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

Alpine County had the highest high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over of 58 counties in 2023, at 96.3%. Imperial County had the lowest, at 71.9%. The median was 88.4% and the figure for California was 84.6%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest96.3Alpine County
Lowest71.9Imperial County
Median88.458 counties
California84.6History

Map of counties, 2023

Alameda County: 88.9 %Alpine County: 96.3 %Amador County: 91 %Butte County: 90.3 %Calaveras County: 93.4 %Colusa County: 73.2 %Contra Costa County: 89.6 %Del Norte County: 85.5 %El Dorado County: 94.9 %Fresno County: 78.6 %Glenn County: 80.3 %Humboldt County: 91.5 %Imperial County: 71.9 %Inyo County: 92.8 %Kern County: 77.1 %Kings County: 74.2 %Lake County: 87.1 %Lassen County: 79.1 %Los Angeles County: 80.7 %Madera County: 73.1 %Marin County: 92.7 %Mariposa County: 90.5 %Mendocino County: 86.2 %Merced County: 71.9 %Modoc County: 88 %Mono County: 89.6 %Monterey County: 73.3 %Napa County: 84.7 %Nevada County: 95.1 %Orange County: 86.9 %Placer County: 94.9 %Plumas County: 94 %Riverside County: 83.3 %Sacramento County: 88.4 %San Benito County: 83.2 %San Bernardino County: 82.1 %San Diego County: 89 %San Francisco County: 88.8 %San Joaquin County: 80.4 %San Luis Obispo County: 91.8 %San Mateo County: 90.3 %Santa Barbara County: 82.1 %Santa Clara County: 89.3 %Santa Cruz County: 88.5 %Shasta County: 92.1 %Sierra County: 91.4 %Siskiyou County: 91.1 %Solano County: 88.9 %Sonoma County: 88.9 %Stanislaus County: 80.1 %Sutter County: 78.8 %Tehama County: 86.3 %Trinity County: 94.8 %Tulare County: 74.4 %Tuolumne County: 93.5 %Ventura County: 85.3 %Yolo County: 88.4 %Yuba County: 84.7 %
  • Under 79
  • 79 to 85
  • 85 to 88
  • 88 to 90
  • 90 to 92
  • 92 and over
%, 2023. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2023

