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

Montana had the highest high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over of 51 states in 2021, at 94.4%. California had the lowest, at 84.2%. The median was 91.1% and the figure for the United States was 88.9%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest94.4Montana
Lowest84.2California
Median91.151 states
United States88.9History

Map of states, 2021

Alabama: 87.4 %Alaska: 93.3 %Arizona: 88.3 %Arkansas: 87.7 %California: 84.2 %Colorado: 92.4 %Connecticut: 91.1 %Delaware: 91.1 %District of Columbia: 92.2 %Florida: 89 %Georgia: 88.2 %Hawaii: 92.7 %Idaho: 91.2 %Illinois: 89.9 %Indiana: 89.8 %Iowa: 92.8 %Kansas: 91.6 %Kentucky: 87.7 %Louisiana: 86.2 %Maine: 93.7 %Maryland: 90.8 %Massachusetts: 91.2 %Michigan: 91.6 %Minnesota: 93.6 %Mississippi: 85.6 %Missouri: 91 %Montana: 94.4 %Nebraska: 91.7 %Nevada: 87 %New Hampshire: 93.6 %New Jersey: 90.5 %New Mexico: 86.8 %New York: 87.4 %North Carolina: 89 %North Dakota: 93.3 %Ohio: 91.1 %Oklahoma: 88.8 %Oregon: 91.5 %Pennsylvania: 91.4 %Rhode Island: 89.1 %South Carolina: 88.8 %South Dakota: 92.5 %Tennessee: 88.8 %Texas: 84.8 %Utah: 93.1 %Vermont: 93.9 %Virginia: 90.8 %Washington: 91.9 %West Virginia: 88.1 %Wisconsin: 92.9 %Wyoming: 93.7 %
  • Under 88
  • 88 to 89
  • 89 to 91
  • 91 to 92
  • 92 to 93
  • 93 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2021

