Data / Rankings / Graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over / Cities in Washington

Cities in Washington by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over

Mercer Island, WA had the highest graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over of 91 cities in 2023, at 40.5%. Grandview, WA had the lowest, at 2.2%. The median was 11.5% and the figure for Washington was 15.1%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest40.5Mercer Island, WA
Lowest2.2Grandview, WA
Median11.591 cities
Washington15.1History

Top 40 cities, 2023

Mercer Island, WA: 40.5 %Mercer Island, WA40.5Redmond, WA: 37.9 %Redmond, WA37.9Sammamish, WA: 36.9 %Sammamish, WA36.9Bainbridge Island, WA: 35.4 %Bainbridge Island, WA35.4Bellevue, WA: 35.2 %Bellevue, WA35.2Newcastle, WA: 32.3 %Newcastle, WA32.3Pullman, WA: 30.7 %Pullman, WA30.7Issaquah, WA: 30.5 %Issaquah, WA30.5Seattle, WA: 30 %Seattle, WA30Lake Forest Park, WA: 28.7 %Lake Forest Park, WA28.7Woodinville, WA: 27.8 %Woodinville, WA27.8Kirkland, WA: 26.4 %Kirkland, WA26.4Kenmore, WA: 25.1 %Kenmore, WA25.1Port Townsend, WA: 23.9 %Port Townsend, WA23.9Gig Harbor, WA: 23.8 %Gig Harbor, WA23.8Snoqualmie, WA: 23.5 %Snoqualmie, WA23.5Bothell, WA: 22.5 %Bothell, WA22.5Mukilteo, WA: 22.3 %Mukilteo, WA22.3Camas, WA: 22 %Camas, WA22Mill Creek, WA: 20.5 %Mill Creek, WA20.5Shoreline, WA: 20.4 %Shoreline, WA20.4Richland, WA: 19.8 %Richland, WA19.8Edmonds, WA: 19.6 %Edmonds, WA19.6Bellingham, WA: 19.1 %Bellingham, WA19.1University Place, WA: 19.1 %University Place, WA19.1Poulsbo, WA: 19.1 %Poulsbo, WA19.1Anacortes, WA: 18.9 %Anacortes, WA18.9Olympia, WA: 18.8 %Olympia, WA18.8Ellensburg, WA: 18.7 %Ellensburg, WA18.7Maple Valley, WA: 17.8 %Maple Valley, WA17.8Tumwater, WA: 15.5 %Tumwater, WA15.5Mountlake Terrace, WA: 14.8 %Mountlake Terrace, WA14.8West Richland, WA: 14.3 %West Richland, WA14.3Liberty Lake, WA: 14.2 %Liberty Lake, WA14.2Renton, WA: 13.6 %Renton, WA13.6Ferndale, WA: 13.5 %Ferndale, WA13.5Cheney, WA: 13.3 %Cheney, WA13.3Walla Walla, WA: 13.2 %Walla Walla, WA13.2Port Angeles, WA: 13.1 %Port Angeles, WA13.1Tacoma, WA: 12.6 %Tacoma, WA12.6Mercer Island, WA: 40.5 %Mercer Island, WA40.5Redmond, WA: 37.9 %Redmond, WA37.9Sammamish, WA: 36.9 %Sammamish, WA36.9Bainbridge Island, WA: 35.4 %Bainbridge Island, WA35.4Bellevue, WA: 35.2 %Bellevue, WA35.2Newcastle, WA: 32.3 %Newcastle, WA32.3Pullman, WA: 30.7 %Pullman, WA30.7Issaquah, WA: 30.5 %Issaquah, WA30.5Seattle, WA: 30 %Seattle, WA30Lake Forest Park, WA: 28.7 %Lake Forest Park, WA28.7Woodinville, WA: 27.8 %Woodinville, WA27.8Kirkland, WA: 26.4 %Kirkland, WA26.4Kenmore, WA: 25.1 %Kenmore, WA25.1Port Townsend, WA: 23.9 %Port Townsend, WA23.9Gig Harbor, WA: 23.8 %Gig Harbor, WA23.8Snoqualmie, WA: 23.5 %Snoqualmie, WA23.5Bothell, WA: 22.5 %Bothell, WA22.5Mukilteo, WA: 22.3 %Mukilteo, WA22.3Camas, WA: 22 %Camas, WA22Mill Creek, WA: 20.5 %Mill Creek, WA20.5Shoreline, WA: 20.4 %Shoreline, WA20.4Richland, WA: 19.8 %Richland, WA19.8Edmonds, WA: 19.6 %Edmonds, WA19.6Bellingham, WA: 19.1 %Bellingham, WA19.1University Place, WA: 19.1 %University Place, WA19.1Poulsbo, WA: 19.1 %Poulsbo, WA19.1Anacortes, WA: 18.9 %Anacortes, WA18.9Olympia, WA: 18.8 %Olympia, WA18.8Ellensburg, WA: 18.7 %Ellensburg, WA18.7Maple Valley, WA: 17.8 %Maple Valley, WA17.8Tumwater, WA: 15.5 %Tumwater, WA15.5Mountlake Terrace, WA: 14.8 %Mountlake Terrace, WA14.8West Richland, WA: 14.3 %West Richland, WA14.3Liberty Lake, WA: 14.2 %Liberty Lake, WA14.2Renton, WA: 13.6 %Renton, WA13.6Ferndale, WA: 13.5 %Ferndale, WA13.5Cheney, WA: 13.3 %Cheney, WA13.3Walla Walla, WA: 13.2 %Walla Walla, WA13.2Port Angeles, WA: 13.1 %Port Angeles, WA13.1Tacoma, WA: 12.6 %Tacoma, WA12.6
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Mercer Island, WA40.5+1 pts
2Redmond, WA37.9+1.5 pts
3Sammamish, WA36.9+0.6 pts
4Bainbridge Island, WA35.4+0.6 pts
5Bellevue, WA35.2+0.4 pts
6Newcastle, WA32.3+0.1 pts
7Pullman, WA30.7-2.2 pts
8Issaquah, WA30.5+1.4 pts
9Seattle, WA30+0.6 pts
10Lake Forest Park, WA28.7+0.8 pts
11Woodinville, WA27.8+2.1 pts
12Kirkland, WA26.4+1.8 pts
13Kenmore, WA25.1+0.9 pts
14Port Townsend, WA23.9-0.8 pts
15Gig Harbor, WA23.8-0.4 pts
16Snoqualmie, WA23.5-1.5 pts
17Bothell, WA22.5+1.7 pts
18Mukilteo, WA22.3+0.1 pts
