Introduction
Education is often a large factor in the determination of how developed a country is. Education directly correlates with median incomes; on average, the more educated one is, the higher their average salary typically is. According to the Census Bureau, those with only a high school diploma have the lowest median income while staying above the poverty line.
While educational attainment is based on multiple factors, socio-economic status is one of the chief factors determining how much education a person will receive. For primary education, those of lower socio-economic means historically would not graduate so they could join the workforce and provide for the family as early as they could. Meanwhile, for secondary education, rising tuition costs lead many students to face the difficult situation of not being able to afford higher education, leading them to either not pursue higher education, or take out a loan for thousands of dollars in the hopes of receiving a degree.
Learn for yourself how education attainment differs by state by browsing the data in the charts.
| # | State | High School Graduation Rate (2022) | Percentage Change (vs. 2020) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 96.1% | 7.98% |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | 95.89% | 10.22% |
| 3 | Vermont | 94.55% | 13.92% |
| 4 | Maine | 94.53% | 5.03% |
| 5 | New Hampshire | 94.44% | 7.32% |
| 6 | Montana | 94.35% | 9.71% |
| 7 | Minnesota | 94.13% | 12.06% |
| 8 | North Dakota | 93.62% | 5.19% |
| 9 | Wyoming | 93.59% | 14.13% |
| 10 | Wisconsin | 93.33% | 3.7% |
| 11 | Iowa | 93.32% | 1.43% |
| 12 | Alaska | 93.31% | 18.11% |
| 13 | Utah | 93.17% | 5.88% |
| 14 | South Dakota | 93.05% | 10.77% |
| 15 | Hawaii | 92.93% | 8.06% |
| 16 | District of Columbia | 92.79% | 27.11% |
| 17 | Colorado | 92.43% | 12.72% |
| 18 | Washington | 92.35% | 11.27% |
| 19 | Nebraska | 92.16% | 4.73% |
| 20 | Michigan | 91.96% | 12.15% |
| 21 | Kansas | 91.89% | 4.42% |
| 22 | Oregon | 91.87% | 10.69% |
| 23 | Ohio | 91.74% | 9.21% |
| 24 | Missouri | 91.59% | 1.77% |
| 25 | Virginia | 91.38% | 2.67% |
| 26 | Delaware | 91.36% | 2.65% |
| 27 | Idaho | 91.26% | 11.29% |
| 28 | Connecticut | 91.11% | 3.53% |
| 29 | Maryland | 91.09% | 4.7% |
| 30 | New Jersey | 90.98% | -0.02% |
| 31 | Indiana | 90.64% | -0.4% |
| 32 | Illinois | 90.17% | % |
| 33 | Florida | 89.79% | -0.23% |
| 34 | Tennessee | 89.74% | -0.29% |
| 35 | North Carolina | 89.7% | 1.93% |
| 36 | South Carolina | 89.61% | 9.28% |
| 37 | Rhode Island | 89.14% | 6.12% |
| 38 | Arizona | 88.97% | 15.55% |
| 39 | Georgia | 88.97% | 5.92% |
| 40 | West Virginia | 88.82% | -3.46% |
| 41 | Oklahoma | 88.71% | 9.52% |
| 42 | Arkansas | 88.67% | -0.37% |
| 43 | New York | 88.03% | 4.8% |
| 44 | Kentucky | 87.99% | -3.31% |
| 45 | Alabama | 87.93% | -3.37% |
| 46 | New Mexico | 87.48% | 13.61% |
| 47 | Nevada | 87.16% | 5.01% |
| 48 | Louisiana | 86.68% | 4.43% |
| 49 | Mississippi | 86.49% | -1.72% |
| 50 | Texas | 85.39% | % |
| 51 | California | 84.45% | 0.54% |
High School Graduation Rate by State
Alabama
87.93%
↓ 3.37%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#45
No High School Diploma Rate
12.07%
↓ 7.86%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#45
Bachelor Degree Rate
27.43%
Ranked in the US
#46
Advanced Degree Rate
10.85%
Ranked in the US
#39
Alabama is the third state with the highest high school graduation rate, with 91% of students graduating.
