Top 10 Smartest States in America

The number of educated Americans has increased gradually over the last 10 years. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 28.5% of United States residents 25 or older have at least a bachelor’s degree. While that number is based on the whole country, there are some states that stand out as the smartest in the nation. 10. MinnesotaIn Minnesota, 32.4% of the residents 25 or older has at least bachelor’s degree or higher. Minnesota’s educational attainment at the earliest levels is even higher than it is at the college level. While 14.1% of people 25 and older nationwide don't have high school diplomas, that number is 8% for Minnesota residents. The state has a median household income of $56,954. 9. New YorkBoasting one of the highest percentages of residents with advanced degrees, New York's comes in at No.9, with 32% of people 25 or older holding at least a Bachelor's degree - 14% of those with an advanced degree. However, 15.0% of those 25 and older in New York don't have high school diplomas, that number is .9 percent higher than the national rate. New York has a median household income of $55,246. Residents with only a high school diploma make on average $28,405, which is less than half the average earnings of $68,079 for someone with a advanced degree. 8. New HampshireOver a third (33.4%) of New Hampshire adults 25 or older have a Bachelor’s degree or higher. 91.4% people in the state completed high school, compared to the national average of 85.9%. New Hampshire's median household income is $62,647. 7. VirginiaOnly 87.8% of adults 25 years or older in Virginia graduate from high school, but the state is still one of the nation’s most-educated - 35.1 % of adults 25 years or older has at least a master's degree with 14.6% of them being advanced achievements. The median household income is $61,882. The median income for residents without high school diplomas is just $19,892 a year, compared to the $78,532 median for those with advanced degrees. 6. New JerseyThe state of New Jersey's bachelor’s degree or higher rate is 35.3%. It also has the third-highest median household income in the U.S., at $67,458. Residents in the state with bachelor’s degree earn more than college graduates of any other state, at $60,107, which is almost $12,000 more than the national average of $48,309. The median household income is $67,458. 5. VermontVermont boasts a high rate of 35.4% of adult residents 25 or older having at least a bachelor's degree, with 14% of the residents holding at least a master’s or doctorate degree. The median household income is $52,776. 4. ConnecticutConnecticut boasts a 36.2% rate of bachelor’s degree or higher for its adult population older than 25 years of age, with 15.7% of them having a graduate degree or higher. The median annual earnings for these residents with degrees is $75,875, quite higher than most states in the country. That number is more than double the median earnings for an adult with just a high school diploma. The median household income is $65,753. 3. ColoradoIn Colorado, the citizens are among the most-educated people in the country, with 36.7% of them achieving at least a bachelor’s degree. Out of that number, 13.4% have also completed advanced degrees. 94.1% of Colorado’s high school residents aged 16 to 19 are either currently in high school or have graduated. The median household income is $55,387. 2. MarylandMaryland's bachelor’s degree or higher average is 36.9% with 16.5% of that number holding a graduate degree or better. The residents with these achievements are some of the highest-paid in the country, with an individual median annual earning of $77,166. The overall median household income is $70,004. 1. MassachusettsIn Massachusetts, 39.1% of adults 25 years or older have a bachelor’s degree or higher. That number is more than 10% higher than the national average of 28.5%. 16.8% of adults have a graduate degree or higher, which is also the highest percentage in the country. 97% of the state's students between the ages of 16 and 19 are either currently attending high school or have graduated, which is also one of the nation’s highest averages. Adults with at least a graduate degree earn a median income which exceeds $70,000. Massachusetts median household income is $62,859.

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