The last time high school graduation rates were collected, the U.S. received a tremendous pat on the back for achieving its highest percentage since data analysis on the topic began. But let’s shift the scope a little. Which individual states produce the most high school graduates?
In the 2018-2019 academic year, the national adjusted cohort graduation rate for public high school students reached an all-time high of 86%, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. The first year the NCES collected such data was in 2010-2011 when the average was at 79%. In addition to having such a tremendous national average, 40 states had individual graduation rates ranging from 80% to less than 90%.
States like Alabama, Iowa, Kentucky and others have some of the highest percentages around 92%. And looking ahead to 2022, it seems that they’re still producing big numbers.
According to data from Scholaroo, an organization that aids students in seeking scholarships, Alabama, Iowa and West Virginia are the top three states that produce the most high school graduates.
Here’s where each state ranks:
- Alabama
- Iowa
- West Virginia
- New Jersey
- Kentucky
- Tennessee
- Wisconsin
- Texas
- Missouri
- Delaware
- Connecticut
- New Hampshire
- Nebraska
- North Dakota
- Massachusetts
- Arkansas
- Virginia
- Maine
- Utah
- Kansas
- Florida
- Indiana
- Maryland
- Montana
- Pennsylvania
- North Carolina
- Illinois
- Hawaii
- Mississippi
- Oklahoma
- Vermont
- California
- South Dakota
- Nevada
- Rhode Island
- Minnesota
- New York
- Wyoming
- Ohio
- Georgia
- Michigan
- Colorado
- Washington
- South Carolina
- Idaho
- Alaska
- Louisiana
- Oregon
- Arizona
- New Mexico
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