High School Graduation Rates By State
1 |  | Montana | 94% |
2 |  | Wyoming | 93.6% |
3 |  | Vermont | 93.5% |
4 |  | Minnesota | 93.4% |
5 |  | New Hampshire | 93.3% |
6 |  | Maine | 93.2% |
7 |  | Alaska | 93.1% |
7 |  | North Dakota | 93.1% |
9 |  | Utah | 93% |
10 |  | Wisconsin | 92.6% |
11 |  | Hawaii | 92.5% |
11 |  | Iowa | 92.5% |
13 |  | South Dakota | 92.2% |
14 |  | Colorado | 92.1% |
15 |  | Washington | 91.7% |
16 |  | Nebraska | 91.6% |
17 |  | Kansas | 91.4% |
18 |  | Michigan | 91.3% |
18 |  | Idaho | 91.3% |
20 |  | Oregon | 91.1% |
20 |  | Massachusetts | 91.1% |
22 |  | Pennsylvania | 91% |
23 |  | Connecticut | 90.9% |
24 |  | Ohio | 90.8% |
25 |  | Missouri | 90.6% |
25 |  | Delaware | 90.6% |
25 |  | Maryland | 90.6% |
28 |  | New Jersey | 90.3% |
28 |  | Virginia | 90.3% |
30 |  | Illinois | 89.7% |
31 |  | Indiana | 89.3% |
32 |  | Rhode Island | 89.2% |
33 |  | Oklahoma | 88.6% |
34 |  | Florida | 88.5% |
34 |  | North Carolina | 88.5% |
36 |  | South Carolina | 88.3% |
37 |  | Tennessee | 88.2% |
38 |  | Arizona | 87.9% |
38 |  | Georgia | 87.9% |
40 |  | West Virginia | 87.6% |
41 |  | New York | 87.2% |
41 |  | Kentucky | 87.2% |
41 |  | Arkansas | 87.2% |
44 |  | Alabama | 86.9% |
44 |  | Nevada | 86.9% |
46 |  | New Mexico | 86.5% |
47 |  | Louisiana | 85.9% |
48 |  | Mississippi | 85.3% |
49 |  | Texas | 84.4% |
50 |  | California | 83.9% |
Last updated February 28, 2026
High School Graduation Rates Across the United States
Navigating the critical pathway from adolescence to adulthood is marked by many milestones, among which high school graduation is undoubtedly a pivotal event. It signifies a launchpad for future opportunities, opening gateways to higher education and empowering personal and professional development. However, not all young adults in the United States reach this landmark due to a potpourri of reasons ranging from familial responsibilities to economic hardship, trailing a wake of lost potential.
- Montana leads the pack with a graduation rate of 94.0%, closely followed by Wyoming (93.6%), Vermont (93.5%), Minnesota (93.4%), and New Hampshire (93.3%).
- The states with the lowest graduation rates are concentrated in the Southern and Western United States. California trails the list with a graduation rate of 83.9%. Other states, including Texas (84.4%), Mississippi (85.3%), Louisiana (85.9%), and New Mexico (86.5%), echo the struggle with high school dropout rates.