Alaska
93.31%
↑ 18.11%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#12
No High School Diploma Rate
6.69%
↓ 3.04%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#12
Bachelor Degree Rate
32.79%
Ranked in the US
#29
Advanced Degree Rate
11.91%
Ranked in the US
#33
Alaska is the third state with the lowest graduation rate, with 79% of students graduating high school.
Arizona
88.97%
↑ 15.55%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#38
No High School Diploma Rate
11.03%
↓ 8.84%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#38
Bachelor Degree Rate
32.43%
Ranked in the US
#31
Advanced Degree Rate
12.64%
Ranked in the US
#26
Arizona is the second state with the lowest graduation rate, also with 77% of students graduating.
Arkansas
88.67%
↓ 0.37%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#42
No High School Diploma Rate
11.33%
↓ 11.48%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#42
Bachelor Degree Rate
25.27%
Ranked in the US
#49
Advanced Degree Rate
9.37%
Ranked in the US
#50
Arkansas has a high school graduation rate of 89%.
California
84.45%
↑ 0.54%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#51
No High School Diploma Rate
15.55%
↓ 3.42%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#51
Bachelor Degree Rate
36.19%
Ranked in the US
#18
Advanced Degree Rate
14.05%
Ranked in the US
#17
California has a high school graduation rate of 84%.
Colorado
92.43%
↑ 12.72%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#17
No High School Diploma Rate
7.57%
↓ 4.18%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#17
Bachelor Degree Rate
44.42%
Ranked in the US
#5
Advanced Degree Rate
17.04%
Ranked in the US
#9
Colorado is the ninth state with the lowest graduation rate, with 82% of students graduating high school.
Connecticut
91.11%
↑ 3.53%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#28
No High School Diploma Rate
8.89%
↓ 2.31%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#28
Bachelor Degree Rate
42.13%
Ranked in the US
#7
Advanced Degree Rate
18.94%
Ranked in the US
#4
Connecticut has a high school graduation rate of 88%.
Delaware
91.36%
↑ 2.65%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#26
No High School Diploma Rate
8.64%
↓ 8.09%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#26
Bachelor Degree Rate
35.62%
Ranked in the US
#20
Advanced Degree Rate
15.05%
Ranked in the US
#14
Delaware has a high school graduation rate of 89%.
District of Columbia
92.79%
↑ 27.11%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#16
No High School Diploma Rate
7.21%
↓ 10.99%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#16
Bachelor Degree Rate
63.05%
Ranked in the US
#1
Advanced Degree Rate
37.82%
Ranked in the US
#1
The District of Columbia has a high school graduation rate of 73%.
Florida
89.79%
↓ 0.23%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#33
No High School Diploma Rate
10.21%
↓ 11.22%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#33
Bachelor Degree Rate
33.16%
Ranked in the US
#27
Advanced Degree Rate
12.55%
Ranked in the US
#27
Florida is the seventh state with the highest high school graduation rate, with 90% of students graduating.
Georgia
88.97%
↑ 5.92%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#39
No High School Diploma Rate
11.03%
↓ 9.59%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#39
Bachelor Degree Rate
34.63%
Ranked in the US
#25
Advanced Degree Rate
13.7%
Ranked in the US
#20
Georgia has a high school graduation rate of 84%.
Hawaii
92.93%
↑ 8.06%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#15
No High School Diploma Rate
7.07%
↓ 6.97%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#15
Bachelor Degree Rate
35.3%
Ranked in the US
#22
Advanced Degree Rate
13.1%
Ranked in the US
#24
Hawaii has a high school graduation rate of 86%.
Idaho
91.26%
↑ 11.29%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#27
No High School Diploma Rate
8.74%
↑ 0.46%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#27
Bachelor Degree Rate
30.72%
Ranked in the US
#37
Advanced Degree Rate
10.54%
Ranked in the US
#41
Idaho is the eighth state with the lowest graduation rate, with 82% of students graduating high school.
