(NEXSTAR) – For the majority of people, education is the stepping stone towards a better future, and the first step is usually finishing high school and receiving your diploma.
Roughly 90% of Americans over the age of 25 have a high school diploma, according to the World Population Review, and in many states that number is significantly higher. However, other states appear to be falling short of the national average.
Thanks to some research from WalletHub, each state in the U.S. was ranked based on the percentage of residents over 25 that have received their high school diploma. Vermont came out on top with 94.6% finishing high school, followed not far behind by Montana with 94.5%, and Maine with 94.4%.
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Here are the top 10 states with the highest percentage of high school diploma holders:
| Rank | State | Share of Adults Aged 25 and Older with at Least a High School Diploma |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | 94.6% |
| 2 | Montana | 94.5% |
| 3 | Maine | 94.4% |
| 4 | New Hampshire | 94.1% |
| 5 | Wyoming | 94% |
| 6 | Minnesota | 93.9% |
| 7 | North Dakota | 93.8% |
| 8 | Wisconsin | 93.4% |
| 9 | Alaska | 93.4% |
| 10 | Utah | 93.3% |
On the other end of the spectrum, some states fell short of the 90% average, with California finishing at the very bottom, with 84.6% of residents over 25 having received a high school diploma. Despite the low percentage of high school diploma holders, California still ranked in the top 10 for quality of education and No. 1 for having the best quality universities, according to WalletHub.
Texas didn’t fare too well either, coming in second-to-last with only 85.6% of residents over 25 with high school diplomas, followed by Mississippi at 86.6%, then Louisiana at 86.9%.
Here’s how the bottom of the list rounded out:
| Rank | State | Share of Adults Aged 25 and Older with at Least a High School Diploma |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | California | 84.6% |
| 49 | Texas | 85.6% |
| 48 | Mississippi | 86.6% |
| 47 | Louisiana | 86.9% |
| 46 | Nevada | 87.3% |
| 45 | New Mexico | 87.7% |
| 44 | New York | 87.9% |
| 43 | Alabama | 88.2% |
| 42 | Arkansas | 88.6% |
| 41 | Kentucky | 88.6% |
More information on how your state’s education ranks can be found at WalletHub’s website.
