe County: 8.5 %York County: 23.5 %Alexandria city: 34.4 %Bristol city: 9.8 %Buena Vista city: 9.4 %Charlottesville city: 33.4 %Chesapeake city: 14 %Colonial Heights city: 11.1 %Covington city: 3.6 %Danville city: 7.3 %Emporia city: 6.8 %Fairfax city: 29.7 %Falls Church city: 49.8 %Franklin city: 10.7 %Fredericksburg city: 20 %Galax city: 6.4 %Hampton city: 10.4 %Harrisonburg city: 17.4 %Hopewell city: 4.2 %Lexington city: 32.4 %Lynchburg city: 14.9 %Manassas city: 12.2 %Manassas Park city: 10.3 %Martinsville city: 8.4 %Newport News city: 11.4 %Norfolk city: 13.4 %Norton city: 6.8 %Petersburg city: 9.7 %Poquoson city: 18.1 %Portsmouth city: 8.3 %Radford city: 20.5 %Richmond city: 18 %Roanoke city: 11.3 %Salem city: 13.1 %Staunton city: 16.1 %Suffolk city: 12.6 %Virginia Beach city: 15.4 %Waynesboro city: 10.7 %Williamsburg city: 22.3 %Winchester city: 13.6 %
  • Under 5.7
  • 5.7 to 8.2
  • 8.2 to 9.8
  • 9.8 to 13
  • 13 to 16
  • 16 and over
%, 2023. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2023

Falls Church city: 49.8 %Falls Church city49.8Arlington County: 41.4 %Arlington County41.4Alexandria city: 34.4 %Alexandria city34.4Charlottesville city: 33.4 %Charlottesville city33.4Fairfax County: 32.4 %Fairfax County32.4Lexington city: 32.4 %Lexington city32.4Albemarle County: 30.8 %Albemarle County30.8Fairfax city: 29.7 %Fairfax city29.7Loudoun County: 28.1 %Loudoun County28.1Montgomery County: 25.8 %Montgomery County25.8James City County: 24.3 %James City County24.3York County: 23.5 %York County23.5Williamsburg city: 22.3 %Williamsburg city22.3Goochland County: 20.6 %Goochland County20.6Radford city: 20.5 %Radford city20.5Fredericksburg city: 20 %Fredericksburg city20Henrico County: 19.3 %Henrico County19.3Poquoson city: 18.1 %Poquoson city18.1Prince William County: 18.1 %Prince William County18.1Stafford County: 18.1 %Stafford County18.1Richmond city: 18 %Richmond city18Harrisonburg city: 17.4 %Harrisonburg city17.4Chesterfield County: 16.3 %Chesterfield County16.3Northumberland County: 16.2 %Northumberland County16.2Staunton city: 16.1 %Staunton city16.1Hanover County: 16 %Hanover County16Lancaster County: 15.7 %Lancaster County15.7Virginia Beach city: 15.4 %Virginia Beach city15.4Rockbridge County: 15.4 %Rockbridge County15.4Rappahannock County: 15.1 %Rappahannock County15.1Fauquier County: 15 %Fauquier County15Lynchburg city: 14.9 %Lynchburg city14.9King George County: 14.3 %King George County14.3Clarke County: 14.1 %Clarke County14.1Chesapeake city: 14 %Chesapeake city14Winchester city: 13.6 %Winchester city13.6Madison County: 13.5 %Madison County13.5Norfolk city: 13.4 %Norfolk city13.4Northampton County: 13.3 %Northampton County13.3Fluvanna County: 13.3 %Fluvanna County13.3Falls Church city: 49.8 %Falls Church city49.8Arlington County: 41.4 %Arlington County41.4Alexandria city: 34.4 %Alexandria city34.4Charlottesville city: 33.4 %Charlottesville city33.4Fairfax County: 32.4 %Fairfax County32.4Lexington city: 32.4 %Lexington city32.4Albemarle County: 30.8 %Albemarle County30.8Fairfax city: 29.7 %Fairfax city29.7Loudoun County: 28.1 %Loudoun County28.1Montgomery County: 25.8 %Montgomery County25.8James City County: 24.3 %James City County24.3York County: 23.5 %York