2021’s Most & Least Educated Cities in America

Adam McCann, Financial WriterJul 19, 2021

Adam McCann, Financial Writer
Jul 19, 2021

Cities want to attract highly educated workers to fuel their economic growth and tax revenues. Higher levels of education tend to lead to higher salaries. Plus, the more that graduates earn, the more tax dollars they contribute over time, according to the Economic Policy Institute. In turn, educated people want to live somewhere where they will get a good return on their educational investment. People also tend to marry others of the same educational level, which means that cities that already have a large educated population may be more attractive to people with degrees.

Not all highly educated people will flock to the same areas, though. Some may prefer to have many people with similar education levels around them for socializing and career connections. Others may want to be a big fish in a little pond. Not every city will provide the same quality of life to those with higher education, either. In addition, the most educated cities could shift in the near future depending on how well cities deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact it has had on schooling. In fact, more than 97% of educators report seeing learning loss among their students due to the pandemic.

To determine where the most educated Americans are putting their degrees to work, WalletHub compared the 150 largest metropolitan statistical areas, or MSAs, across 11 key metrics. Our data set ranges from the share of adults aged 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher to the quality of the public-school system to the gender education gap.

Table of Contents

Main Findings Ask the Experts Methodology

Main Findings

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Most Educated Cities

Overall Rank*	MSA	Total Score	Educational Attainment	Quality of Education & Attainment Gap
1	Ann Arbor, MI	94.02	1	1
2	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	82.60	4	4
3	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	82.06	2	24
4	San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA	80.74	5	17
5	Madison, WI	80.06	3	49
6	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	78.80	6	38
7	Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	77.31	9	5
8	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	75.28	10	14
9	Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX	72.54	15	11
10	Provo-Orem, UT	72.48	14	22
11	Raleigh-Cary, NC	72.33	8	133
12	Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT	72.27	7	146
13	Colorado Springs, CO	71.62	12	31
14	Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO	70.53	11	85
15	Trenton-Princeton, NJ	69.69	16	77
16	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	69.63	19	43
17	Portland-South Portland, ME	69.36	17	71
18	Tallahassee, FL	68.93	22	9
19	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	67.90	13	120
20	San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	67.37	25	3
21	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	66.58	18	116
22	Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	66.24	20	91
23	Lexington-Fayette, KY	64.87	24	35
24	Huntsville, AL	64.86	23	60
25	New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	64.69	28	16
26	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA	64.65	29	18
27	Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT	64.14	21	128
28	Urban Honolulu, HI	62.13	46	7
29	Lansing-East Lansing, MI	61.67	35	41
30	Asheville, NC	61.38	43	25
31	Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	61.34	37	52
32	Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI	61.17	32	67
33	Pittsburgh, PA	60.91	38	40
34	Manchester-Nashua, NH	60.69	26	132
35	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	60.59	31	90
36	Eugene-Springfield, OR	60.54	49	19
37	Richmond, VA	60.34	34	80
38	Kansas City, MO-KS	60.27	27	121
39	Rochester, NY	60.21	30	111
40	Salt Lake City, UT	60.18	41	50
41	Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA	60.18	36	82
42	Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC	59.55	53	21
43	New Haven-Milford, CT	58.97	39	105
44	Columbus, OH	58.76	40	107
45	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	58.53	50	59
46	Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	58.53	52	46
47	Naples-Marco Island, FL	58.51	54	42
48	St. Louis, MO-IL	58.49	33	138
49	Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	58.12	57	37
50	Tucson, AZ	58.05	55	48
51	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	57.73	61	28
52	Albuquerque, NM	57.45	59	47
53	Worcester, MA-CT	57.29	51	88
54	Anchorage, AK	57.03	42	129
55	Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	56.79	44	123
