- New data has named the states with the lowest college graduation rates, naming Alaska as the state with the lowest rate of 32.93%
- Also featuring low on the list were Nevada, New Mexico and Georgia, all with rates below 49%
- On the opposite end of the list, Massachusetts is the area with the highest graduation rate with 75.41%
Vermont Business Magazine A new study has revealed the states with the lowest college graduation rates, naming Alaska as having the worst rate in the country.
The data, done by SEO agency Hennessey Digital, looked at the graduation rates across all colleges in each state according to the latest available data from US National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS).
Vermont ranks #5 nationally for college graduation rates at 69.80%—an impressive 8.88 percentage points above the national average of 60.92% and securing the Green Mountain State’s position among America’s higher education elite. With 7 in 10 college students (4,222 of 6,049) successfully completing their degrees, Vermont—the nation’s second-smallest state by population—dramatically outperforms 45 larger states, including economic powerhouses like California, Texas, and New York. Vermont’s success is part of New England’s remarkable dominance in higher education, with the region claiming four of the nation’s top five spots. The state’s achievement reflects its progressive education values, tight-knit college communities spanning institutions like UVM and Middlebury, and a culture that prioritizes student support and completion—proving that small states with focused resources and strong institutional partnerships can compete with (and beat) much larger competitors in producing college graduates.
The states with the lowest graduation rates
The research revealed Alaska is the state with the lowest graduation rate at 32.93% – a 27.99% decrease below the national average (60.92%). Alaska had 2,232 students in the cohort with only 735 completing their degrees.
Next in line is Nevada which has a graduation rate of 45.20%. Nevada had 10,912 students in the cohort with only 4,932 completing their courses, representing a 15.72% decrease from the national average.
Third is New Mexico with a graduation rate of 47.80%. New Mexico had 7,370 students in the cohort with 3,523 completing their degrees, a 13.12% decrease from the national average.
Following as the fourth lowest is Georgia with a graduation rate of 48.29%. As of the most recent data, Georgia had 60,172 students in the cohort with 29,055 completing their programs, constituting a 12.63% decrease from the national average.
Wyoming ranks fifth in this list, with a graduation rate of 48.72%. Though this is low, Wyoming had 3,167 students in the cohort with 1,543 completing their degrees, amounting to a 12.20% decrease from the national average.
Placing sixth lowest is Idaho. According to the latest data, Idaho’s graduation rate is 48.86% – 12.06% lower than the average.
Coming in seventh place is Montana with a rate of 49.27%. Following them in eighth place is Arizona, at 49.58%, and West Virginia in ninth, where the graduation rate is 50.59%.
Rounding off the list in tenth place is Oklahoma where the graduation rate is 51.09%, accounting for a 9.83% decrease from the national average.
The states with the highest graduation rates
On the other side of the study, Massachusetts ranks as the state with the highest graduation rate with 75.41% – a 14.49% increase from the national average. Massachusetts had 53,060 students in the cohort with 40,011 completing their degrees.
Following them, Rhode Island came in as the second highest with a graduation rate of 73.00%. According to the latest data, Rhode Island had 12,103 students in the cohort with 8,835 completing their programs, representing a 12.08% increase from the national average.
Connecticut ranks third highest with a rate of 70.77% – a 9.85% increase from the national average. Connecticut had 21,052 students in the cohort with 14,898 completing their degrees.
Coming in fourth place, Maryland ranks next with a graduation rate of 69.89%. Maryland had 21,216 students in the cohort with 14,827 completing their programs.
Placing fifth is Vermont, where the graduation rate is 69.80%. As of the latest data, Vermont had 6,049 students in the cohort with 4,222 completing their degrees, representing an 8.88% increase from the national average.
The state with the sixth highest rate was New Jersey. Presently, the graduation rate is 69.69%, with 31,993 students in the cohort and 22,296 completing their programs.
Next in line are Iowa, where the rate is 69.44%, and Virginia with a rate of 69.42%. Both rates are over 8% higher than the US average.
Pennsylvania places ninth on the list, securing a graduation rate of 69.34% according to the latest date. Pennsylvania had 89,837 students in the cohort with 62,291 completing their degrees.
Finishing this list is Minnesota. The state has a graduation rate of 68.36%, with 26,078 students in the cohort and 17,828 completing their programs, representing a 7.45% increase from the national average.
Commenting on the findings, CEO of Hennessey Digital, Jason Hennessey said:
“Regardless of what you’re studying, college can be a challenging time. For many, it’s the first experience of independence, a change from the environment you’ve grown up in and ultimately, incredibly intense. It’s not surprising to see that many drop out of their courses before graduation, but ultimately, every student needs to consider what’s going to make them happy and successful and an academic path is not always going to achieve that.
This study however, highlights how there are very clear patterns geographically in where rates are higher than others. Eastern states dominate the top ten list for graduation rates, suggesting that education resources need to be invested elsewhere to create an even spread of graduation rates and help students and education bodies achieve the rates that Massachusetts and Vermont are experiencing.”
Total ranking:
Methodology: To determine the states with the most college dropouts, data from the US Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) was retrieved. Using their Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), the number of students and number of completers within 150 percent of normal program completion time were found for Title IV 4-year institutions. This was then summed across public and private institution, and calculated as a percentage graduation rate.
Source: US Department of Education. www.hennessey.com
To support vital journalism, access our archives and get unique features like our award-winning profiles, Book of Lists & Business-to-Business Directory, subscribe HERE!
