How educated is Boston?

The share of adults in Boston, MA with a bachelor's degree or higher, how that has shifted since 2015, and how it compares with the county, the state and the United States.

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003.

This story was assembled using AI and public data sources.

How far did Boston go in school?

Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher: 54.1% — U.S.: 35.0%

Highest degree held, adults 25+ (2023)

• Bachelor's: 132913
• Graduate or professional: 119278
• No bachelor's degree: 214267

Share with a bachelor's degree or higher

• Boston: 54.1
• Suffolk County: 49.9
• MA: 46.6
• U.S.: 35

Bachelor's degree or higher, 2015 to 2023

• 2015: 45.3
• 2023: 54.1

What it means

Boston's college-degree share is far higher than the national figure — 54.1% here versus 35.0% nationally.

Since 2015 the share has risen by about 8.8 percentage points.

Educational attainment tracks adults 25 and older who live here now — it does not say where they went to school.