In almost every country, education is critical for economic progress, personal development, and good governance while fostering innovation. In the U.S., people with higher levels of education earn higher salaries, with those holding bachelor’s degrees making $594 more than those with only a high school diploma, according to data cited by Forbes.
There are however several major challenges facing the American educational system, such as unequal funding, a lack of sufficient and qualified teachers, and the effects of high-stakes standardized testing.
Despite these hurdles, certain cities excel at raising educated citizens, demonstrating a strong dedication to educational achievements.
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Forbes‘ most recent report ranks these as the most educated cities in the United States. Its ranking considered factors such as the highest concentrations of college graduates, dropout rates, and gender and racial gaps in degree completion rates.
1. Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the most educated city in the U.S., with the presence of prestigious universities including Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Georgia State University.
As per the report, about 27% of individuals who are 25 years of age and older own graduate degrees, while roughly 60% of people have a bachelor’s degree. However, there is a notable 22.32% racial disparity in bachelor’s degree achievement in the city.
2. Arlington, Virginia
A highly educated city in the United States, Arlington is also the location of the Pentagon. More than 78% of residents aged 25 and up have a bachelor’s degree, with around 43% having acquired a graduate degree. Still, there is a racial divide in bachelor’s degree achievement, with a 10.18% difference between white and non-white degree holders.
3. St. Petersburg, Florida
Second only to Arlington in terms of the greatest percentage of completion of graduate degrees, St. Petersburg, also known as the “Sunshine City,” has more than 65% of persons aged 25 and older with bachelor’s degrees, and nearly 39% with graduate degrees.
Despite this, there is a notable racial disparity in college completion in St. Petersburg as well, measuring 27.37%.
4. San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is also known for having a highly educated populace; among those 25 and older, roughly 67% have earned a bachelor’s degree, demonstrating the city’s high concentration of college graduates.
Not only is the city home to Texas’s most popular tourist destination, the Alamo, the River Walk, and is renowned for its Spanish Colonial architecture and cultural variety, but it also has one of the lowest racial disparities in higher education, with a difference of only 5.49%.
5. San Diego, California
San Diego, home of the famed University of California, has a highly educated populace. Bachelor’s degree holders make up about 42% of the population over the age of 25, with roughly equal numbers of men and women holding these degrees.
Furthermore, roughly 19% have graduate degrees, and 20% of people without bachelor’s degrees have some college experience. On the other hand, there remains a 16.82% racial gap in bachelor’s degree achievement.
6. Phoenix, Arizona
With approximately 20% of persons aged 25 and older holding graduate degrees and over 53% of adults with bachelor’s degrees, Arizona’s largest city is also the most educated in the state. There is also very little difference (0.07%) in the gender distribution of degree holders.
Phoenix’s educational scene is further enhanced by the presence of Arizona State University, one of the nation’s biggest suppliers of online education. Nonetheless, there is still a 14.90% racial disparity in bachelor’s degree achievement.
7. Austin, Texas
Austin, the home of the prestigious University of Texas at Austin, is among the nation’s top academic cities. Nearly 60% of persons aged 25 and over have earned their bachelor’s degrees, putting it in the top ten for educational achievement. Additionally, around 22.76% of people have graduate degrees. Nevertheless, there is a 10.87% racial disparity in bachelor’s degree achievement.
8. Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, dubbed the “Home of Rock and Roll,” is also regarded as one of the most educated cities in America. Of the adults in the 25+ age group, 43.83% have a bachelor’s degree, and 17.94% have a graduate degree. The city has one of the lowest high school dropout rates, at 5.26%.
Cleveland also has a relatively small racial disparity in bachelor’s degree attainment between non-white and white adults — just 4.58%.
9. Reno, Nevada
Often referred to as the “biggest little city in the world,” Reno is the second-largest city in Nevada after Las Vegas and is renowned for having an educated populace. The percentage of persons 25 years of age and older with bachelor’s degrees is approximately 61.39%; the percentage with graduate degrees is approximately 26.24%. Notwithstanding a comparatively elevated high school dropout rate of 10.75%, these data underscore Reno’s standing as one of the nation’s most intelligent cities.
Still, there is a 17.36% racial disparity in bachelor’s degree completion.
10. Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, home to three prestigious colleges (North Carolina State University, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), is regarded as one of the country’s brightest cities. Over 51% of persons aged 25 and over have a bachelor’s degree, while approximately 21.66% have a graduate degree. These data position Raleigh in the top ten most educated cities, regardless of a 12.60% racial divide in bachelor’s degree attainment.
