US states with the highest high school graduation rates, ranked

Kentucky has the highest high school graduation rate in the US at 93.60%. littleny/Getty Images Students' chances of tossing their graduation caps on time can vary widely by the US state where they attend high school.In Alaska, the rate of students who graduate from high school in four years is 79.87%, compared to 93.60% in Kentucky, the highest in the country.While graduation rates are one way to monitor academic achievement and are used by local and state governments to track educational progress, they are complex metrics to define and measure. Diploma requirements vary from state to state, and students in different states face different course and testing requirements to earn it.Still, the diploma matters.Across the nation, higher levels of education are almost always associated with higher earnings, and high school degrees are no different. On average, US adults aged 25 or over with a high school degree earn $8,216 more a year than those without one, according to Census data.Using data from state education agencies and public data portals across all 50 states, Business Insider compiled a list of the most up-to-date high school graduation rates from each.While most percentages reflect the 2024-2025 school year, Oklahoma's most recent data is from the 2023-2024 school year.Most states follow the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate formula, which measures the share of first-time ninth graders who earn a regular high school diploma within four years. The formula adjusts the student cohort by including those who transfer into the school system and removing those who transfer out, emigrate, or die.To put graduation rates into context, we also listed each state's public school spending per pupil and median household income.See what percentage of public high school students graduate in four years in every state, and where yours falls in the nationwide ranking. 50. Alaska Anchorage, Alaska. Jeff Manes/Getty Images/iStockphoto Four-year high school graduation rate: 79.87%Per-pupil education spending: $21,004Median household income: $95,665 49. Arizona Phoenix, Arizona. Sean Pavone/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 80.00%Per-pupil education spending: $12,003Median household income: $81,486 48. New Mexico Santa Fe, New Mexico. MonaMakela/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 80.63%Per-pupil education spending: $17,664Median household income: $67,816 47. Vermont Montpelier, Vermont. jenifoto/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 82.00%Per-pupil education spending: $28,818Median household income: $82,730 46. Oklahoma Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Sean Pavone/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 82.20%Per-pupil education spending: $12,162Median household income: $66,148 45. Idaho Boise, Idaho. knowlesgallery/Getty Images/iStockphoto Four-year high school graduation rate: 82.50%Per-pupil education spending: $11,060Median household income: $81,166 44. Washington Seattle, Washington. Mekdet/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 82.64%Per-pupil education spending: $18,564Median household income: $99,389 43. Oregon Portland, Oregon. Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 83.00%Per-pupil education spending: $18,083Median household income: $85,220 42. Wyoming Cheyenne, Wyoming. Cheri Alguire/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 83.10%Per-pupil education spending: $20,521Median household income: $75,532 41. North Dakota Fargo, North Dakota. Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images/iStockphoto Four-year high school graduation rate: 84.00%Per-pupil education spending: $17,102Median household income: $77,871 40. Michigan Grand Rapids, Michigan. Craig Rinzema/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 84.01%Per-pupil education spending: $18,314Median household income: $72,389 39. Minnesota Minneapolis, Minnesota. Sean Pavone/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 84.90%Per-pupil education spending: $17,098Median household income: $87,117 38. Louisiana New Orleans, Louisiana. Larry Gibson/Getty Images/iStockphoto Four-year high school graduation rate: 85.00%Per-pupil education spending: $15,581Median household income: $60,986 37. Nevada Las Vegas, Nevada. f11photo/Getty Images/iStockphoto Four-year high school graduation rate: 85.40%Per-pupil education spending: $14,812Median household income: $81,134 36. Montana Missoula, Montana. Ultima_Gaina/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 85.41%Per-pupil education spending: $13,656Median household income: $75,340 34. (tie) Rhode Island Providence, Rhode Island. SeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto Four-year high school graduation rate: 85.50%Per-pupil education spending: $22,110Median household income: $83,504 34. (tie) New York New York City. francois-roux/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 85.50%Per-pupil education spending: $31,918Median household income: $85,820 33. Colorado Denver, Colorado. f11photo/Getty Images/iStockphoto Four-year high school graduation rate: 85.60%Per-pupil education spending: $15,908Median household income: $97,113 31. (tie) Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii. SCStock/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 86.00%Per-pupil education spending: $23,878Median household income: $100,745 31. (tie) South Dakota Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images/iStockphoto Four-year high school graduation rate: 86.00%Per-pupil education spending: $12,828Median household income: $76,881 30. Maryland Baltimore, Maryland. Thomas Berberich/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 86.40%Per-pupil education spending: $20,208Median household income: $102,905 29. South Carolina Spartanburg, South Carolina. Kruck20/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 86.70%Per-pupil education