Bachelor’s Degree or Higher vs. Price Level by State
States with higher Price Level tend to have higher Bachelor’s Degree or Higher.
Very strong link: a correlation of 0.73 across 51 states.CorrelationHow closely two metrics move together, from −1 to +1. Near +1: both rise together. Near −1: one rises as the other falls. Near 0: no clear link.More in the glossary →
Each dot in the chart is one of 51 states. The correlation between Price Level and Bachelor’s Degree or Higher is 0.73, a very strong relationship: about 53% of the differences in Bachelor’s Degree or Higher from place to place line up with Price Level. Ranked instead of measured, the link is 0.79.
The highest Bachelor’s Degree or Higher is in District of Columbia (64.2%), Massachusetts (47.3%) and Colorado (45.7%); the lowest is in West Virginia (24.1%), Mississippi (25.1%) and Arkansas (25.7%). The median state has 34.6% for Bachelor’s Degree or Higher and 97.1 for Price Level.
The biggest exceptions sit furthest from the trend line. District of Columbia, Vermont and Colorado have a much higher Bachelor’s Degree or Higher than their Price Level would predict, while Nevada, Hawaii and California have a much lower one.
This is a comparison across places, not proof that one causes the other: both can follow from something else, such as income, age or how urban a place is. Price Level is from 2024 and Bachelor’s Degree or Higher from 2024.
Highest Bachelor’s Degree or Higher
| Place | Bachelor’s Degree or Higher | Price Level |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 64.2% | 109.9 |
| Massachusetts | 47.3% | 105.8 |
| Colorado | 45.7% | 103.1 |
| Vermont | 43.8% | 98.0 |
| New Jersey | 43.6% | 108.8 |
Lowest Bachelor’s Degree or Higher
| Place | Bachelor’s Degree or Higher | Price Level |
|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | 24.1% | 89.5 |
| Mississippi | 25.1% | 87.0 |
| Arkansas | 25.7% | 86.9 |
| Louisiana | 27.0% | 88.2 |
| Kentucky | 27.6% | 90.2 |
Explore it yourself
- Open this comparison in the interactive chart to highlight places, change the metrics or colour by party.
- Full ranking and sources for Price Level
- Full ranking and sources for Bachelor’s Degree or Higher