The 100 Most Educated Cities In The U.S. – Forbes Advisor

In the U.S., people with higher levels of education tend to earn higher salaries. In fact, workers with bachelor’s degrees make about 68% more than those with only a high school diploma, according to median wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

As a result, the most educated cities in the U.S. are primed to produce more innovation and tax revenue. This attracts companies looking for educated workers, which in turn leads to an even higher concentration of highly educated individuals. So what are the most educated cities in the U.S.?

The cities topping our list do not just simply have the highest concentrations of college graduates; our ranking also considers high school dropout rates, graduate degree attainment rates, and gender and racial gaps in degree completion rates. Let’s take a look at some of the most educated cities the U.S. has to offer.

A Big-Picture Look at the U.S. Education System

The number of Americans with college degrees continues to grow. In 2021, half of American adults held a degree, up from 42% in 2010, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

But higher education is not an even playing field. Several external factors create barriers to education access in the U.S., including cost and gender and racial disparities.

The Cost of Higher Education

Higher education costs continue to rise. Between the 2010-11 and 2021-22 academic years, the cost of tuition and fees increased by about 7% at public, four-year universities and 14% at private, nonprofit universities, according to NCES data.

Four-year institutions charge an average of $9,700 per year for in-state, public tuition and $38,800 per year for private tuition. The total cost of attendance—which factors in living expenses and grant and scholarship aid—for students…