Most & Least Educated Cities in America

Adam McCann, Financial WriterJul 20, 2020

Adam McCann, Financial Writer
Jul 20, 2020

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 current COVID-19 crisis and its impact on schooling.

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. Read on for our findings, expert insight from a panel of researchers and a full description of our methodology.

Table of Contents

Main Findings Ask the Experts Methodology

Main Findings

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Most Educated Cities

Overall Rank (1 = Most Educated)	MSA	Total Score	‘Educational Attainment’ Rank	‘Quality of Education & Attainment Gap’ Rank
1	Ann Arbor, MI	94.23	1	1
2	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	81.90	3	4
3	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	81.70	2	32
4	Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	79.72	7	6
5	San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA	79.48	5	21
6	Madison, WI	78.48	4	72
7	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	76.29	6	97
8	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	73.76	10	16
9	Austin-Round Rock, TX	72.94	16	3
10	Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT	71.91	8	146
11	Colorado Springs, CO	71.22	14	22
12	Raleigh, NC	70.96	9	136
13	Provo-Orem, UT	70.77	15	42
14	Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO	69.45	11	76
15	Trenton, NJ	69.20	13	98
16	Portland-South Portland, ME	69.02	17	36
17	Tallahassee, FL	68.97	21	8
18	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	67.96	19	52
19	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	67.41	12	112
20	San Diego-Carlsbad, CA	67.15	26	2
21	Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	65.14	20	114
22	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	65.06	18	122
23	Lansing-East Lansing, MI	64.74	23	57
24	Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	64.20	22	113
25	Lexington-Fayette, KY	64.07	25	25
26	New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	63.19	30	19
27	Huntsville, AL	63.08	24	69
28	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	62.16	29	44
29	Urban Honolulu, HI	61.31	46	9
30	Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI	60.99	31	49
31	Santa Rosa, CA	59.99	39	46
32	Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA	59.91	35	71
33	Kansas City, MO-KS	59.77	28	115
34	Eugene, OR	59.58	56	11
35	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	59.48	33	88
36	Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC	59.43	49	20
37	Asheville, NC	59.37	41	61
38	Richmond, VA	59.16	38	68
39	Pittsburgh, PA	59.00	44	51
40	Salt Lake City, UT	58.99	43	56
41	Rochester, NY	58.56	32	118
42	St. Louis, MO-IL	58.42	36	121
43	Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	58.20	52	37
44	Columbus, OH	58.10	40	110
45	New Haven-Milford, CT	58.00	37	125
46	Manchester-Nashua, NH	57.98	27	147
47	Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	57.96	34	129
48	Anchorage, AK	57.79	42	90
49	Albuquerque, NM	57.75	53	40
50	Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA	57.68	55	38
51	Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL	57.21	54	58
52	Charleston-North Charleston, SC	56.82	47	109
53	Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	56.61	62	29
54	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	56.49	61	34
55	Boise City, ID	56.45	67	18
56	Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI	56.12	45	137
57	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	56.12	60	67
58	Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY	55.74	48	124
59	Worcester, MA-CT	55.71	50	106
60	Reno, NV	55.26	75	17
61	Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	54.78	78	14
62	Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	54.71	81	12
63	Tucson, AZ	54.26	51	134
64	Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI	54.24	64	74
65	Syracuse, NY	53.98	58	132
66	Columbia, SC	53.55	65	94
67	North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL	53.45	57	144
68	Dayton, OH	53.44	69	85
69	Springfield, MA	53.05	73	73
70	Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN	52.99	63	107
71	Akron, OH	52.94	72	84
72	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	52.76	76	55
73	Jacksonville, FL	52.45	80	62
74	Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	52.44	74	87
75	Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	52.41	79	64
76	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	51.94	93	10
77	Savannah, GA	51.93	68	123
78	Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL	51.85	70	127
79	Ogden-Clearfield, UT	51.82	59	150
80	Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ	51.50	82	77
81	Oklahoma City, OK	51.43	86	45
82	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	51.35	66	140
83	Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO	51.04	100	5
84	Cleveland-Elyria, OH	50.77	71	139
85	Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	50.41	83	102
86	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	50.36	90	48
87	Peoria, IL	49.89	85	91
88	Birmingham-Hoover, AL	49.83	91	63
89	Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	49.82	94	33
90	Wichita, KS	49.62	77	131
91	Jackson, MS	49.40	84	128
92	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	49.22	98	24
93	Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	48.96	87	101
94	Springfield, MO	48.93	95	54
95	Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	48.67	88	108
96	Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL	48.64	89	111
97	Greensboro-High Point, NC	48.62	103	23
98	Toledo, OH	48.23	92	89
99	Knoxville, TN	48.05	97	50
100	Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC	47.66	108	27
101	Fayetteville, NC	47.65	104	39
102	New Orleans-Metairie, LA	47.10	99	78
103	Montgomery, AL	46.62	101	93
104	Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	46.59	102	83
105	Fort Wayne, IN	46.49	106	66
106	Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC	46.04	113	28
107	Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL	45.83	107	80
108	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	45.69	114	26
109	Tulsa, OK	44.88	110	86
110	Memphis, TN-MS-AR	44.75	105	116
111	Killeen-Temple, TX	43.82	111	103
112	Baton Rouge, LA	43.54	115	79
113	Winston-Salem, NC	43.50	119	41
114	Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL	42.70	96	149
115	Salem, OR	42.17	121	60
116	Vallejo-Fairfield, CA	42.16	109	142
117	Chattanooga, TN-GA	42.13	116	96
118	Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL	41.99	117	105
119	Salisbury, MD-DE	41.74	112	141
120	Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV	41.03	127	30
121	Canton-Massillon, OH	40.94	124	43
122	Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC	40.67	120	117
123	Flint, MI	39.75	123	120
124	Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA	39.20	122	135
125	Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS	39.02	125	100
126	York-Hanover, PA	38.95	129	53
127	Port St. Lucie, FL	38.68	118	145
128	Lancaster, PA	38.30	128	75
129	Rockford, IL	37.84	126	126
130	Mobile, AL	37.60	132	35
131	Shreveport-Bossier City, LA	36.92	130	99
132	Reading, PA	36.20	131	92
133	Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA	35.98	133	65
134	Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH	34.34	134	70
135	El Paso, TX	33.57	139	15
136	Lafayette, LA	33.43	140	13
137	Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	32.26	135	81
138	Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL	31.62	138	59
139	Corpus Christi, TX	31.09	137	104
140	Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX	28.84	141	82
141	Fresno, CA	28.79	144	31
142	Salinas, CA	27.49	142	119
143	Ocala, FL	27.18	136	148
144	Stockton-Lodi, CA	25.42	145	95
145	Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	25.00	143	143
146	Modesto, CA	21.68	146	130
147	Bakersfield, CA	16.42	147	133
148	McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX	13.83	150	7
149	Brownsville-Harlingen, TX	11.40	149	47
150	Visalia-Porterville, CA	10.74	148	138