Montana: 94.4 %Montana94.4Vermont: 93.9 %Vermont93.9Wyoming: 93.7 %Wyoming93.7Maine: 93.7 %Maine93.7New Hampshire: 93.6 %New Hampshire93.6Minnesota: 93.6 %Minnesota93.6North Dakota: 93.3 %North Dakota93.3Alaska: 93.3 %Alaska93.3Utah: 93.1 %Utah93.1Wisconsin: 92.9 %Wisconsin92.9Iowa: 92.8 %Iowa92.8Hawaii: 92.7 %Hawaii92.7South Dakota: 92.5 %South Dakota92.5Colorado: 92.4 %Colorado92.4District of Columbia: 92.2 %District of Columbia92.2Washington: 91.9 %Washington91.9Nebraska: 91.7 %Nebraska91.7Kansas: 91.6 %Kansas91.6Michigan: 91.6 %Michigan91.6Oregon: 91.5 %Oregon91.5Pennsylvania: 91.4 %Pennsylvania91.4Idaho: 91.2 %Idaho91.2Massachusetts: 91.2 %Massachusetts91.2Ohio: 91.1 %Ohio91.1Connecticut: 91.1 %Connecticut91.1Delaware: 91.1 %Delaware91.1Missouri: 91 %Missouri91Virginia: 90.8 %Virginia90.8Maryland: 90.8 %Maryland90.8New Jersey: 90.5 %New Jersey90.5Illinois: 89.9 %Illinois89.9Indiana: 89.8 %Indiana89.8Rhode Island: 89.1 %Rhode Island89.1Florida: 89 %Florida89North Carolina: 89 %North Carolina89South Carolina: 88.8 %South Carolina88.8Tennessee: 88.8 %Tennessee88.8Oklahoma: 88.8 %Oklahoma88.8Arizona: 88.3 %Arizona88.3Georgia: 88.2 %Georgia88.2West Virginia: 88.1 %West Virginia88.1Arkansas: 87.7 %Arkansas87.7Kentucky: 87.7 %Kentucky87.7New York: 87.4 %New York87.4Alabama: 87.4 %Alabama87.4Nevada: 87 %Nevada87New Mexico: 86.8 %New Mexico86.8Louisiana: 86.2 %Louisiana86.2Mississippi: 85.6 %Mississippi85.6Texas: 84.8 %Texas84.8California: 84.2 %California84.2Montana: 94.4 %Montana94.4Vermont: 93.9 %Vermont93.9Wyoming: 93.7 %Wyoming93.7Maine: 93.7 %Maine93.7New Hampshire: 93.6 %New Hampshire93.6Minnesota: 93.6 %Minnesota93.6North Dakota: 93.3 %North Dakota93.3Alaska: 93.3 %Alaska93.3Utah: 93.1 %Utah93.1Wisconsin: 92.9 %Wisconsin92.9Iowa: 92.8 %Iowa92.8Hawaii: 92.7 %Hawaii92.7South Dakota: 92.5 %South Dakota92.5Colorado: 92.4 %Colorado92.4District of Columbia: 92.2 %District of Columbia92.2Washington: 91.9 %Washington91.9Nebraska: 91.7 %Nebraska91.7Kansas: 91.6 %Kansas91.6Michigan: 91.6 %Michigan91.6Oregon: 91.5 %Oregon91.5Pennsylvania: 91.4 %Pennsylvania91.4Idaho: 91.2 %Idaho91.2Massachusetts: 91.2 %Massachusetts91.2Ohio: 91.1 %Ohio91.1Connecticut: 91.1 %Connecticut91.1Delaware: 91.1 %Delaware91.1Missouri: 91 %Missouri91Virginia: 90.8 %Virginia90.8Maryland: 90.8 %Maryland90.8New Jersey: 90.5 %New Jersey90.5Illinois: 89.9 %Illinois89.9Indiana: 89.8 %Indiana89.8Rhode Island: 89.1 %Rhode Island89.1Florida: 89 %Florida89North Carolina: 89 %North Carolina89South Carolina: 88.8 %South Carolina88.8Tennessee: 88.8 %Tennessee88.8Oklahoma: 88.8 %Oklahoma88.8Arizona: 88.3 %Arizona88.3Georgia: 88.2 %Georgia88.2West Virginia: 88.1 %West Virginia88.1Arkansas: 87.7 %Arkansas87.7Kentucky: 87.7 %Kentucky87.7New York: 87.4 %New York87.4Alabama: 87.4 %Alabama87.4Nevada: 87 %Nevada87New Mexico: 86.8 %New Mexico86.8Louisiana: 86.2 %Louisiana86.2Mississippi: 85.6 %Mississippi85.6Texas: 84.8 %Texas84.8California: 84.2 %California84.2
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2021 (%)
1Montana94.4
2Vermont93.9
3Wyoming93.7
4Maine93.7
5New Hampshire93.6
6Minnesota93.6
7North Dakota93.3
8Alaska93.3
9Utah93.1
10Wisconsin92.9
11Iowa92.8
12Hawaii92.7
13South Dakota92.5
14Colorado92.4
15District of Columbia92.2
16Washington91.9
17Nebraska91.7
18Kansas91.6
19Michigan91.6
20Oregon91.5
21Pennsylvania91.4
22Idaho91.2
23Massachusetts91.2
24Ohio91.1
25Connecticut91.1
25Delaware91.1
27Missouri91
28Virginia90.8
29Maryland90.8
30New Jersey90.5
31Illinois89.9
32Indiana89.8
33Rhode Island89.1
34Florida89
34North Carolina89
36South Carolina88.8
37Tennessee88.8
38Oklahoma88.8
39Arizona88.3
40Georgia88.2
41West Virginia88.1
42Arkansas87.7
43Kentucky87.7
44New York87.4
45Alabama87.4
46Nevada87
47New Mexico86.8
48Louisiana86.2
49Mississippi85.6
50Texas84.8
51California84.2

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/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 (US states 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, US states 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/us-states?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. US states 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/us-states?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, US states 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/us-states?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_high_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: US states 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/us-states?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: US states 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/us-states?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/high-school-graduate-or-higher/us-states?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 US states by high school graduate or higher, population 25 and over using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

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

Montana, with 94.4% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

California, with 84.2% 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

US states: more rankings