56	Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	56.75	45	130
57	Charleston-North Charleston, SC	56.69	48	118
58	Boise City, ID	56.44	68	29
59	Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	56.02	62	64
60	Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	55.63	47	135
61	Syracuse, NY	55.55	58	115
62	Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	55.53	78	15
63	Springfield, MA	55.27	64	61
64	Reno, NV	55.12	76	26
65	Columbia, SC	55.04	63	81
66	Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	54.96	83	8
67	North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL	54.66	56	143
68	Dayton-Kettering, OH	54.58	70	68
69	Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR	54.43	89	2
70	Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI	54.41	69	79
71	Jacksonville, FL	54.08	75	54
72	Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	53.73	73	75
73	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	53.73	77	55
74	Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN	53.67	65	106
75	Akron, OH	53.20	74	99
76	Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL	53.11	67	125
77	Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	52.64	81	62
78	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	52.54	66	134
79	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL	52.36	93	10
80	Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	52.27	82	70
81	Birmingham-Hoover, AL	51.72	80	97
82	Savannah, GA	51.70	72	127
83	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	51.39	88	45
84	Oklahoma City, OK	51.29	87	51
85	Cleveland-Elyria, OH	51.27	71	141
86	Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	51.22	84	92
87	Ogden-Clearfield, UT	50.89	60	150
88	Wichita, KS	50.64	79	124
89	Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	50.63	86	94
90	Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	50.40	85	104
91	Knoxville, TN	50.26	91	56
92	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	50.25	99	23
93	Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	50.24	95	36
94	Peoria, IL	49.33	94	69
95	Springfield, MO	48.90	96	72
96	Jackson, MS	48.67	90	108
97	Greensboro-High Point, NC	48.43	106	30
98	Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL	48.42	92	109
99	Greenville-Anderson, SC	48.23	103	53
100	Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	47.94	98	89
101	Montgomery, AL	47.78	97	103
102	New Orleans-Metairie, LA	47.55	100	86
103	Toledo, OH	47.36	102	96
104	Fort Wayne, IN	46.94	105	76
105	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	46.31	113	27
106	Memphis, TN-MS-AR	46.16	104	112
107	Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC	46.04	112	44
108	Tulsa, OK	45.84	109	95
109	Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL	45.80	108	101
110	Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL	45.64	101	140
111	Winston-Salem, NC	45.36	119	20
112	Fayetteville, NC	45.26	114	39
113	Killeen-Temple, TX	43.90	111	117
114	Chattanooga, TN-GA	43.83	115	78
115	Baton Rouge, LA	43.76	118	63
116	Salem, OR	43.22	120	58
117	Salisbury, MD-DE	42.91	110	142
118	Port St. Lucie, FL	42.82	116	102
119	Vallejo, CA	42.17	107	147
120	Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV	41.62	124	32
121	Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC	40.86	121	119
122	Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA	40.07	122	122
123	Flint, MI	39.81	123	126
124	Canton-Massillon, OH	39.80	126	65
125	Gulfport-Biloxi, MS	39.22	125	100
126	Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL	39.19	117	148
127	Shreveport-Bossier City, LA	38.92	129	87
128	York-Hanover, PA	38.73	128	98
129	Lancaster, PA	38.69	130	84
130	Rockford, IL	37.10	127	131
131	Mobile, AL	36.59	133	33
132	Reading, PA	36.26	131	110
133	Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA	35.73	132	83
134	Lafayette, LA	35.22	140	6
135	El Paso, TX	34.58	139	13
136	Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH	34.05	134	73
137	Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	33.23	136	74
138	Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL	32.22	137	57
139	Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX	29.60	141	93
140	Fresno, CA	29.14	144	34
141	Corpus Christi, TX	28.99	138	137
142	Ocala, FL	28.63	135	149
143	Salinas, CA	27.88	143	113
144	Stockton, CA	26.17	145	66
145	Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	25.39	142	144
146	Modesto, CA	20.41	146	139
147	Bakersfield, CA	15.81	147	136
148	McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX	14.14	150	12
149	Brownsville-Harlingen, TX	10.10	149	114
150	Visalia, CA	9.93	148	145

Note: *1 = Most Educated
With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that MSA, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.

