Even before hundreds of thousands of students deferred college as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, enrollment in higher education in the U.S. had declined 11%, from 20.5 million in 2011 to 18.2 million in 2019. Reasons for this decline include rising tuition and a record-low streak of unemployment that encouraged would-be college students to enter the workforce instead. (This is the cost of college the year you were born.)
This decline came despite the fact college graduates typically earn higher wages. The median annual income for a full-time worker without a college education is $30,000, or $22,000 less than a full-time worker with a bachelor’s degree, according to recent data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Nationwide, 32.9% of the 25 and older population have a bachelor’s degree or higher, but the bachelor’s degree attainment rate varies considerably nationwide.
To find the most educated cities in the country, 24/7 Wall St. ranked metropolitan areas by the percentage of the 25 and older residents who have a bachelor’s degree or higher. Educational attainment rates, median household income, and population data are five-year estimates for 2020 and came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 American Community Survey. April 2022 unemployment rates came from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
So where are the most educated metropolitan areas in the United States? They tend to be centered around universities, but not all of them have large populations. One of the most educated cities in the country is Corvallis, Oregon. The metro, home to Oregon State University, has a population of just 95,184. Ten of the most educated cities in the country have populations of fewer than 200,000.
The share of adults over the age of 25 holding at least a bachelor’s degree in the metropolitan areas on the list ranges from 39% in Tallahassee, Florida, to 63% in Boulder, Colorado. California is home to four cities on the list, the most of any state. (Find out if any of these metros are among the cities where a college education pays off the most.)
Though 15 metro areas on the list have a median household income below the comparable national figure of $64,994, the rest have median incomes above the national median. In six metro areas, the median annual household income is above $90,000, including Boston, Bridgeport, and Washington D.C.
The unemployment rate in 13 of these 50 most-educated cities is above the national unemployment rate of 3.6% in April 2022, the most recent estimates for metro areas. The rest of the metros have a lower unemployment rate.
At least 15 states do not have cities that are among the 50 most educated, including Ohio, the country’s seventh largest state by population. Two other high-population states that did not make the list are Arizona and Tennessee.
Here is the most-educated city in the country
50. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 39.0%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 15.4%
> Median household income: $74,621
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 4.4%
> Population: 9,618,502
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49. Tallahassee, FL
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 39.0%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 16.4%
> Median household income: $53,423
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 3.0%
> Population: 384,298
48. Fargo, ND-MN
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 39.1%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 12.0%
> Median household income: $65,995
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 2.0%
> Population: 249,843
47. Lincoln, NE
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 39.3%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 14.6%
> Median household income: $62,883
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 1.9%
> Population: 340,217
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46. Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 39.3%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 16.1%
> Median household income: $67,723
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 3.1%
> Population: 215,908
45. Wilmington, NC
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 39.4%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 13.4%
> Median household income: $57,488
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 3.1%
> Population: 285,905
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44. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 39.5%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 15.0%
> Median household income: $71,193
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 3.1%
> Population: 6,089,815
43. San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 39.5%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 15.3%
> Median household income: $82,426
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 3.9%
> Population: 3,298,634
42. Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 39.6%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 17.2%
> Median household income: $78,631
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 4.3%
> Population: 1,213,531
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41. Huntsville, AL
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 39.8%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 15.0%
> Median household income: $66,450
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 2.1%
> Population: 491,723
40. Kalamazoo-Portage, MI
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 39.8%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 15.7%
> Median household income: $58,836
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 4.0%
> Population: 261,670
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39. Athens-Clarke County, GA
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 40.1%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 20.3%
> Median household income: $49,503
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 2.8%
> Population: 215,415
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38. Rochester, MN
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 40.3%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 16.3%
> Median household income: $76,787
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 1.9%
> Population: 226,329
37. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 40.4%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 15.2%
> Median household income: $77,511
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 3.7%
> Population: 2,512,859
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36. Provo-Orem, UT
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 40.7%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 12.5%
> Median household income: $76,864
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 1.8%
> Population: 671,185
35. Bloomington, IN
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 40.7%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 19.4%
> Median household income: $52,226
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 2.0%
> Population: 161,039
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34. Santa Fe, NM
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 40.7%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 20.1%
> Median household income: $60,668
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 4.5%
> Population: 154,823
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33. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 41.0%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 18.4%
> Median household income: $83,811
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 4.2%
> Population: 2,844,510
32. Portland-South Portland, ME
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 41.2%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 15.8%
> Median household income: $72,552
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 3.0%
> Population: 551,740
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31. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 41.4%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 17.5%
> Median household income: $81,951