County23.5Williamsburg city: 22.3 %Williamsburg city22.3Goochland County: 20.6 %Goochland County20.6Radford city: 20.5 %Radford city20.5Fredericksburg city: 20 %Fredericksburg city20Henrico County: 19.3 %Henrico County19.3Poquoson city: 18.1 %Poquoson city18.1Prince William County: 18.1 %Prince William County18.1Stafford County: 18.1 %Stafford County18.1Richmond city: 18 %Richmond city18Harrisonburg city: 17.4 %Harrisonburg city17.4Chesterfield County: 16.3 %Chesterfield County16.3Northumberland County: 16.2 %Northumberland County16.2Staunton city: 16.1 %Staunton city16.1Hanover County: 16 %Hanover County16Lancaster County: 15.7 %Lancaster County15.7Virginia Beach city: 15.4 %Virginia Beach city15.4Rockbridge County: 15.4 %Rockbridge County15.4Rappahannock County: 15.1 %Rappahannock County15.1Fauquier County: 15 %Fauquier County15Lynchburg city: 14.9 %Lynchburg city14.9King George County: 14.3 %King George County14.3Clarke County: 14.1 %Clarke County14.1Chesapeake city: 14 %Chesapeake city14Winchester city: 13.6 %Winchester city13.6Madison County: 13.5 %Madison County13.5Norfolk city: 13.4 %Norfolk city13.4Northampton County: 13.3 %Northampton County13.3Fluvanna County: 13.3 %Fluvanna County13.3
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Falls Church city49.8+1.5 pts
2Arlington County41.4+0.3 pts
3Alexandria city34.4+0.1 pts
4Charlottesville city33.4+2.5 pts
5Fairfax County32.4+0.1 pts
5Lexington city32.4+3.1 pts
7Albemarle County30.8+0.7 pts
8Fairfax city29.7+0.7 pts
9Loudoun County28.1+0.3 pts
10Montgomery County25.8+1 pts
11James City County24.3+0.5 pts
12York County23.5+1.1 pts
13Williamsburg city22.3-1.4 pts
14Goochland County20.6+1.1 pts
15Radford city20.5-2.9 pts
16Fredericksburg city20+1.4 pts
17Henrico County19.3+0.6 pts
18Poquoson city18.1+0.4 pts
18Prince William County18.1+0.1 pts
20Stafford County18.1+0.9 pts
21Richmond city18-0.4 pts
22Harrisonburg city17.4+2 pts
23Chesterfield County16.3-0.2 pts
24Northumberland County16.2+1.3 pts
25Staunton city16.1+1 pts
26Hanover County16+0.6 pts
27Lancaster County15.7+1.7 pts
28Virginia Beach city15.4+0.4 pts
29Rockbridge County15.4+0.9 pts
30Rappahannock County15.1-0.2 pts
31Fauquier County15-0.4 pts
32Lynchburg city14.9-0.4 pts
33King George County14.3-0 pts
34Clarke County14.1+1.8 pts
35Chesapeake city14+0.4 pts
36Winchester city13.6+0.3 pts
37Madison County13.5+1.8 pts
38Norfolk city13.4+0.4 pts
39Northampton County13.3+1.5 pts
40Fluvanna County13.3-0 pts
40Spotsylvania County13.3+0.1 pts
42Highland County13.2+2.8 pts
43Roanoke County13.2-0.3 pts
44Salem city13.1-0.2 pts
45Bedford County12.8+0.2 pts
46Suffolk city12.6+0.1 pts
47Frederick County12.4+0.3 pts
48Manassas city12.2-0.3 pts
49Isle of Wight County12.2+0.1 pts
50Louisa County12.1+0.9 pts
51Rockingham County11.8+0.1 pts
52Nelson County11.6-0.7 pts
53Newport News city11.4+0.2 pts
54Roanoke city11.3+0.5 pts
55Powhatan County11.1+1.9 pts
56Orange County11.1+0.5 pts
57Colonial Heights city11.1-0.1 pts
58Waynesboro city10.7-0.1 pts
59Franklin city10.7+0.5 pts
60New Kent County10.6+0.5 pts
61Middlesex County10.5+1 pts
62Hampton city10.4-0.5 pts
63Manassas Park city10.3+2.3 pts
64Prince Edward County10.2-0.3 pts
65Botetourt County10-0.5 pts
66Greene County10-0.6 pts