Illinois
90.17%
-
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#32
No High School Diploma Rate
9.83%
↓ 4.56%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#32
Bachelor Degree Rate
37.14%
Ranked in the US
#13
Advanced Degree Rate
15.01%
Ranked in the US
#15
Indiana
90.64%
↓ 0.4%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#31
No High School Diploma Rate
9.36%
↓ 12.52%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#31
Bachelor Degree Rate
28.88%
Ranked in the US
#43
Advanced Degree Rate
10.39%
Ranked in the US
#42
Indiana is the fourth state with the highest graduation rate, also with 91% of students graduating.
Iowa
93.32%
↑ 1.43%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#11
No High School Diploma Rate
6.68%
↓ 10.93%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#11
Bachelor Degree Rate
30.54%
Ranked in the US
#39
Advanced Degree Rate
9.87%
Ranked in the US
#45
Iowa is the state with the highest high school graduation rate, with 92% of students graduating.
Kansas
91.89%
↑ 4.42%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#21
No High School Diploma Rate
8.11%
↓ 6.78%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#21
Bachelor Degree Rate
35.4%
Ranked in the US
#21
Advanced Degree Rate
13.39%
Ranked in the US
#22
Kansas has a high school graduation rate of 88%.
Kentucky
87.99%
↓ 3.31%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#44
No High School Diploma Rate
12.01%
↓ 6.17%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#44
Bachelor Degree Rate
26.98%
Ranked in the US
#47
Advanced Degree Rate
11.11%
Ranked in the US
#37
Kentucky is the fifth state with the highest graduation rate, with 91% of students graduating high school.
Louisiana
86.68%
↑ 4.43%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#48
No High School Diploma Rate
13.32%
↓ 6.2%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#48
Bachelor Degree Rate
26.45%
Ranked in the US
#48
Advanced Degree Rate
9.65%
Ranked in the US
#46
Louisiana has a high school graduation rate of 83%.
Maine
94.53%
↑ 5.03%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#4
No High School Diploma Rate
5.47%
↓ 19.56%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#4
Bachelor Degree Rate
35.99%
Ranked in the US
#19
Advanced Degree Rate
13.82%
Ranked in the US
#19
Maine is the eighth state with the highest graduation rate, also with 90% of students graduating.
Maryland
91.09%
↑ 4.7%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#29
No High School Diploma Rate
8.91%
↓ 6.21%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#29
Bachelor Degree Rate
48.55%
Ranked in the US
#3
Advanced Degree Rate
24.16%
Ranked in the US
#3
Maryland has a high school graduation rate of 87%.
Massachusetts
96.1%
↑ 7.98%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#1
No High School Diploma Rate
3.9%
↓ 56.18%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#1
Bachelor Degree Rate
50.62%
Ranked in the US
#2
Advanced Degree Rate
28.27%
Ranked in the US
#2
Massachusetts has a high school graduation rate of 89%.
Michigan
91.96%
↑ 12.15%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#20
No High School Diploma Rate
8.04%
↓ 7.59%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#20
Bachelor Degree Rate
31.67%
Ranked in the US
#34
Advanced Degree Rate
12.48%
Ranked in the US
#28
Michigan is the seventh state with the lowest graduation rate, with 82% of students graduating high school.
Minnesota
94.13%
↑ 12.06%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#7
No High School Diploma Rate
5.87%
↓ 12.39%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#7
Bachelor Degree Rate
38.9%
Ranked in the US
#12
Advanced Degree Rate
13.4%
Ranked in the US
#21
Minnesota has a high school graduation rate of 84%.
Mississippi
86.49%
↓ 1.72%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#49
No High School Diploma Rate
13.51%
↓ 8.1%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#49
Bachelor Degree Rate
24.78%
Ranked in the US
#50
Advanced Degree Rate
9.35%
Ranked in the US
#51
Mississippi has a high school graduation rate of 88%.
Missouri
91.59%
↑ 1.77%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#24
No High School Diploma Rate
8.41%
↓ 10.53%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#24
Bachelor Degree Rate
31.72%
Ranked in the US
#33
Advanced Degree Rate
12.24%
Ranked in the US
#31
Missouri is the ninth state with the highest graduation rate, with 90% of students graduating high school.
