Rao reported in mid-December 2024 that education pays, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics, found out in data published earlier this year. For every level of education completed, Americans earn more and face a lower risk of unemployment. So where have Americans got this figured out?
The share of people aged 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree,
by each U.S. state. Figures for this map are sourced from the latest
American Community Survey findings, published by the Census Bureau.
Ranked: Share of University Degree Holders in Each U.S. State
The highest share of college graduates are clustered in the Northeast, with D.C., Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Connecticut all ranking near the top. These states also have a greater share of top-ranked universities in the country.
Known innovation hubs, like California, also have a relatively high share. Meanwhile the South is a cluster of lower shares of residents with university degrees, with West Virginia at the bottom of the ranking (24%). States with higher percentages of college graduates often correlate with higher-paying job markets and vice-versa. The national average sits at 36% which means slightly more than one-in-three people across the country have a university degree.
Diploma Divide 2024
Post the 2024 election, higher education has emerged as one of the key indicators of voting preference, along with class and race. As this Axios article discusses: all states but one which are at or below the national average (36%) voted red in 2024, and nearly all of those above it voted blue.
There are three exceptions to the rule: Utah and North Carolina, both above the U.S. average, both voting Republican. On the other hand, New Mexico, below the average, voted Democrat.
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Correlations don’t imply causation, but it’s interesting to see them visualized. Check out Mapped: Poverty Rates by U.S. States for other patterns.
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