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 4.8%
> Population: 20,140,470
30. Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 41.8%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 17.4%
> Median household income: $89,986
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 4.4%
> Population: 270,861
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29. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 42.7%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 14.8%
> Median household income: $82,887
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 2.2%
> Population: 3,690,261
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28. Trenton-Princeton, NJ
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 43.5%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 20.4%
> Median household income: $83,306
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 3.4%
> Population: 387,340
27. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 43.6%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 16.8%
> Median household income: $90,790
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 3.4%
> Population: 4,018,762
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26. Champaign-Urbana, IL
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 43.7%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 22.7%
> Median household income: $54,897
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 3.9%
> Population: 222,538
25. Missoula, MT
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 44.2%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 16.5%
> Median household income: $56,247
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 2.5%
> Population: 117,922
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24. Columbia, MO
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 44.3%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 19.1%
> Median household income: $57,980
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 2.5%
> Population: 210,864
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23. Bloomington, IL
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 44.6%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 15.2%
> Median household income: $68,037
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 3.7%
> Population: 170,954
22. Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 44.7%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 16.3%
> Median household income: $83,289
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 3.6%
> Population: 2,963,821
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21. Ames, IA
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 44.9%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 18.1%
> Median household income: $60,442
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 2.3%
> Population: 125,252
20. Barnstable Town, MA
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 45.0%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 20.1%
> Median household income: $76,863
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 4.5%
> Population: 228,996
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19. State College, PA
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 45.8%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 22.2%
> Median household income: $61,921
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 3.4%
> Population: 158,172
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18. Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 46.0%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 16.6%
> Median household income: $80,852
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 3.0%
> Population: 2,283,371
17. Burlington-South Burlington, VT
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 46.2%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 18.6%
> Median household income: $73,447
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 2.0%
> Population: 225,562
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16. Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 46.4%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 22.8%
> Median household income: $64,745
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 3.0%
> Population: 649,903
15. Madison, WI
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 47.1%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 18.6%
> Median household income: $73,807
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 2.2%
> Population: 680,796
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14. Fort Collins, CO
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 47.7%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 19.6%
> Median household income: $76,366
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 3.0%
> Population: 359,066
13. Raleigh-Cary, NC
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 47.8%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 17.8%
> Median household income: $78,706
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 3.0%
> Population: 1,413,982
12. Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 48.9%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 21.8%
> Median household income: $97,539
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 4.4%
> Population: 957,419
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11. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 48.9%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 22.3%
> Median household income: $93,537
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 3.6%
> Population: 4,941,632
10. Iowa City, IA
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 49.7%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 22.5%
> Median household income: $63,131
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 2.7%
> Population: 175,419
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9. Charlottesville, VA
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 50.3%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 23.9%
> Median household income: $75,176
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 2.6%
> Population: 221,524
8. San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 50.7%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 20.9%
> Median household income: $110,837
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 3.3%
> Population: 4,749,008
7. Lawrence, KS
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 51.2%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 23.4%
> Median household income: $61,020
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 2.4%
> Population: 118,785
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6. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 51.7%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 25.6%
> Median household income: $106,415
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 3.6%
> Population: 6,385,162
5. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 52.5%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 25.0%
> Median household income: $129,343
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 2.8%
> Population: 2,000,468
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4. Ithaca, NY
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 53.1%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 29.6%
> Median household income: $61,361
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 2.7%
> Population: 105,740
3. Corvallis, OR
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 53.3%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 24.0%
> Median household income: $65,142
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 2.9%
> Population: 95,184
2. Ann Arbor, MI
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 56.7%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 30.0%
> Median household income: $75,730
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 3.4%
> Population: 372,258
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1. Boulder, CO
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 63.0%
> Adults with a graduate or professional degree: 28.4%
> Median household income: $87,476
> Unemployment rate April, 2022: 2.8%
> Population: 330,758
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