This indicator represents the percentage of the early to mid-career population that has earned a postsecondary degree. Postsecondary degree holders include those with an associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree, granted from either a public or private institution. The indicator represents where postsecondary degree holders live rather than where they were educated. The age cohort of 25–44 years old represents the group most likely to have completed a postsecondary program.

Estimates of educational attainment and the population age 25–44 years old are derived from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), the largest household survey in the United States, with a sample size of about 3.5 million addresses. The ACS collects information on an annual basis.

Nationwide, the portion of this age cohort with a postsecondary degree has increased over time, though it continues to vary substantially across states.

Data sources: Census Bureau, regular and special tabulations of the American Community Survey.