All Metrics
| Region ↕ | High School Completion Rate↕ | Education Score 2025↕ | Average IQ 2006↕ | K-12 Spending 2025↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | 94.0% | |||
| Wyoming | 93.6% | |||
| Vermont | 93.5% | |||
| Minnesota | 93.4% | |||
| New Hampshire | 93.3% | |||
| Maine | 93.2% | |||
| Alaska | 93.1% | |||
| North Dakota | 93.1% | |||
| Utah | 93.0% | |||
| Wisconsin | 92.6% | |||
| Hawaii | 92.5% | |||
| Iowa | 92.5% | |||
| South Dakota | 92.2% | |||
| Colorado | 92.1% | |||
| Washington | 91.7% | |||
| Nebraska | 91.6% | |||
| Kansas | 91.4% | |||
| Michigan | 91.3% | |||
| Idaho | 91.3% | |||
| Oregon | 91.1% | |||
| Massachusetts | 91.1% | |||
| Pennsylvania | 91.0% | |||
| Connecticut | 90.9% | |||
| Ohio | 90.8% | |||
| Missouri | 90.6% | |||
| Delaware | 90.6% | |||
| Maryland | 90.6% | |||
| New Jersey | 90.3% | |||
| Virginia | 90.3% | |||
| Illinois | 89.7% | |||
| Indiana | 89.3% | |||
| Rhode Island | 89.2% | |||
| Oklahoma | 88.6% | |||
| Florida | 88.5% | |||
| North Carolina | 88.5% | |||
| South Carolina | 88.3% | |||
| Tennessee | 88.2% | |||
| Arizona | 87.9% | |||
| Georgia | 87.9% | |||
| West Virginia | 87.6% | |||
| New York | 87.2% | |||
| Kentucky | 87.2% | |||
| Arkansas | 87.2% | |||
| Alabama | 86.9% | |||
| Nevada | 86.9% | |||
| New Mexico | 86.5% | |||
| Louisiana | 85.9% | |||
| Mississippi | 85.3% | |||
| Texas | 84.4% | |||
| California | 83.9% |
States with the Highest High School Graduation Rates
Leading the pack, Montana displays a high school completion rate of 94.0%, edging out other states to secure the number one position.
Closely following Montana in this respect, Wyoming, with a completion rate of 93.6%, Vermont, with 93.5%, Minnesota, with 93.4%, and New Hampshire, with 93.3%, complete the top five states in the list.
Further down the list but still amongst the high performers in high school completion are Maine (93.2%), Alaska (93.1%), North Dakota (93.1%), Utah (93.0%), and wrapping up the top ten is Wisconsin at 92.6%.
States with the Highest High School Graduation Rates:
- Montana - 94.0%
- Wyoming - 93.6%
- Vermont - 93.5%
- Minnesota - 93.4%
- New Hampshire - 93.3%
- Maine - 93.2%
- Alaska - 93.1%
- North Dakota - 93.1%
- Utah - 93.0%
- Wisconsin - 92.6%
States with the Lowest High School Graduation Rates
Topping the list, with the lowest graduation rate in the country, is California - the state reports a high school completion rate of only 83.9%. Following closely is Texas, the state known for its extensive public school system provides diplomas to 84.4% of its students. Mississippi, with an 85.3% graduation rate, occupies the third position in this list - its education challenges underscoring the broader struggles faced by southern states in this regard.
Louisiana, another southern state, has the fourth-lowest high school graduation rate at 85.9%. Faring marginally better is New Mexico at 86.5%, just shy of Nevada's completion rate of 86.9%. Alabama too has a graduation rate of 86.9%, reflecting the similar education-related challenges these states grapple with.
Even some states with prominent universities and colleges struggle with ensuring high school graduation. A case in point being New York, with a graduation rate of 87.2%. Matching this figure are Kentucky and Arkansas, again accentuating the challenges faced by some parts of the south in ensuring high school completion.
States with Lowest High School Graduation Rates:
- California - 83.9%
- Texas - 84.4%
- Mississippi - 85.3%
- Louisiana - 85.9%
- New Mexico - 86.5%
- Nevada - 86.9%
- Alabama - 86.9%
- New York - 87.2%
- Kentucky - 87.2%
- Arkansas - 87.2%
Sources & Notes
% of population that successfully completes grades 9-12 secondary education.
Measure of years of schooling and educational attainment levels achieved by the population.
Measures average human intelligence based on standardized tests where 100 is the standard average.
Editorial Note: Data Pandas urges readers to view state-level IQ data with extreme skepticism. The psychological and scientific communities heavily criticize the methodology of estimating aggregate state IQs, as standardized tests contain inherent cultural, linguistic, and economic biases
