These states continue to top the list for high school graduation rates

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.

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:

  1. Alabama
  2. Iowa
  3. West Virginia
  4. New Jersey
  5. Kentucky
  6. Tennessee
  7. Wisconsin
  8. Texas
  9. Missouri
  10. Delaware
  11. Connecticut
  12. New Hampshire
  13. Nebraska
  14. North Dakota
  15. Massachusetts
  16. Arkansas
  17. Virginia
  18. Maine
  19. Utah
  20. Kansas
  21. Florida
  22. Indiana
  23. Maryland
  24. Montana
  25. Pennsylvania
  26. North Carolina
  27. Illinois
  28. Hawaii
  29. Mississippi
  30. Oklahoma
  31. Vermont
  32. California
  33. South Dakota
  34. Nevada
  35. Rhode Island
  36. Minnesota
  37. New York
  38. Wyoming
  39. Ohio
  40. Georgia
  41. Michigan
  42. Colorado
  43. Washington
  44. South Carolina
  45. Idaho
  46. Alaska
  47. Louisiana
  48. Oregon
  49. Arizona
  50. New Mexico
Retrieved via Scholaroo’s Best & Worst States for Gen Z report.

More from DA: Why many high school graduates don’t feel ready for college and career decisions


Micah Ward
Micah Wardhttps://districtadministration.com
Micah Ward is a District Administration staff writer. He recently earned his master’s degree in Journalism at the University of Alabama. He spent his time during graduate school working on his master’s thesis. He’s also a self-taught guitarist who loves playing folk-style music.

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