In the United States of America education is governed by the federal government, under the US department of education. An equality of access of the education is experienced in the entire country. Despite this, some states of the United States are more educated as compared to the others. This difference arises due to different poverty rates in all the states. Difference in median income of citizens also results in some states being more educated than the rest of them. Let’s review the best and worst educated states of the US now.
The best or most educated states are those where level median income is high. Minnesota, with a median household income of around $56,954, has a percentage of people owning Bachelor’s degree of 32.4%. Median household income of New York is about $55,246 and %age of citizens with Bachelor’s degree is 32.9%. Going up the list is New Hampshire with median income of $62,647 and Bachelor’s degree percentage of 33.4%. Then there is Virginia. Although it is one of the most educated states, with 35.1% of its population holding degrees, it still faces problem in graduating people from high school. New Jersey is considered to be one of the most well-to-do states with the third highest median income and 35.3% of its citizens holding Bachelor’s degree or higher. In Vermont 35.4% of adult residents possess a college degree. Connecticut has a median household income of about $65,753 and 36.2% of its residents are with Bachelor’s degree or some higher degree. Colorado is among the three most educated states of US. Percentage of residents owning a Bachelor’s degree or higher is 36.7%. On number two is Maryland having a median household income of $70,004 and 36.9% of people with Bachelor’s degree. Massachusetts is on the first spot with 39.1% of its population holding Bachelor’s degree or higher.
There also exist some states that are considered to be least educated in the US. Oklahoma is one such state in which less than one third of the adults have an associate’s degree or higher. Only 23.8% living in this state hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher. Then there’s Tennessee where median income of an adult with an advanced degree is significantly higher than a college or high school dropouts. People owning a Bachelor’s or higher degree in this state are about 23.6%. Moreover, there is fine availability of education in Indiana but still only 23% of its populations own a Bachelor’s degree. Although percentage who graduated high school is quite here, but that is the end of education for most of the citizens which results in Indiana being listed as one of the least educated states of the US. Another state Nevada has 29.7% of its residents holding an associate’s degree but percentage of Bachelor’s degree holders drop down to only 22.5%. Furthermore, there is Alabama that has the nation’s worst high school attainment rates. Among adults of age 25 years or older, 17.3% do not have a high school diploma which is like the fifth worst percentage in the US. And only 22.3% of Alabama’s people hold a Bachelor’s degree. Louisiana with only 82.5% and Kentucky with only 83.1% of high school diploma holders has also made it to list of least educated states of the US. Let’s review the 3 least educated states now. Third one is Arkansas with only 20.3% of Bachelor’s degree holders. Mississippi is on the second spot with only 19.8% of citizens having a higher education. Lastly there is West Virginia where percentage of people with a bachelor’s degree is as low as 18.5%, making it the least educated state of the US.