Demographics
California vs New York: Bachelor's Degree
New York has a higher college-educated share than California.
National Rankings
Where They Rank Nationally
See where both states fall among all 50 states for bachelor's degree.
California
#16 · 37.5%
New York
#9 · 40.6%
Lowest
Highest
Top 10 States — Bachelor's Degree
#1
Massachusetts
47.8%
Massachusetts
#2
Colorado
46.4%
Colorado
#3
New Jersey
43.8%
New Jersey
#4
Maryland
43.7%
Maryland
#5
Vermont
43.7%
Vermont
#6
Connecticut
42.9%
Connecticut
#7
Virginia
42.4%
Virginia
#8
New Hampshire
40.7%
New Hampshire
#9
New York
40.6%
New York
#10
Washington
40.5%
Washington
Selected states
#16
California
37.5%
California
California ranks 16th and New York ranks 9th nationally for bachelor's degree.
Related context
Education & Economic Outcomes
College attainment correlates strongly with income, employment, and economic mobility.
What this means
California vs New York: Bachelor's Degree in context
New York's bachelor's degree is 40.6%, compared with 37.5% in California. Adults age 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher (ACS 2023).
California
37.5%
New York
40.6%
Difference
3.10 percentage points
People also ask
California vs New York Bachelor's Degree — common questions
QWhat is California's bachelor's degree?
California's bachelor's degree is 37.5%.
QWhat is New York's bachelor's degree?
New York's bachelor's degree is 40.6%.
QWhich state has a higher bachelor's degree — California or New York?
New York has a higher college-educated share than California.
More comparisons: California vs New York
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Data source and freshness
Primary source
Data period
ACS 2023 estimates
Dataset reviewed
July 23, 2026
Method note
State values or ratios calculated from ACS fields.