Data / Rankings / High school graduate or higher, population 25 and over / Counties in California

Counties in California by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over

Nevada County had the highest high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over of 58 counties in 2021, at 95.1%. Merced County had the lowest, at 70.4%. The median was 87.4% and the figure for California was 84.2%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest95.1Nevada County
Lowest70.4Merced County
Median87.458 counties
California84.2History

Map of counties, 2021

Alameda County: 89 %Alpine County: 93.7 %Amador County: 91.3 %Butte County: 90.3 %Calaveras County: 90.8 %Colusa County: 73.3 %Contra Costa County: 89.7 %Del Norte County: 80.6 %El Dorado County: 94.7 %Fresno County: 77.9 %Glenn County: 76.5 %Humboldt County: 91 %Imperial County: 70.4 %Inyo County: 92.1 %Kern County: 76 %Kings County: 73.6 %Lake County: 86.6 %Lassen County: 80.1 %Los Angeles County: 80 %Madera County: 71.8 %Marin County: 93.4 %Mariposa County: 90.9 %Mendocino County: 86.6 %Merced County: 70.4 %Modoc County: 85.5 %Mono County: 87.2 %Monterey County: 73 %Napa County: 85.2 %Nevada County: 95.1 %Orange County: 86.6 %Placer County: 94.8 %Plumas County: 94.6 %Riverside County: 83 %Sacramento County: 88.1 %San Benito County: 83.3 %San Bernardino County: 81.1 %San Diego County: 88.3 %San Francisco County: 88.8 %San Joaquin County: 80.3 %San Luis Obispo County: 91.9 %San Mateo County: 90.8 %Santa Barbara County: 81.9 %Santa Clara County: 89.2 %Santa Cruz County: 88.3 %Shasta County: 91.1 %Sierra County: 94.4 %Siskiyou County: 89.9 %Solano County: 88.9 %Sonoma County: 89.2 %Stanislaus County: 80 %Sutter County: 79.7 %Tehama County: 85.8 %Trinity County: 93.9 %Tulare County: 72.6 %Tuolumne County: 92.1 %Ventura County: 85.6 %Yolo County: 87.6 %Yuba County: 81.2 %
  • Under 79
  • 79 to 83
  • 83 to 87
  • 87 to 90
  • 90 to 92
  • 92 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2021

