Data / Rankings / High school graduate or higher, population 25 and over / US states

US states by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2024

Vermont had the highest high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over of 51 states in 2024, at 94.9%. California had the lowest, at 84.7%. The median was 91.6% and the figure for the United States was 89.6%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest94.9Vermont
Lowest84.7California
Median91.651 states
United States89.6History

Map of states, 2024

Alabama: 88.6 %Alaska: 93.6 %Arizona: 89.4 %Arkansas: 88.7 %California: 84.7 %Colorado: 92.9 %Connecticut: 91.5 %Delaware: 91.7 %District of Columbia: 92.7 %Florida: 90 %Georgia: 89.2 %Hawaii: 93.2 %Idaho: 91.9 %Illinois: 90.5 %Indiana: 90.4 %Iowa: 93.3 %Kansas: 92 %Kentucky: 88.9 %Louisiana: 87.3 %Maine: 94.8 %Maryland: 91.2 %Massachusetts: 91.4 %Michigan: 92.1 %Minnesota: 93.9 %Mississippi: 87.2 %Missouri: 91.9 %Montana: 94.6 %Nebraska: 92.2 %Nevada: 87.5 %New Hampshire: 94.4 %New Jersey: 90.7 %New Mexico: 88 %New York: 88 %North Carolina: 90.2 %North Dakota: 94 %Ohio: 91.8 %Oklahoma: 89.4 %Oregon: 91.9 %Pennsylvania: 92.1 %Rhode Island: 89.7 %South Carolina: 90.1 %South Dakota: 93.2 %Tennessee: 90.1 %Texas: 86 %Utah: 93.4 %Vermont: 94.9 %Virginia: 91.6 %Washington: 92.3 %West Virginia: 89.3 %Wisconsin: 93.6 %Wyoming: 94.2 %
  • Under 89
  • 89 to 90
  • 90 to 92
  • 92 to 93
  • 93 and over
%, 2024. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2024

