US states with the highest high school graduation rates, ranked

• Business Insider looked at the most recent reported graduation rates across all 50 US states.
• Kentucky had the highest graduation rate at 93.60%, while Alaska had the lowest, falling under 80%
• High school diploma requirements can vary by state, leading to differences in attainment.

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.

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.

50. Alaska

Four-year high school graduation rate: 79.87%

Per-pupil education spending: $21,004

Median household income: $95,665

1. Arizona
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 80.00%

Per-pupil education spending: $12,003

Median household income: $81,486

1. New Mexico
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 80.63%

Per-pupil education spending: $17,664

Median household income: $67,816

1. Vermont
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 82.00%

Per-pupil education spending: $28,818

Median household income: $82,730

1. Oklahoma
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 82.20%

Per-pupil education spending: $12,162

Median household income: $66,148

1. Idaho
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 82.50%

Per-pupil education spending: $11,060

Median household income: $81,166

1. Washington
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 82.64%

Per-pupil education spending: $18,564

Median household income: $99,389

1. Oregon
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 83.00%

Per-pupil education spending: $18,083

Median household income: $85,220

1. Wyoming
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 83.10%

Per-pupil education spending: $20,521

Median household income: $75,532

1. North Dakota
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 84.00%

Per-pupil education spending: $17,102

Median household income: $77,871

1. Michigan
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 84.01%

Per-pupil education spending: $18,314

Median household income: $72,389

1. Minnesota
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 84.90%

Per-pupil education spending: $17,098

Median household income: $87,117

1. Louisiana
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 85.00%

Per-pupil education spending: $15,581

Median household income: $60,986

1. Nevada
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 85.40%

Per-pupil education spending: $14,812

Median household income: $81,134

1. Montana
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 85.41%

Per-pupil education spending: $13,656

Median household income: $75,340

1. (tie) Rhode Island
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 85.50%

Per-pupil education spending: $22,110

Median household income: $83,504

1. (tie) New York
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 85.50%

Per-pupil education spending: $31,918

Median household income: $85,820

1. Colorado
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 85.60%

Per-pupil education spending: $15,908

Median household income: $97,113

1. (tie) Hawaii
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 86.00%

Per-pupil education spending: $23,878

Median household income: $100,745

1. (tie) South Dakota
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 86.00%

Per-pupil education spending: $12,828

Median household income: $76,881

1. Maryland
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 86.40%

Per-pupil education spending: $20,208

Median household income: $102,905

1. South Carolina
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 86.70%

Per-pupil education spending: $15,060

Median household income: $72,350

1. Georgia
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 87.20%

Per-pupil education spending: $15,833

Median household income: $79,991

1. (tie) California
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 87.50%

Per-pupil education spending: $20,791

Median household income: $100,149

1. (tie) North Carolina
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 87.50%

Per-pupil education spending: $12,995

Median household income: $73,958

1. New Hampshire
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 87.54%

Per-pupil education spending: $22,978

Median household income: $99,782

1. Nebraska
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 87.90%

Per-pupil education spending: $16,147

Median household income: $76,376

1. (tie) Ohio
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 88.80%

Per-pupil education spending: $17,257

Median household income: $72,212

1. (tie) Iowa
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 88.80%

Per-pupil education spending: $14,369

Median household income: $75,501

1. Illinois
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 89.00%

Per-pupil education spending: $21,776

Median household income: $83,211

1. Maine
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 89.10%

Per-pupil education spending: $19,962

Median household income: $76,442

1. Pennsylvania
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 89.11%

Per-pupil education spending: $21,091

Median household income: $77,545

1. Mississippi
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 89.20%

Per-pupil education spending: $12,324

Median household income: $59,127

1. Massachusetts
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 89.30%

Per-pupil education spending: $24,429

Median household income: $104,828

1. Utah
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 89.80%

Per-pupil education spending: $11,347

Median household income: $96,658

1. Arkansas
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 90.16%

Per-pupil education spending: $13,873

Median household income: $62,106

1. Kansas
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 90.50%

Per-pupil education spending: $15,558

Median household income: $75,514

1. (tie) Connecticut
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 91.20%

Per-pupil education spending: $26,316

Median household income: $96,049

1. (tie) Texas
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 91.20%

Per-pupil education spending: $12,895

Median household income: $79,721

1. Delaware
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 91.39%

Per-pupil education spending: $22,201

Median household income: $87,534

1. Missouri
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 91.40%

Per-pupil education spending: $14,241

Median household income: $71,589

1. New Jersey
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 91.80%

Per-pupil education spending: $27,234

Median household income: $104,294

1. Indiana
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 91.83%

Per-pupil education spending: $13,622

Median household income: $71,959

1. Wisconsin
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 92.00%

Per-pupil education spending: $15,952

Median household income: $77,488

1. Florida
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 92.20%

Per-pupil education spending: $12,693

Median household income: $77,735

1. Tennessee
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 92.30%

Per-pupil education spending: $12,882

Median household income: $71,997

1. Virginia
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 92.70%

Per-pupil education spending: $17,104

Median household income: $92,090

1. Alabama
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 92.77%

Per-pupil education spending: $13,627

Median household income: $66,659

1. West Virginia
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 92.80%

Per-pupil education spending: $15,640

Median household income: $60,798

1. Kentucky
   

   

Four-year high school graduation rate: 93.60%

Per-pupil education spending: $14,596

Median household income: $64,526

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