Higher Education in the United States

According to the 2000 Census Decennial, the Counties (or Parishes) in the United States range, in terms of percent of population (over 25) with a Bachelors Degree or Higher, from a high of 63.8 percent in Falls Church city, Virginia to a low of 4.8 percent in Aleutians East Borough, Alaska.

The ten most highly-educated Counties (or Parishes) in United States
Percent of the population (over 25) holding a bachelors degree or higher

1. Falls Church city, Virginia (63.8 percent)
2. Los Alamos County, New Mexico (60.4 percent)
3. Arlington County, Virginia (60.2 percent)
4. Pitkin County, Colorado (57.2 percent)
5. Fairfax County, Virginia (54.8 percent)
6. Montgomery County, Maryland (54.6 percent)
7. Alexandria city, Virginia (54.4 percent)
8. Howard County, Maryland (53 percent)
9. Boulder County, Colorado (52.4 percent)
10. Douglas County, Colorado (51.8 percent)


In 2005, the American Community Survey reported that in the United States, a high proportion of the male population have reached the High School Diploma category, with 29 percent obtaining this level of education. The women in the United States have attainment on average a lower level of higher education (Bachelors or Higher) than the men in the area: 28.4 percent (Men) versus 26 percent (Women). The most common level of education for women in the area is High School Diploma category, with 30 percent of the women population in the US achieving this level of education.

From the year 2000, the United States has increased in the percent of the population that is over the age of 25 with a BA or Higher. This population cohort has grown by 2.8 percent to a total of 27.2 percent in 2005, according to the American Community Survey.

According to the 2005 American Community Survey, the Metro Areas in the United States range, in terms of percent of population (over 25) with a Bachelors Degree or Higher, from a high of 57.6 percent in Boulder, CO to a low of 10.8 percent in Hanford-Corcoran, CA.

The ten most highly-educated Metro Areas in United States
Percent of the population (over 25) holding a bachelors degree or higher

1. Boulder, CO (57.6 percent)
2. Ithaca, NY (53 percent)
3. Ann Arbor, MI (52.4 percent)
4. Ames, IA (48.2 percent)
5. Lawrence, KS (47.2 percent)
6. Columbia, MO (46.4 percent)
7. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (46 percent)
8. Corvallis, OR (45.4 percent)
9. Iowa City, IA (45.2 percent)
10. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (43.8 percent)


United States has a less-educated population, with 27.2 percent of the population (+25) having received a BA or higher, as reported in 2005.

From 2000 to 2005, the percent of the male population that can be considered highly educated has increased by 2.4 percent. By 2005, 28.4 percent of area's male population (+25) achieved a BA or Higher. During the same period, the percent of women (+25) that have earned a BA or higher has increased by a total of 3.2 percent. By the year 2005, a total of 26 percent of the women in the population had received a Bachelors Degree or Higher.

Datasource: U.S. Bureau of the Census. 2000 Decennial Census. 2005 American Community Survey.