19Camas, WA22+0.6 pts
20Mill Creek, WA20.5+0.9 pts
21Shoreline, WA20.4+0.5 pts
22Richland, WA19.8-0.1 pts
23Edmonds, WA19.6+1.1 pts
24Bellingham, WA19.1-0.3 pts
25University Place, WA19.1+1.9 pts
26Poulsbo, WA19.1+1.6 pts
27Anacortes, WA18.9+0.7 pts
28Olympia, WA18.8-0.6 pts
29Ellensburg, WA18.7-2.7 pts
30Maple Valley, WA17.8+1.3 pts
31Tumwater, WA15.5+1.2 pts
32Mountlake Terrace, WA14.8+0.4 pts
33West Richland, WA14.3+0.2 pts
34Liberty Lake, WA14.2+1.7 pts
35Renton, WA13.6+1.1 pts
36Ferndale, WA13.5+0.4 pts
37Cheney, WA13.3-2.9 pts
38Walla Walla, WA13.2+0.1 pts
39Port Angeles, WA13.1+0.9 pts
40Tacoma, WA12.6+0.3 pts
41Covington, WA12.2+1.9 pts
42Lacey, WA12.2+0.6 pts
43Spokane, WA12.1+0.1 pts
44Washougal, WA12.1-0.9 pts
45Ridgefield, WA11.6+0.2 pts
46Vancouver, WA11.5+0.2 pts
47Des Moines, WA11+0.6 pts
48Lynnwood, WA11+1.3 pts
49Burien, WA10.7+1.4 pts
50Lake Stevens, WA10.7+0.5 pts
51Enumclaw, WA10.5-2 pts
52Edgewood, WA10.2-0.2 pts
53Oak Harbor, WA10.2+0.6 pts
54Mount Vernon, WA10.1+0.3 pts
55Yelm, WA10.1+3.5 pts
56Federal Way, WA10+0.5 pts
56Wenatchee, WA10+0.3 pts
58Kennewick, WA9.8+0.4 pts
59Lakewood, WA9.3+0.4 pts
60Lynden, WA9.2+0.5 pts
61Port Orchard, WA9.1+0.5 pts
62Everett, WA9.1+0.7 pts
63Bremerton, WA9+1 pts
64Bonney Lake, WA8.8+0.1 pts
65Snohomish, WA8.70 pts
66Battle Ground, WA8.6+0.8 pts
67Puyallup, WA8.3-0.2 pts
68Auburn, WA8.3-0.2 pts
69Kent, WA8.2+0.6 pts
70Fife, WA8.2+1.3 pts
71Spokane Valley, WA8-0.2 pts
72Sumner, WA7.7+1.1 pts
73Monroe, WA7.6+0.4 pts
74Airway Heights, WA7.5+1.4 pts
74Yakima, WA7.5+0.7 pts
76Pasco, WA7.40 pts
77Tukwila, WA6.7-0.8 pts
78Marysville, WA6.7+0.8 pts
79Moses Lake, WA6.6+0.5 pts
80SeaTac, WA6.6+0.2 pts
81Arlington, WA6.3-1.1 pts
82Burlington, WA6.2-0.5 pts
83East Wenatchee, WA6.1+1.6 pts
84Longview, WA6.1-0.3 pts
85Centralia, WA5.6+0.4 pts
86Aberdeen, WA5.1-1.3 pts
87Shelton, WA4.7-0.4 pts
88Sunnyside, WA4.2+0.6 pts
89Sedro-Woolley, WA4.1+0.2 pts
90Kelso, WA2.5+0.4 pts
91Grandview, WA2.2+0.6 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 cities 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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). 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 cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in Washington 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 cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Washington 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/washington-cities?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 cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in Washington 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/washington-cities?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 cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Washington 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/washington-cities?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_washington_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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Washington 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/washington-cities?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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). 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 cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Washington 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/washington-cities?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/washington-cities?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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Cities in Washington by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"graduate_degree_share","level":"municipality","within":"Washington","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=graduate_degree_share&level=municipality&within=Washington&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

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

Mercer Island, WA, with 40.5% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Grandview, WA, with 2.2% 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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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

Cities in Washington: more rankings