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Note: For readability purposes, the above chart displays only 50 metro areas from a total sample of 150.

artwork 2021 most educated cities

Ask the Experts

Research shows that a skilled and educated workforce provides a significant boost to the economy. For strategies aimed at increasing a city’s brainpower and the best approaches to educational development, we asked a panel of experts to share their thoughts on the following key questions:

Should local authorities target policies and programs to attract highly educated people? If so, what works?
Are highly educated cities better able to withstand economic shocks?
In your opinion, what is the most important step we can take as a country to develop a more educated and skilled workforce?
What will be the short- and longer-term impact of school closures during the pandemic?
How can the U.S. reform its immigration policy in order to attract and retain highly educated workers from abroad?

Ask the Experts

: Jennifer L. Steele
Ed.D. – Associate Professor, School of Education; Affiliate Faculty, Department of Public Administration and Policy – American University
Read More

: Richard H Bauscher
Ed.D. – Clinical Associate Professor, Leadership and Counseling, College of Education, Health and Human Sciences – University of Idaho
Read More

: Edmund Adjapong
Ph.D. – Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Studies; Program Director, Secondary Education, College of Education and Human Services – Seton Hall University and Faculty Fellow, Institute For Urban and Minority Education at Teachers College – Columbia University
Read More

: Ann Marcus
Professor and Director, The Steinhardt Institute for Higher Education Policy – New York University
Read More

: William Schmidt
University Distinguished Professor; Director, Center for the Study of Curriculum Policy – Michigan State University
Read More

Methodology

To identify the most and least educated cities in America, WalletHub compared the 150 most populated U.S. metropolitan statistical areas, or MSAs, across two key dimensions, including “Educational Attainment” and “Quality of Education & Attainment Gap.”

We evaluated those dimensions using 11 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the highest educational attainment and quality of education. For metrics marked with two asterisks (**), we used the square root of the population to calculate the population size in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across cities.

Finally, we determined each metro area’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.

Educational Attainment - Total Points: 80

Share of Adults Aged 25 & Older with a High School Diploma or Higher: Full Weight (~20.00 Points)
Share of Adults Aged 25 & Older with at Least Some College Experience or an Associate's Degree or Higher: Full Weight (~20.00 Points)
Share of Adults Aged 25 & Older with a Bachelor's Degree or Higher: Full Weight (~20.00 Points)
Share of Adults Aged 25 & Older with a Graduate or Professional Degree: Full Weight (~20.00 Points)

Quality of Education & Attainment Gap - Total Points: 20

- Quality of Public School System: Double Weight (~4.44 Points)
  Note: This metric is based on GreatSchools.org’s ratings of U.S. public schools.
- Average Quality of Universities: Double Weight (~4.44 Points)
  Note: This metric is based on WalletHub “College & University” rankings report.
- Enrolled Students in Top 1,009 Universities per Capita: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
  Note: This metric is based on WalletHub “College & University” rankings report.
- Number of Summer Learning Opportunities per Capita**: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
- Racial Education Gap*: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
  Note: This metric specifically measures the difference between the percentage of black bachelor’s degree holders and the percentage of their white counterparts.
- Gender Education Gap*: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
  Note: This metric specifically measures the difference between the percentage of female bachelor’s degree holders and the percentage of their male counterparts.
- Education Equality Index Score: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
  Note: The Education Equality Index (EEI) is a comparative measure of the achievement gap between students from low-income families, as measured by participation in the free and reduced price lunch program, and their more advantaged peers. The EEI compares the proportion of students from low-income families who are proficient on a state assessment to all students across the state who took that same grade or subject level assessment.

*Additional context: In metro areas where women have an advantage over men and black people have an advantage over white people, we gave extra credit compared to the metro areas with no gender-based/racial inequality.

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, GreatSchools.org, Education Cities.org, Yelp and WalletHub research.

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