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

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 steps can local governments take to ensure that learning remains uninterrupted during the current COVID-19 pandemic?
What measures can be taken to mitigate the short- and long-term impact of school closures?
How can the U.S. reform its immigration policy in order to attract and retain highly educated workers from abroad?

Ask the Experts

: Vonzell Agosto
Ph.D. – Associate Professor in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Affiliate Faculty in Women and Gender Studies, and Affiliate Faculty in Educational Measurement and Research, College of Education, University of South Florida
Read More

: A.J. Angulo
Ed.D. – Professor, Program Coordinator M.Ed., College of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell
Read More

: Gary W. Houchens
Ph.D. – Professor of Educational Administration, School of Leadership and Professional Studies, Western Kentucky University
Read More

: Ronald W. Marx
Ph.D. – Professor of Educational Psychology, Dean Emeritus, College of Education, University of Arizona
Read More

: James Hoopes
Ph.D. – Professor, Murata Professor of Ethics in Business, Babson College
Read More

: Ken Schneck
Ph.D. – Professor of Education, Director – Leadership in Higher Education Program, Baldwin Wallace University
Read More

More Experts

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 Years & Older with a High School Diploma or Higher: Full Weight (~20.00 Points)
Share of Adults Aged 25 Years & Older with at Least Some College Experience or an Associate's Degree or Higher: Full Weight (~20.00 Points)
Share of Adults Aged 25 Years & Older with a Bachelor's Degree or Higher: Full Weight (~20.00 Points)
Share of Adults Aged 25 Years & 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 1,003 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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