What the Data Shows
Count of adults whose highest attainment is a bachelor’s degree is compared across the 50 states and the District of Columbia for 2024. Values count adults age 25 or older whose highest educational attainment is a bachelor’s degree. California ranks first at 6,355,683 people, ahead of Texas by 1,808,985 people. Illinois records 2,063,361 people, making the first value 3.08 times the last.
Data table
Unit: people · Period: 2024
| Rank | Entry | Value | Period |
|---|
| 1 | California | 6.36M | 2024 |
| 2 | Texas | 4.55M | 2024 |
| 3 | Florida | 3.76M | 2024 |
| 4 | New York | 3.22M | 2024 |
| 5 | Illinois | 2.06M | 2024 |
Sources
Data notes & caveats
The ranking uses absolute counts rather than rates. Values count adults age 25 or older whose highest educational attainment is a bachelor's degree. ACS estimates are subject to sampling error; margins of error are not included here.
Methodology
The ranking uses the 2024 ACS 1-year estimate for count of adults whose highest attainment is a bachelor's degree across U.S. states and DC. Values are ordered from highest to lowest, with equal values retaining tied ranks. National totals and other summary geographies are excluded. Compact labels are rounded for readability without changing the source order.
Source consistency notes
All entries use the same Census source family, ACS 1-year product, 2024 period and measurement unit (people), supporting a like-for-like ranking across the stated geographies.
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