Montana
94.35%
↑ 9.71%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#6
No High School Diploma Rate
5.65%
↓ 5.83%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#6
Bachelor Degree Rate
34.8%
Ranked in the US
#24
Advanced Degree Rate
12.45%
Ranked in the US
#29
Montana has a high school graduation rate of 86%.
Nebraska
92.16%
↑ 4.73%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#19
No High School Diploma Rate
7.84%
↓ 6.67%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#19
Bachelor Degree Rate
34.45%
Ranked in the US
#26
Advanced Degree Rate
12.28%
Ranked in the US
#30
Nebraska has a high school graduation rate of 88%.
Nevada
87.16%
↑ 5.01%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#47
No High School Diploma Rate
12.84%
↓ 1.23%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#47
Bachelor Degree Rate
27.57%
Ranked in the US
#45
Advanced Degree Rate
9.64%
Ranked in the US
#47
Nevada has a high school graduation rate of 83%.
New Hampshire
94.44%
↑ 7.32%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#5
No High School Diploma Rate
5.56%
↓ 17.01%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#5
Bachelor Degree Rate
40.98%
Ranked in the US
#9
Advanced Degree Rate
15.72%
Ranked in the US
#11
New Hampshire has a high school graduation rate of 88%.
New Jersey
90.98%
↓ 0.02%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#30
No High School Diploma Rate
9.02%
↓ 7.96%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#30
Bachelor Degree Rate
43.1%
Ranked in the US
#6
Advanced Degree Rate
17.4%
Ranked in the US
#8
New Jersey is the sixth state with the highest graduation rate, with 91% of students graduating high school.
New Mexico
87.48%
↑ 13.61%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#46
No High School Diploma Rate
12.52%
↓ 7.26%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#46
Bachelor Degree Rate
30.05%
Ranked in the US
#41
Advanced Degree Rate
14.08%
Ranked in the US
#16
New Mexico is the state with the lowest high school graduation rate, with 77% of students graduating.
New York
88.03%
↑ 4.8%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#43
No High School Diploma Rate
11.97%
↓ 6.48%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#43
Bachelor Degree Rate
40.9%
Ranked in the US
#11
Advanced Degree Rate
17.72%
Ranked in the US
#7
New York has a high school graduation rate of 84%.
North Carolina
89.7%
↑ 1.93%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#35
No High School Diploma Rate
10.3%
↓ 10.43%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#35
Bachelor Degree Rate
34.91%
Ranked in the US
#23
Advanced Degree Rate
13.19%
Ranked in the US
#23
North Carolina has a high school graduation rate of 88%.
North Dakota
93.62%
↑ 5.19%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#8
No High School Diploma Rate
6.38%
↓ 7.54%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#8
Bachelor Degree Rate
31.74%
Ranked in the US
#32
Advanced Degree Rate
9.38%
Ranked in the US
#49
North Dakota has a high school graduation rate of 89%.
Ohio
91.74%
↑ 9.21%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#23
No High School Diploma Rate
8.26%
↓ 10.22%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#23
Bachelor Degree Rate
30.72%
Ranked in the US
#38
Advanced Degree Rate
11.79%
Ranked in the US
#35
Ohio has a high school graduation rate of 84%.
Oklahoma
88.71%
↑ 9.52%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#41
No High School Diploma Rate
11.29%
↓ 1.83%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#41
Bachelor Degree Rate
27.92%
Ranked in the US
#44
Advanced Degree Rate
9.62%
Ranked in the US
#48
Oklahoma is the fourth state with the lowest graduation rate, with 81% of students graduating high school.
Oregon
91.87%
↑ 10.69%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#22
No High School Diploma Rate
8.13%
↓ 7.61%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#22
Bachelor Degree Rate
36.33%
Ranked in the US
#17
Advanced Degree Rate
13.88%
Ranked in the US
#18
Oregon has a high school graduation rate of 83%.
Pennsylvania
95.89%
↑ 10.22%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#2
No High School Diploma Rate
4.11%
↓ 54.33%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#2
Bachelor Degree Rate
36.54%
Ranked in the US
#15
Advanced Degree Rate
16.94%
Ranked in the US
#10
Pennsylvania has a high school graduation rate of 87%.
