All 50 U.S. States and Where Their Education Ranks

Would you agree that the U.S.A. is quite large? 50 states make up this great body of land and although they are all part of the same red, white, and blue cloth, they have many differences. Their education system is no exception. In some states, people hold degrees by numbers while others have barely managed to earn a high school diploma. 

To our surprise and maybe yours too, West Virginia ranks second worst in education. Teachers and students both face various challenges in this state. Educational professionals receive some of the worst salaries and can’t afford to make ends meet. Their struggle and stress make for some really struggling students as well.

If someone asked you to guess what state was ranked the least educated would you have guessed right? Mississippi may be most known as that one state where no one can remember how many of each letter it includes or in what order. If you spell it out loud, a challenge in itself, it almost sounds like a cheer.

Louisiana comes in at number 48th on this list. Not only is it ranked low in education but it is considered one of the most dangerous places to go to school. Not something you want to be top-ranked in, for sure. 

There are several U.S. states that are ranked surprisingly low on this list and the reasons for this low education rankings are varied quite considerably. Some may be because of safety, some may be because teachers aren’t being paid enough, or something else entirely, like opportunities or low income. 

It was the best and worst of times as the line goes. Education matters in Alabama have progressed for the worse. This state is ranked as of the present number 46th in the worst education.

Oklahoma isn’t the best place if you’re looking to get a good education. This state lacks funding and an even lower graduation rate from both high school and university.

As the song goes, “started from the bottom now we’re here.” This is the first state that kicks off the bottom ten of this list. This state used to be among the last but although it is a slow journey to progress things seem to be looking up.

Unlike the other low-ranked states on our list, Kentucky does not have as big of a par in education in comparison to various societies within the state. Men and women and different ethnicities have an overall similar level of education.

The state of New Mexico does not only rank low in the education department but also in many other areas as well, such as healthcare.

When it comes to the quality of education, Texas is rather ranked fairly high, however they are ranked low on this list because in comparision to other states people just aren’t attending school.

Although Tennessee has a high graduation rate, their education is ranked lower than many other states. It is the case for the simple and sad fact that many children drop out before high school.

South Carolina being ranked 39 may not seem like much but considering where they started, they should be proud of themselves. We sure are! They used to be ranked low all across the board, education included but they’ve made some positive changes to their systems.

Apparently, Indiana offers a pretty good education overall, high school included although their early childhood education is lacking. This state is not ranked as the worst, they are comfortably in the middle but we don’t think they should get too comfortable.

Arizona may be ranked somewhere in the middle but looks can be deceiving. This state actually has some of the lowest graduation rates in the country. At the end of the day, this issue comes down to something as simple as language or lack there of. We condone Arizona for being very diverse, one of the most in the U.S. but with this amazing feat comes different challenges. These challenges are indeed language barriers. Children who don’t have strong English at home make it harder for them to communicate and learn.

Budget cuts are a real struggle. Where a State cuts its budget can set the tone for its entire trajectory and Idaho is no exception. Idaho cut its education budget and it definitely shows in this state negatively. If you’re thinking of getting a good education, you may have second thoughts about Idaho and you’d be right.

This may get confusing, so we’ll break it down. In South Dakota, there is a considerably large amount of residents with a college degree perhaps more than a lot of States. How are they still ranked 35 you ask? Great question!

We love progress, don’t you? Ohio although not the strongest educated State has progressed two places up in rank than where they were previously. Moving your way up the education system is no easy feat. Every bit of progress counts!

Missouri’s education system ranks pretty decently in the middle of this list. It’s like they say, not too cold but not too hot, just right. What they do have in their favor is it is the best State when it comes to education affordability and overall satisfaction among students.

Although Georgia doesn’t rank particularly high or low on this list we need to give them props for their school’s safety. On an even more positive note the gap between low-income areas when it comes to getting a quality education is closing.

Iowa is considered to have a quality curriculum when it comes to its education system. Their teachers are trained thoroughly and prepared to tackle the learning system.

The state of Pennsylvania has an impressive high school graduation rate and many of these studious students go on to earn a BA, Masters or higher. The average 25-year-old plus has at least a high school diploma or above.

Even though Alaskan residents get a quality education, they are ranked 29 for the reason that this state has some of the biggest achievement gaps in the entire country.

California is considered a leader in many matters. When it comes to economy and population it has most states beat. California has one of the strongest economies, perhaps of all the states. When it comes to education though their education isn’t as leading as it would like it to be.

