STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- With U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data showing a correlation between higher education levels, higher income and lower unemployment rates, personal finance website WalletHub recently released its report of the 2020 most and least educated states in the United States.
WalletHub examined key factors of a well-educated population, including educational attainment, school quality and achievement gaps between genders and races. It compared all 50 states across 18 total metrics grouped into two categories.
So how did New York State rank? It ranked 13th overall, based on its educational attainment and quality of education factors.
The most educated state was Massachusetts, and the least educated was Mississippi, according to the report.
Here’s a look at how New York ranked in different factors, with 1 being the highest and 50 being the lowest.
- Percent of high school diploma holders: 40th
- Percent of associate degree holders or college-experienced adults: 30th
- Percent of bachelor’s degree holders: 9th
- Percent of graduate or professional degree holders: 5th
- Average university quality: 5th
- Racial gap in educational attainment: 23rd
- Gender gap in education attainment: 50th
Janelle M. Johnson, associate professor of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) at the Metropolitan State University of Denver, said kindergarten through 12th grade school quality has an impact on the rates of high school completion, as well as college attendance and completion.
“Disparities in school quality are the source of the so-called achievement gap; these disparities include class size, teacher quality, teacher turnover, resources for student learning, and more engaging learning opportunities,” Johnson said.
Other elements that contribute to achievement gaps are access to high-quality out-of-school programs that complement in-school learning, Johnson said.
“If family members are unfamiliar with specific college and career pathways that could be options for their children, schools need to do a much better job connecting with those families in ways that are relevant for their community,” she said.
You can view the interactive map below to see how other states ranked.
In November, a study by security company SafeHome.org ranked each state to find the smartest states in the country, taking into account the number of people with college degrees, professional or advanced degrees, test scores and high school graduation rates. It used data from several sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Department of Education, College Board and ACT.
New York State ranked as the 32nd smartest state in the country, according to the study.
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