67Bristol city9.8-1.2 pts
68Petersburg city9.7+1.4 pts
69Warren County9.6+1.9 pts
70Caroline County9.5+1 pts
71Buena Vista city9.4+1.1 pts
72Gloucester County9.4-0.1 pts
73Accomack County9.1-0 pts
73Amherst County9.1+0.7 pts
73Washington County9.1+0.3 pts
76Shenandoah County9.1+0.6 pts
77Culpeper County9-0.3 pts
78Floyd County8.9-0.8 pts
79Campbell County8.8+0.6 pts
80Franklin County8.8+0.3 pts
81Prince George County8.8+1.4 pts
82Giles County8.5+0.6 pts
82Wythe County8.5+0.5 pts
84Pulaski County8.4-0.1 pts
85Mathews County8.4+0.3 pts
86Martinsville city8.4+0.8 pts
87Portsmouth city8.3+0.6 pts
88Cumberland County8.3-0.5 pts
89Westmoreland County8.2+0.5 pts
90Mecklenburg County8.1-0.3 pts
91Charlotte County8+1.1 pts
92Dinwiddie County7.7+0.9 pts
93Augusta County7.7+0.1 pts
94Danville city7.3+0.2 pts
95Surry County7.1+1.1 pts
96Norton city6.8-1.6 pts
97Alleghany County6.8+0.2 pts
98Emporia city6.8-0.1 pts
99Craig County6.7+1.6 pts
100Smyth County6.5+0.2 pts
101Southampton County6.4+0.3 pts
102Galax city6.4-0.8 pts
103Essex County6.4+1.2 pts
104Halifax County6.3+0.6 pts
105King William County6.1-0.1 pts
106Brunswick County6.1-0.1 pts
107Sussex County6+0.4 pts
108Tazewell County6+0.8 pts
109Page County5.9-0.7 pts
110Wise County5.8-0.7 pts
111Henry County5.7+0.6 pts
112Richmond County5.5-1 pts
113Buchanan County5.4-0.1 pts
114Appomattox County5.3+0.1 pts
115Bath County5.2-0.5 pts
116King and Queen County5.1-0.7 pts
117Carroll County5+0.4 pts
118Pittsylvania County4.7+0.1 pts
119Grayson County4.5+0.8 pts
119Scott County4.5-0.2 pts
121Bland County4.5-0.6 pts
122Charles City County4.40 pts
123Nottoway County4.40 pts
124Russell County4.4+0.4 pts
125Hopewell city4.2+0.4 pts
126Buckingham County4.1-0.2 pts
127Amelia County3.9-1.1 pts
128Greensville County3.8-0.9 pts
129Patrick County3.7-1.3 pts
130Lunenburg County3.70 pts
131Covington city3.6-0.3 pts
132Lee County3.6+0.5 pts
133Dickenson County1.9-0.1 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/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 (Counties in Virginia 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, Counties in Virginia 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/virginia-counties?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. Counties in Virginia 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/virginia-counties?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, Counties in Virginia 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/virginia-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_virginia_by_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: Counties in Virginia 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/virginia-counties?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: Counties in Virginia 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/virginia-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/virginia-counties?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 county has the highest graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over?

Falls Church city, with 49.8% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Dickenson County, with 1.9% 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

Counties in Virginia: more rankings