This State gives its residents various opportunities to advance within the system and education is no different. They offer many growth opportunities when it comes to both professional and personal endeavors.

Kansas has a decently high graduation rate. The overall number of college attendees in Kansas has increased over the years and many students attend traditional public schools across the state.

Wyoming may be one of the less talked about and memorable states among the 50 but when it comes to education, they should be put in the spotlight more.

The state of North Dakota has the biggest proportion of people with a high school diploma, equivalent (GED) or higher. When examining this state’s high school test scores alone, more students took college entry examinations such as the SAT or the ACT than any other.

The state of Nebraska has one of the strongest public education systems in the country. Most students earn a higher education and have competitive test scores overall in both mathematics and reading comprehension.

The state of Florida has 67 school districts, one for each county, independent from each respective county. The different districts claim property tax within their respective jurisdictions to support their set budgets. Additionally, this state has countless private schools by the hundreds.

Wisconsin is an interesting bag of tricks. This state is reported to rank high in education systems when it comes to grades kindergarten through twelfth grade, but there are other factors that reveal that students in Wisconsin fall behind in other areas.

We hate to say it Montana, but it seems you’re simply average, especially in public education. Reading and Math levels are more or less at the 50% mark. They have several high-performing school districts that balance them out on this list.

When it comes to Maine, they have a 94% high school graduation rate or higher. This is considered as of current, the second-highest percentage of graduates at the high school level within the greater region that Maine is a part of.

When you think of Hawaii, your first thought might be beaches and volcanos and not education, but they are raising the tide here too. Their schooling will give you are run for your money. Yet another reason to travel to Hawaii and fantasize about staying.

Illinois ranks fairly high on this list of educated states. The children residing in this country are put into early education and pre-kindergarten at a considerably young age so that may have something to do with it. This state catches them early and it impacts their level of success and studying, we have no doubts.

Oregon is ranked so high on this list because it truly has a strong education system and schools for the reason that countless big-name high-tech companies call this state home. These companies catch the eye of particularly educated people and the rest is history.

New York residents are some of the most educated in the country but it is no surprise. They do have some of the highest-rated universities in the country so it makes sense.

Delaware has a surprisingly small budget when it comes to education, but they are still ranked rather high. They are in the top 20 states for highest education.

Rhode Island historically has more teacher absences than any other state and yet they are still on the up and up. They continue to have proficient learning and literacy rates throughout.

Washington is considered one of the happiest states in the U.S.A. so it makes sense that they are also ranked high when it comes to education. They rank the highest in adults who have a degree and a high, high school graduation rate.

This Beehive State is one of the most educated states around. Although famous for its great hikes and views, another great thing to know about this state is that it ranks 3rd highest in university quality and 2nd highest in adults with degrees.

Although Minnesota is considered one of the poorer states, they are on top when it comes to their education. How, you ask? They prioritize it! As a result of this prioritization, they are highly ranked and aren’t letting their finances get in the way of their education system.

Great education and the smallest educational attainment gaps, should be New Hampshire’s new slogan. It’s true, through and through although their education quality can use a bit of work. Not everyone is perfect but as long as they are willing to work on it they are headed for great things.

Virginia is on the up and up when it comes to education. This state is taking matters into its own hands and it seems to be working. Virginia has some of the highest test scores and the wealthiest. We think it’s safe to say there is a correlation between them.

New Jersey, also known as the Garden State, has crept its way to the top, becoming the cream of the crop. Although they have some extreme education gaps when it comes to different races, they have some strong things to offer.

Colorado is ranked in the top 5 for a reason. They have some of the most wonderful school systems, not to mention beautiful scenery encapsulated in mountains and nature.

Vermont is also considered one of the wealthiest states in the country, so it’s no wonder that it ranks so high. Where there is wealth there is usually a strong level of education because there is more money to invest.

Connecticut has a high percentage of kids who are enrolled in school early on, this contributes largely to their highly rated ranking.

Maryland, the land of the free, is known as “the free state” by many. They are ranked very high in most educational categories. Many people hold degrees and have attended higher education beyond high school. They are also considerably wealthy, like most states that excel and hold top spots on this list.

Massachusetts ends this list, having the highest education out of all 50 states. With top universities that are highly coveted and highly regarded such as MIT and Harvard, how can you even be surprised? It makes perfect sense that these state natives take their education to the next level.