Best-Educated Millennials Found in Boston, San Jose, and DC; Least Educated in Riverside, Las Vegas, and Memphis

Among large metros with 1 million or more population, Boston, San Jose, DC, and San Francisco have more than 50% of millennials (25-34 year of age) with a Bachelor’s degree or higher. Boston had the highest percentage, with 55% of millennials having finished a 4-year degree.

Millennials in Riverside, CA are the least educated, with just 19% having a Bachelor’s degree. Las Vegas education rates are similarly low, 21%, and the remaining metros in the list have fewer than 30% of millennials with a Bachelor’s degree.

The vast majority, 83%, of large metros saw an increase in their percentage of educated young adults since 2009. The most improved metro over the 2009-2013 period was San Jose, which saw a 6.2 percentage point increase in the percentage of its millennials with college degrees. Denver, Hartford, Dallas, and San Antonio also experienced large increases.

The metro that saw the biggest decrease in the percentage of degreed young adults was Sacramento, where Bachelor’s degree attainment for millennials fell 2 percentage points. Charlotte, Indianapolis, San Diego, Richmond, and DC also experienced declines.

Click here to download a spreadsheet of the data: Educational Attainment 25-34 for download