Lumina Foundation, Dept. Education and other notable institutions predicted that by 2020, 65% of all jobs in the USA will require some post-secondary education. The recent US census shows that 33.4% of Americans over 25 years old have a college degree.
This figure is higher compared to previous decades but the USA falls behind other nations. It’s not all bad news, some American cities are doing better than others literacy-wise. So America is not just known for top cable brands like Charter cable but some educated folks as well.
Let’s have a look at the top most literate cities in America based on the number of graduates each year and job opportunities.
1: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is the most literate city because of the University of Michigan which is home to 40k students. The number of students is greater than the population of Annapolis. But that’s not the reason why it’s the most educated city. It’s actually because the population at Ann Arbor has 55.2 % of people with a bachelor’s degree. Impressive, right!
2: San Jose, California
Before being known for Silicon Valley, San Jose was famous for its garlic. That was centuries before Apple, IBM, Facebook, and real estate were formed in the city. In the ancient days, agriculture was Santa Clara Valley’s lifeblood.
Today, thanks to Stanford University and Santa Clara University, so many tech titans have been birthed from this place.
3: Washington D.C (Metro Area)
Washington D.C is not just famous for politics. D.C, Maryland, and Virginia have the highest concentration of intellects. The city is home to everything bright from media and law firms, government agencies, museums, trade firms, and nonprofits.
4: Durham Chapel Hill, North Carolina
The University of North California and Duke University are two of the best institutes for higher education. Those who graduate from these universities often land jobs in the healthcare, tech, and government sectors.
5: San Francisco (Bay Area)
San Fran is one of the major business hubs in America. Folks with advanced degrees hail from the city by the bay.
The city isn’t just famous for international trade but banking and Tech too. University of California’s San Francisco media center has contributed to major studies and research.
6: Madison Wisconsin
With the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin in Madison, the city is known for its top-rated programs in psychology, education, and rehab counseling.
If you are great at math, there are plenty of insurance and mortgage broker firms in Madison that you can work for.
7: Boston, Metro Area
It’s hard to believe that the city where Berklee College of Music, Harvard, Boston University, and Boston College – all the best educational institutes are located isn’t #1 when it comes to literacy.
If not the most outstanding, Boston sure is one the brightest towns out there. It’s home to one of the most qualified students in finance, tourism and biotech.
Did you know many Hollywood directors hail from Boston? That’s probably because of Berklee and Boston’s thriving arts communities.
8: Seattle (Metro Area)
Seattle is known as the smartest city in America because of the number of defense and computer industries.
University of Washington located in Seattle is home to 46k students which means the city is generating lots of graduates every year.
9: Austin, Texas
Austin is known for its many corporations, tech firms, and space companies. The city is known for its business-friendly vibes and mouth watering tex-Mex eateries.
Plus, future smart weirdos are never out of stock because the University of Texas hosts more than 50k students at one time.
10: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Getting into the air force academy is not the only thing there’s to do in Colorado Springs. It’s also home to jobs at several military installations. Since armed forces jobs require advanced degrees, the literacy ratio in Colorado Springs is admirable.
What Are the Least Educated Cities In America?
There are two sides of a coin and so, America has some cities that are least educated as well. The top contender is Dalton, Georgia. 35.70 percent of people here have less than a high school diploma. It’s also the lowest when it comes to people with college degrees. Hence, it’s the least educated city in the country.
Other cities with a higher percentage of people without a diploma include Merced, California, McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas, and Salinas, California.