spending: $15,060Median household income: $72,350 28. Georgia Atlanta, Georgia. Alexey_Fedoren/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 87.20%Per-pupil education spending: $15,833Median household income: $79,991 26. (tie) California Los Angeles. Kruck20/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 87.50%Per-pupil education spending: $20,791Median household income: $100,149 26. (tie) North Carolina Charlotte, North Carolina. Leonid Andronov/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 87.50%Per-pupil education spending: $12,995Median household income: $73,958 25. New Hampshire Manchester, New Hampshire SeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto Four-year high school graduation rate: 87.54%Per-pupil education spending: $22,978Median household income: $99,782 24. Nebraska Omaha, Nebraska. f1monaco31/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 87.90%Per-pupil education spending: $16,147Median household income: $76,376 22. (tie) Ohio Akron, Ohio. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto Four-year high school graduation rate: 88.80%Per-pupil education spending: $17,257Median household income: $72,212 22. (tie) Iowa Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Sean Pavone/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 88.80%Per-pupil education spending: $14,369Median household income: $75,501 21. Illinois Chicago. Sean Pavone/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 89.00%Per-pupil education spending: $21,776Median household income: $83,211 20. Maine Augusta, Maine. SeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto Four-year high school graduation rate: 89.10%Per-pupil education spending: $19,962Median household income: $76,442 19. Pennsylvania Pittsburgh. Sean Pavone/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 89.11%Per-pupil education spending: $21,091Median household income: $77,545 18. Mississippi Jackson, Mississippi. SeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto Four-year high school graduation rate: 89.20%Per-pupil education spending: $12,324Median household income: $59,127 17. Massachusetts Boston. xbrchx/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 89.30%Per-pupil education spending: $24,429Median household income: $104,828 16. Utah Salt Lake City. Sean Pavone/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 89.80%Per-pupil education spending: $11,347Median household income: $96,658 15. Arkansas Little Rock, Arkansas. Sean Pavone/Shutterstock Four-year high school graduation rate: 90.16%Per-pupil education spending: $13,873Median household income: $62,106 14. Kansas Topeka, Kansas. Ultima_Gaina/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 90.50%Per-pupil education spending: $15,558Median household income: $75,514 12. (tie) Connecticut Hartford, Connecticut. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto Four-year high school graduation rate: 91.20%Per-pupil education spending: $26,316Median household income: $96,049 12. (tie) Texas Houston. Scott Flathouse/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 91.20%Per-pupil education spending: $12,895Median household income: $79,721 11. Delaware Wilmington, Delaware. Bo Shen/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 91.39%Per-pupil education spending: $22,201Median household income: $87,534 10. Missouri St. Charles, Missouri. Perry Spring/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 91.40%Per-pupil education spending: $14,241Median household income: $71,589 9. New Jersey Jersey City, New Jersey. bluebeat76/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 91.80%Per-pupil education spending: $27,234Median household income: $104,294 8. Indiana Indianapolis. Sean Pavone/Shutterstock Four-year high school graduation rate: 91.83%Per-pupil education spending: $13,622Median household income: $71,959 7. Wisconsin Madison, Wisconsin. marchello74/Getty Images/iStockphoto Four-year high school graduation rate: 92.00%Per-pupil education spending: $15,952Median household income: $77,488 6. Florida Tampa, Florida. Alex Baxter/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 92.20%Per-pupil education spending: $12,693Median household income: $77,735 5. Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee. Kruck20/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 92.30%Per-pupil education spending: $12,882Median household income: $71,997 4. Virginia Newport News, Virginia. Sean Pavone/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 92.70%Per-pupil education spending: $17,104Median household income: $92,090 3. Alabama Mobile, Alabama. Cavan Images/Getty Images/iStockphoto Four-year high school graduation rate: 92.77%Per-pupil education spending: $13,627Median household income: $66,659 2. West Virginia Charleston, West Virginia. Leonid Andronov/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 92.80%Per-pupil education spending: $15,640Median household income: $60,798 1. Kentucky Louisville, Kentucky. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto Four-year high school graduation rate: 93.60%Per-pupil education spending: $14,596Median household income: $64,526 Read next Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Kristine Villarroel is a reporter on Business Insider's Editorial Partnerships team.Her reporting often turns data into accessible stories about how money, education, policy, and place shape Americans’ lives. She covers stories on college costs and degree outcomes, state-by-state comparisons, public officials’ salaries, the rising cost of living, travel, food, and real estate.She has previously worked writing about culture, entertainment, music, and tech. Her work has been featured on Teen Vogue and Wired. She graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in journalism. There, she worked as editor of The Independent Florida Alligator. Email Villarroel at kvillarroel@insider.com and follow her on X @ktnedelvalle Education