Rhode Island
89.14%
↑ 6.12%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#37
No High School Diploma Rate
10.86%
↑ 0.56%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#37
Bachelor Degree Rate
36.5%
Ranked in the US
#16
Advanced Degree Rate
15.61%
Ranked in the US
#12
Rhode Island has a high school graduation rate of 84%.
South Carolina
89.61%
↑ 9.28%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#36
No High School Diploma Rate
10.39%
↓ 11.2%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#36
Bachelor Degree Rate
31.53%
Ranked in the US
#36
Advanced Degree Rate
11.95%
Ranked in the US
#32
South Carolina is the sixth state with the lowest graduation rate, also with 82% of students graduating.
South Dakota
93.05%
↑ 10.77%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#14
No High School Diploma Rate
6.95%
↓ 10.9%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#14
Bachelor Degree Rate
31.67%
Ranked in the US
#35
Advanced Degree Rate
10.11%
Ranked in the US
#43
South Dakota has a high school graduation rate of 84%.
Tennessee
89.74%
↓ 0.29%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#34
No High School Diploma Rate
10.26%
↓ 13.05%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#34
Bachelor Degree Rate
30.48%
Ranked in the US
#40
Advanced Degree Rate
11.28%
Ranked in the US
#36
Tennessee is the tenth state with the highest graduation rate, with 90% of students graduating high school.
Texas
85.39%
-
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#50
No High School Diploma Rate
14.61%
↓ 6.35%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#50
Bachelor Degree Rate
33.12%
Ranked in the US
#28
Advanced Degree Rate
11.9%
Ranked in the US
#34
Utah
93.17%
↑ 5.88%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#13
No High School Diploma Rate
6.83%
↓ 2.43%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#13
Bachelor Degree Rate
36.81%
Ranked in the US
#14
Advanced Degree Rate
12.69%
Ranked in the US
#25
Utah has a high school graduation rate of 88%.
Vermont
94.55%
↑ 13.92%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#3
No High School Diploma Rate
5.45%
↓ 16.15%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#3
Bachelor Degree Rate
44.44%
Ranked in the US
#4
Advanced Degree Rate
18.42%
Ranked in the US
#5
Vermont has a high school graduation rate of 83%.
Virginia
91.38%
↑ 2.67%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#25
No High School Diploma Rate
8.62%
↓ 11.13%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#25
Bachelor Degree Rate
41.81%
Ranked in the US
#8
Advanced Degree Rate
18.33%
Ranked in the US
#6
Virginia has a high school graduation rate of 89%.
Washington
92.35%
↑ 11.27%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#18
No High School Diploma Rate
7.65%
↓ 7.83%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#18
Bachelor Degree Rate
40.97%
Ranked in the US
#10
Advanced Degree Rate
15.13%
Ranked in the US
#13
Washington, with a graduation rate of 83%, ranks as the tenth state with the lowest graduation rate.
West Virginia
88.82%
↓ 3.46%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#40
No High School Diploma Rate
11.18%
↓ 9.84%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#40
Bachelor Degree Rate
24.12%
Ranked in the US
#51
Advanced Degree Rate
9.94%
Ranked in the US
#44
West Virginia is the second state with the highest graduation rate, also with 92% of students graduating.
Wisconsin
93.33%
↑ 3.7%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#10
No High School Diploma Rate
6.67%
↓ 9.86%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#10
Bachelor Degree Rate
32.54%
Ranked in the US
#30
Advanced Degree Rate
11.04%
Ranked in the US
#38
Wisconsin has a high school graduation rate of 90%.
Wyoming
93.59%
↑ 14.13%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#9
No High School Diploma Rate
6.41%
↑ 0.16%
Vs 2020
Ranked in the US
#9
Bachelor Degree Rate
29.24%
Ranked in the US
#42
Advanced Degree Rate
10.72%
Ranked in the US
#40
Wyoming is the fifth state with the lowest high school graduation rate, with 82% of students graduating.
Need to survey a highly targeted audience?
Talk to our Experts