Alpine County: 96.3 %Alpine County96.3Nevada County: 95.1 %Nevada County95.1El Dorado County: 94.9 %El Dorado County94.9Placer County: 94.9 %Placer County94.9Trinity County: 94.8 %Trinity County94.8Plumas County: 94 %Plumas County94Tuolumne County: 93.5 %Tuolumne County93.5Calaveras County: 93.4 %Calaveras County93.4Inyo County: 92.8 %Inyo County92.8Marin County: 92.7 %Marin County92.7Shasta County: 92.1 %Shasta County92.1San Luis Obispo County: 91.8 %San Luis Obispo County91.8Humboldt County: 91.5 %Humboldt County91.5Sierra County: 91.4 %Sierra County91.4Siskiyou County: 91.1 %Siskiyou County91.1Amador County: 91 %Amador County91Mariposa County: 90.5 %Mariposa County90.5Butte County: 90.3 %Butte County90.3San Mateo County: 90.3 %San Mateo County90.3Contra Costa County: 89.6 %Contra Costa County89.6Mono County: 89.6 %Mono County89.6Santa Clara County: 89.3 %Santa Clara County89.3San Diego County: 89 %San Diego County89Solano County: 88.9 %Solano County88.9Alameda County: 88.9 %Alameda County88.9Sonoma County: 88.9 %Sonoma County88.9San Francisco County: 88.8 %San Francisco County88.8Santa Cruz County: 88.5 %Santa Cruz County88.5Yolo County: 88.4 %Yolo County88.4Sacramento County: 88.4 %Sacramento County88.4Modoc County: 88 %Modoc County88Lake County: 87.1 %Lake County87.1Orange County: 86.9 %Orange County86.9Tehama County: 86.3 %Tehama County86.3Mendocino County: 86.2 %Mendocino County86.2Del Norte County: 85.5 %Del Norte County85.5Ventura County: 85.3 %Ventura County85.3Napa County: 84.7 %Napa County84.7Yuba County: 84.7 %Yuba County84.7Riverside County: 83.3 %Riverside County83.3San Benito County: 83.2 %San Benito County83.2Santa Barbara County: 82.1 %Santa Barbara County82.1San Bernardino County: 82.1 %San Bernardino County82.1Los Angeles County: 80.7 %Los Angeles County80.7San Joaquin County: 80.4 %San Joaquin County80.4Glenn County: 80.3 %Glenn County80.3Stanislaus County: 80.1 %Stanislaus County80.1Lassen County: 79.1 %Lassen County79.1Sutter County: 78.8 %Sutter County78.8Fresno County: 78.6 %Fresno County78.6Kern County: 77.1 %Kern County77.1Tulare County: 74.4 %Tulare County74.4Kings County: 74.2 %Kings County74.2Monterey County: 73.3 %Monterey County73.3Colusa County: 73.2 %Colusa County73.2Madera County: 73.1 %Madera County73.1Merced County: 71.9 %Merced County71.9Imperial County: 71.9 %Imperial County71.9Alpine County: 96.3 %Alpine County96.3Nevada County: 95.1 %Nevada County95.1El Dorado County: 94.9 %El Dorado County94.9Placer County: 94.9 %Placer County94.9Trinity County: 94.8 %Trinity County94.8Plumas County: 94 %Plumas County94Tuolumne County: 93.5 %Tuolumne County93.5Calaveras County: 93.4 %Calaveras County93.4Inyo County: 92.8 %Inyo County92.8Marin County: 92.7 %Marin County92.7Shasta County: 92.1 %Shasta County92.1San Luis Obispo County: 91.8 %San Luis Obispo County91.8Humboldt County: 91.5 %Humboldt County91.5Sierra County: 91.4 %Sierra County91.4Siskiyou County: 91.1 %Siskiyou County91.1Amador County: 91 %Amador County91Mariposa County: 90.5 %Mariposa County90.5Butte County: 90.3 %Butte County90.3San Mateo County: 90.3 %San Mateo County90.3Contra Costa County: 89.6 %Contra Costa County89.6Mono County: 89.6 %Mono County89.6Santa Clara County: 89.3 %Santa Clara County89.3San Diego County: 89 %San Diego County89Solano County: 88.9 %Solano County88.9Alameda County: 88.9 %Alameda County88.9Sonoma County: 88.9 %Sonoma County88.9San Francisco County: 88.8 %San Francisco County88.8Santa Cruz County: 88.5 %Santa Cruz County88.5Yolo County: 88.4 %Yolo County88.4Sacramento County: 88.4 %Sacramento County88.4Modoc County: 88 %Modoc County88Lake County: 87.1 %Lake County87.1Orange County: 86.9 %Orange County86.9Tehama County: 86.3 %Tehama County86.3Mendocino County: 86.2 %Mendocino County86.2Del Norte County: 85.5 %Del Norte County85.5Ventura County: 85.3 %Ventura County85.3Napa County: 84.7 %Napa County84.7Yuba County: 84.7 %Yuba County84.7Riverside County: 83.3 %Riverside County83.3San Benito County: 83.2 %San Benito County83.2Santa Barbara County: 82.1 %Santa Barbara County82.1San Bernardino County: 82.1 %San Bernardino County82.1Los Angeles County: 80.7 %Los Angeles County80.7San Joaquin County: 80.4 %San Joaquin County80.4Glenn County: 80.3 %Glenn County80.3Stanislaus County: 80.1 %Stanislaus County80.1Lassen County: 79.1 %Lassen County79.1Sutter County: 78.8 %Sutter County78.8Fresno County: 78.6 %Fresno County78.6Kern County: 77.1 %Kern County77.1Tulare County: 74.4 %Tulare County74.4Kings County: 74.2 %Kings County74.2Monterey County: 73.3 %Monterey County73.3Colusa County: 73.2 %Colusa County73.2Madera County: 73.1 %Madera County73.1Merced County: 71.9 %Merced County71.9Imperial County: 71.9 %Imperial County71.9
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Alpine County96.3+3 pts
2Nevada County95.1-0 pts
3El Dorado County94.9+0.2 pts
3Placer County94.9-0 pts
5Trinity County94.8-0.5 pts
6Plumas County94-0.1 pts
7Tuolumne County93.5+1.1 pts
8Calaveras County93.4+0.8 pts
9Inyo County92.8-0.3 pts
10Marin County92.7-0.7 pts
11Shasta County92.1+0.2 pts
12San Luis Obispo County91.8-0.3 pts
13Humboldt County91.5+0.3 pts
14Sierra County91.4-2.2 pts
15Siskiyou County91.1+0.5 pts
16Amador County91+0.5 pts
17Mariposa County90.5-1.4 pts
18Butte County90.30 pts
19San Mateo County90.3-0.3 pts
20Contra Costa County89.6-0.1 pts
21Mono County89.6+2.4 pts
22Santa Clara County89.30 pts
23San Diego County89+0.3 pts
24Solano County88.90 pts
25Alameda County88.9-0.3 pts
26Sonoma County88.9-0.4 pts
27San Francisco County88.80 pts
28Santa Cruz County88.5-0.2 pts
29Yolo County88.4+0.5 pts
30Sacramento County88.4-0 pts
31Modoc County88-0.3 pts
32Lake County87.1+0.5 pts
33Orange County86.9+0.1 pts
34Tehama County86.3-0.8 pts
35Mendocino County86.2-0.6 pts
36Del Norte County85.5+2.3 pts
37Ventura County85.3-0.1 pts
38Napa County84.7+0.3 pts
39Yuba County84.7+2 pts
40Riverside County83.3+0.2 pts
41San Benito County83.2-0.5 pts
42Santa Barbara County82.10 pts
43San Bernardino County82.1+0.7 pts
44Los Angeles County80.7+0.4 pts
45San Joaquin County80.4+0.2 pts
46Glenn County80.3+2.5 pts
47Stanislaus County80.1-0.2 pts
48Lassen County79.1-1.3 pts
49Sutter County78.8-0.7 pts
50Fresno County78.6+0.3 pts
51Kern County77.1+0.6 pts
52Tulare County74.4+0.9 pts
53Kings County74.2-0.3 pts
54Monterey County73.3-0 pts
55Colusa County73.2-0.1 pts
56Madera County73.1+1 pts
57Merced County71.9+0.5 pts
58Imperial County71.9+0.6 pts

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/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 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, 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 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, 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/high-school-graduate-or-higher/california-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 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, 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/high-school-graduate-or-higher/california-counties?period=2023.

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, 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/high-school-graduate-or-higher/california-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_california_by_2023,
  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, 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/high-school-graduate-or-higher/california-counties?period=2023. 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/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 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, 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/high-school-graduate-or-higher/california-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/california-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 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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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?

Alpine County, with 96.3% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Imperial County, with 71.9% 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 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