Vermont: 94.9 %Vermont94.9Maine: 94.8 %Maine94.8Montana: 94.6 %Montana94.6New Hampshire: 94.4 %New Hampshire94.4Wyoming: 94.2 %Wyoming94.2North Dakota: 94 %North Dakota94Minnesota: 93.9 %Minnesota93.9Wisconsin: 93.6 %Wisconsin93.6Alaska: 93.6 %Alaska93.6Utah: 93.4 %Utah93.4Iowa: 93.3 %Iowa93.3Hawaii: 93.2 %Hawaii93.2South Dakota: 93.2 %South Dakota93.2Colorado: 92.9 %Colorado92.9District of Columbia: 92.7 %District of Columbia92.7Washington: 92.3 %Washington92.3Nebraska: 92.2 %Nebraska92.2Pennsylvania: 92.1 %Pennsylvania92.1Michigan: 92.1 %Michigan92.1Kansas: 92 %Kansas92Idaho: 91.9 %Idaho91.9Missouri: 91.9 %Missouri91.9Oregon: 91.9 %Oregon91.9Ohio: 91.8 %Ohio91.8Delaware: 91.7 %Delaware91.7Virginia: 91.6 %Virginia91.6Connecticut: 91.5 %Connecticut91.5Massachusetts: 91.4 %Massachusetts91.4Maryland: 91.2 %Maryland91.2New Jersey: 90.7 %New Jersey90.7Illinois: 90.5 %Illinois90.5Indiana: 90.4 %Indiana90.4North Carolina: 90.2 %North Carolina90.2South Carolina: 90.1 %South Carolina90.1Tennessee: 90.1 %Tennessee90.1Florida: 90 %Florida90Rhode Island: 89.7 %Rhode Island89.7Oklahoma: 89.4 %Oklahoma89.4Arizona: 89.4 %Arizona89.4West Virginia: 89.3 %West Virginia89.3Georgia: 89.2 %Georgia89.2Kentucky: 88.9 %Kentucky88.9Arkansas: 88.7 %Arkansas88.7Alabama: 88.6 %Alabama88.6New Mexico: 88 %New Mexico88New York: 88 %New York88Nevada: 87.5 %Nevada87.5Louisiana: 87.3 %Louisiana87.3Mississippi: 87.2 %Mississippi87.2Texas: 86 %Texas86California: 84.7 %California84.7Vermont: 94.9 %Vermont94.9Maine: 94.8 %Maine94.8Montana: 94.6 %Montana94.6New Hampshire: 94.4 %New Hampshire94.4Wyoming: 94.2 %Wyoming94.2North Dakota: 94 %North Dakota94Minnesota: 93.9 %Minnesota93.9Wisconsin: 93.6 %Wisconsin93.6Alaska: 93.6 %Alaska93.6Utah: 93.4 %Utah93.4Iowa: 93.3 %Iowa93.3Hawaii: 93.2 %Hawaii93.2South Dakota: 93.2 %South Dakota93.2Colorado: 92.9 %Colorado92.9District of Columbia: 92.7 %District of Columbia92.7Washington: 92.3 %Washington92.3Nebraska: 92.2 %Nebraska92.2Pennsylvania: 92.1 %Pennsylvania92.1Michigan: 92.1 %Michigan92.1Kansas: 92 %Kansas92Idaho: 91.9 %Idaho91.9Missouri: 91.9 %Missouri91.9Oregon: 91.9 %Oregon91.9Ohio: 91.8 %Ohio91.8Delaware: 91.7 %Delaware91.7Virginia: 91.6 %Virginia91.6Connecticut: 91.5 %Connecticut91.5Massachusetts: 91.4 %Massachusetts91.4Maryland: 91.2 %Maryland91.2New Jersey: 90.7 %New Jersey90.7Illinois: 90.5 %Illinois90.5Indiana: 90.4 %Indiana90.4North Carolina: 90.2 %North Carolina90.2South Carolina: 90.1 %South Carolina90.1Tennessee: 90.1 %Tennessee90.1Florida: 90 %Florida90Rhode Island: 89.7 %Rhode Island89.7Oklahoma: 89.4 %Oklahoma89.4Arizona: 89.4 %Arizona89.4West Virginia: 89.3 %West Virginia89.3Georgia: 89.2 %Georgia89.2Kentucky: 88.9 %Kentucky88.9Arkansas: 88.7 %Arkansas88.7Alabama: 88.6 %Alabama88.6New Mexico: 88 %New Mexico88New York: 88 %New York88Nevada: 87.5 %Nevada87.5Louisiana: 87.3 %Louisiana87.3Mississippi: 87.2 %Mississippi87.2Texas: 86 %Texas86California: 84.7 %California84.7
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2024 (%)Change on 2023
1Vermont94.9+0.4 pts
2Maine94.8+0.3 pts
3Montana94.6+0.1 pts
4New Hampshire94.4+0.3 pts
5Wyoming94.2+0.1 pts
6North Dakota94+0.2 pts
7Minnesota93.9+0.1 pts
8Wisconsin93.6+0.2 pts
9Alaska93.6+0.1 pts
10Utah93.4+0.1 pts
11Iowa93.30 pts
12Hawaii93.2+0.3 pts
12South Dakota93.2+0.1 pts
14Colorado92.9+0.1 pts
15District of Columbia92.7-0.2 pts
16Washington92.3+0.1 pts
17Nebraska92.2+0.1 pts
18Pennsylvania92.1+0.2 pts
19Michigan92.1+0.2 pts
20Kansas920 pts
21Idaho91.9+0.2 pts
21Missouri91.9+0.3 pts
21Oregon91.9+0.1 pts
24Ohio91.8+0.2 pts
25Delaware91.7+0.3 pts
26Virginia91.6+0.2 pts
27Connecticut91.5+0.2 pts
28Massachusetts91.4-0 pts
29Maryland91.2+0.1 pts
30New Jersey90.7-0 pts
31Illinois90.5+0.2 pts
32Indiana90.4+0.1 pts
33North Carolina90.2+0.4 pts
34South Carolina90.1+0.5 pts
35Tennessee90.1+0.4 pts
36Florida90+0.3 pts
37Rhode Island89.7+0.2 pts
38Oklahoma89.4+0.3 pts
39Arizona89.4+0.3 pts
40West Virginia89.3+0.7 pts
41Georgia89.2+0.3 pts
42Kentucky88.9+0.3 pts
43Arkansas88.7+0.2 pts
44Alabama88.6+0.5 pts
45New Mexico88+0.3 pts
46New York88+0.1 pts
47Nevada87.5+0.1 pts
48Louisiana87.3+0.4 pts
49Mississippi87.2+0.5 pts
50Texas86+0.3 pts
51California84.7+0.1 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 states 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/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-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 (US states by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-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, US states by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2024. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b15003.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/us-states. 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. US states by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b15003.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/us-states.

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, US states by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b15003.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/us-states (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_high_2024,
  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: US states by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b15003.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/us-states. 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/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-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: US states by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over, 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b15003.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/us-states
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/us-states.
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/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

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

Vermont, with 94.9% in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

California, with 84.7% in 2024.

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

US states: more rankings