Nevada County: 95.1 %Nevada County95.1Placer County: 94.8 %Placer County94.8El Dorado County: 94.7 %El Dorado County94.7Plumas County: 94.6 %Plumas County94.6Sierra County: 94.4 %Sierra County94.4Trinity County: 93.9 %Trinity County93.9Alpine County: 93.7 %Alpine County93.7Marin County: 93.4 %Marin County93.4Tuolumne County: 92.1 %Tuolumne County92.1Inyo County: 92.1 %Inyo County92.1San Luis Obispo County: 91.9 %San Luis Obispo County91.9Amador County: 91.3 %Amador County91.3Shasta County: 91.1 %Shasta County91.1Humboldt County: 91 %Humboldt County91Mariposa County: 90.9 %Mariposa County90.9San Mateo County: 90.8 %San Mateo County90.8Calaveras County: 90.8 %Calaveras County90.8Butte County: 90.3 %Butte County90.3Siskiyou County: 89.9 %Siskiyou County89.9Contra Costa County: 89.7 %Contra Costa County89.7Santa Clara County: 89.2 %Santa Clara County89.2Sonoma County: 89.2 %Sonoma County89.2Alameda County: 89 %Alameda County89Solano County: 88.9 %Solano County88.9San Francisco County: 88.8 %San Francisco County88.8San Diego County: 88.3 %San Diego County88.3Santa Cruz County: 88.3 %Santa Cruz County88.3Sacramento County: 88.1 %Sacramento County88.1Yolo County: 87.6 %Yolo County87.6Mono County: 87.2 %Mono County87.2Mendocino County: 86.6 %Mendocino County86.6Orange County: 86.6 %Orange County86.6Lake County: 86.6 %Lake County86.6Tehama County: 85.8 %Tehama County85.8Ventura County: 85.6 %Ventura County85.6Modoc County: 85.5 %Modoc County85.5Napa County: 85.2 %Napa County85.2San Benito County: 83.3 %San Benito County83.3Riverside County: 83 %Riverside County83Santa Barbara County: 81.9 %Santa Barbara County81.9Yuba County: 81.2 %Yuba County81.2San Bernardino County: 81.1 %San Bernardino County81.1Del Norte County: 80.6 %Del Norte County80.6San Joaquin County: 80.3 %San Joaquin County80.3Lassen County: 80.1 %Lassen County80.1Los Angeles County: 80 %Los Angeles County80Stanislaus County: 80 %Stanislaus County80Sutter County: 79.7 %Sutter County79.7Fresno County: 77.9 %Fresno County77.9Glenn County: 76.5 %Glenn County76.5Kern County: 76 %Kern County76Kings County: 73.6 %Kings County73.6Colusa County: 73.3 %Colusa County73.3Monterey County: 73 %Monterey County73Tulare County: 72.6 %Tulare County72.6Madera County: 71.8 %Madera County71.8Imperial County: 70.4 %Imperial County70.4Merced County: 70.4 %Merced County70.4Nevada County: 95.1 %Nevada County95.1Placer County: 94.8 %Placer County94.8El Dorado County: 94.7 %El Dorado County94.7Plumas County: 94.6 %Plumas County94.6Sierra County: 94.4 %Sierra County94.4Trinity County: 93.9 %Trinity County93.9Alpine County: 93.7 %Alpine County93.7Marin County: 93.4 %Marin County93.4Tuolumne County: 92.1 %Tuolumne County92.1Inyo County: 92.1 %Inyo County92.1San Luis Obispo County: 91.9 %San Luis Obispo County91.9Amador County: 91.3 %Amador County91.3Shasta County: 91.1 %Shasta County91.1Humboldt County: 91 %Humboldt County91Mariposa County: 90.9 %Mariposa County90.9San Mateo County: 90.8 %San Mateo County90.8Calaveras County: 90.8 %Calaveras County90.8Butte County: 90.3 %Butte County90.3Siskiyou County: 89.9 %Siskiyou County89.9Contra Costa County: 89.7 %Contra Costa County89.7Santa Clara County: 89.2 %Santa Clara County89.2Sonoma County: 89.2 %Sonoma County89.2Alameda County: 89 %Alameda County89Solano County: 88.9 %Solano County88.9San Francisco County: 88.8 %San Francisco County88.8San Diego County: 88.3 %San Diego County88.3Santa Cruz County: 88.3 %Santa Cruz County88.3Sacramento County: 88.1 %Sacramento County88.1Yolo County: 87.6 %Yolo County87.6Mono County: 87.2 %Mono County87.2Mendocino County: 86.6 %Mendocino County86.6Orange County: 86.6 %Orange County86.6Lake County: 86.6 %Lake County86.6Tehama County: 85.8 %Tehama County85.8Ventura County: 85.6 %Ventura County85.6Modoc County: 85.5 %Modoc County85.5Napa County: 85.2 %Napa County85.2San Benito County: 83.3 %San Benito County83.3Riverside County: 83 %Riverside County83Santa Barbara County: 81.9 %Santa Barbara County81.9Yuba County: 81.2 %Yuba County81.2San Bernardino County: 81.1 %San Bernardino County81.1Del Norte County: 80.6 %Del Norte County80.6San Joaquin County: 80.3 %San Joaquin County80.3Lassen County: 80.1 %Lassen County80.1Los Angeles County: 80 %Los Angeles County80Stanislaus County: 80 %Stanislaus County80Sutter County: 79.7 %Sutter County79.7Fresno County: 77.9 %Fresno County77.9Glenn County: 76.5 %Glenn County76.5Kern County: 76 %Kern County76Kings County: 73.6 %Kings County73.6Colusa County: 73.3 %Colusa County73.3Monterey County: 73 %Monterey County73Tulare County: 72.6 %Tulare County72.6Madera County: 71.8 %Madera County71.8Imperial County: 70.4 %Imperial County70.4Merced County: 70.4 %Merced County70.4
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Nevada County95.1
2Placer County94.8
3El Dorado County94.7
4Plumas County94.6
5Sierra County94.4
6Trinity County93.9
7Alpine County93.7
8Marin County93.4
9Tuolumne County92.1
10Inyo County92.1
11San Luis Obispo County91.9
12Amador County91.3
13Shasta County91.1
14Humboldt County91
15Mariposa County90.9
16San Mateo County90.8
17Calaveras County90.8
18Butte County90.3
19Siskiyou County89.9
20Contra Costa County89.7
21Santa Clara County89.2
22Sonoma County89.2
23Alameda County89
24Solano County88.9
25San Francisco County88.8
26San Diego County88.3
27Santa Cruz County88.3
28Sacramento County88.1
29Yolo County87.6
30Mono County87.2
31Mendocino County86.6
32Orange County86.6
33Lake County86.6
34Tehama County85.8
35Ventura County85.6
36Modoc County85.5
37Napa County85.2
38San Benito County83.3
39Riverside County83
40Santa Barbara County81.9
41Yuba County81.2
42San Bernardino County81.1
43Del Norte County80.6
44San Joaquin County80.3
45Lassen County80.1
46Los Angeles County80
47Stanislaus County80
48Sutter County79.7
49Fresno County77.9
50Glenn County76.5
51Kern County76
52Kings County73.6
53Colusa County73.3
54Monterey County73
55Tulare County72.6
56Madera County71.8
57Imperial County70.4
58Merced County70.4

Other periods

About this ranking

People aged 25 and over who hold a regular high school diploma, a GED or alternative credential, or any higher level of education, 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.

Measures the adult population, not students: it is not the high school graduation rate of a class. Not comparable with the EU share below upper secondary education, which covers ages 25 to 64.

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 high school diploma, GED or higher 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 high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in California by high school graduate or higher, 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 high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in California by high school graduate or higher, 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/high-school-graduate-or-higher/california-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 high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in California by high school graduate or higher, 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/high-school-graduate-or-higher/california-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in California by high school graduate or higher, 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/high-school-graduate-or-higher/california-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_california_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in California by high school graduate or higher, 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/high-school-graduate-or-higher/california-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a high school diploma, GED or higher 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 high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in California by high school graduate or higher, 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/high-school-graduate-or-higher/california-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/california-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 high school diploma, GED or higher 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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Rank Counties in California by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over?

Nevada County, with 95.1% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over?

Merced County, with 70.4% 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 high school diploma, GED or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

High school graduate or higher, population 25 and over: other rankings

Counties in California: more rankings