Posted by: Adam McCann

Cities want to attract highly educated workers to fuel their economic growth and tax revenues. Higher levels of education tend to lead to higher salaries. And the more that graduates earn, the more tax dollars they contribute over time, according to the Economic Policy Institute. In turn, educated people want to live somewhere where they will get a good return on their educational investment. People also tend to marry others of the same educational level. Already having a large educated population may be a good way to draw in even more people with degrees.

Not all highly educated people will flock to the same areas, though. Some may prefer to have many people with similar education levels around them for socializing and career connections. Others may want to be a big fish in a little pond. Not every city will provide the same quality of life to those with higher education, either.

To determine where the most educated Americans are putting their degrees to work, WalletHub compared the 150 largest metropolitan statistical areas, or MSAs, across 11 key metrics. Our data set ranges from share of adults aged 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher to quality of the public school system to gender education gap. Read on for our findings, expert insight from a panel of researchers and a full description of our methodology.

1. Main Findings
2. Ask the Experts
3. Methodology

Main Findings

Embed on your website<iframe src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/embed/6656/geochart-educatedc.html" width="556" height="347" frameBorder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="width:556px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="https://ift.tt/2uWhD9i>  

Most Educated Cities

Overall Rank (1 = Most Educated)	MSA	Total Score	‘Educational Attainment’ Rank	‘Quality of Education & Attainment Gap’ Rank
1	Ann Arbor, MI	94.02	1	5
2	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	82.29	4	3
3	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	81.54	2	43
4	Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	79.11	7	10
5	Madison, WI	78.68	3	70
6	San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA	78.59	6	21
7	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	76.44	5	100
8	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	73.10	10	16
9	Austin-Round Rock, TX	72.97	16	2
10	Provo-Orem, UT	71.70	14	22
11	Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT	71.41	8	145
12	Colorado Springs, CO	71.02	12	31
13	Raleigh, NC	70.45	9	134
14	Trenton, NJ	69.54	11	97
15	Tallahassee, FL	69.29	21	7
16	Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO	69.17	13	81
17	Portland-South Portland, ME	67.78	19	40
18	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	67.42	18	51
19	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	66.82	15	117
20	San Diego-Carlsbad, CA	66.46	26	4
21	Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	65.67	20	86
22	Lansing-East Lansing, MI	65.51	23	45
23	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	65.02	17	120
24	Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	64.42	22	104
25	Lexington-Fayette, KY	63.54	24	35
26	New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	62.56	29	20
27	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	61.81	30	36
28	Urban Honolulu, HI	61.68	43	8
29	Eugene, OR	61.26	48	6
30	Huntsville, AL	60.93	25	113
31	Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI	60.53	35	45
32	Asheville, NC	59.93	39	32
33	Kansas City, MO-KS	59.84	28	103
34	Pittsburgh, PA	59.17	45	39
35	Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA	59.14	32	91
36	Salt Lake City, UT	59.11	40	47
37	St. Louis, MO-IL	59.01	37	102
38	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	58.85	36	92
39	Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC	58.77	53	17
40	Santa Rosa, CA	58.58	44	68
41	New Haven-Milford, CT	58.46	31	129
42	Albuquerque, NM	58.36	52	29
43	Rochester, NY	58.33	33	118
44	Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	58.20	34	115
45	Columbus, OH	58.11	38	93
46	Richmond, VA	58.10	42	73
47	Anchorage, AK	57.87	41	77
48	Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL	57.36	55	50
49	Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA	57.09	54	52
50	Charleston-North Charleston, SC	56.58	47	112
51	Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	56.39	58	58
52	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	56.27	62	30
52	Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	56.27	61	34
54	Boise City, ID	55.96	64	33
55	Worcester, MA-CT	55.83	51	101
56	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	55.80	60	55
57	Manchester-Nashua, NH	55.45	27	150
58	Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY	55.43	49	126
59	Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI	55.18	46	137
60	Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	55.09	77	9
61	Tucson, AZ	54.87	50	132
62	Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI	54.80	66	59
63	Syracuse, NY	54.65	56	128
64	Reno, NV	54.63	78	13
65	Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	53.80	71	57
66	Springfield, MA	53.55	70	71
67	Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	53.48	83	19
68	Columbia, SC	53.41	63	111
69	Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL	53.15	69	90
70	Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN	53.11	67	99
71	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	52.90	75	54
72	Dayton, OH	52.80	72	89
73	Akron, OH	52.66	74	76
74	Savannah, GA	52.55	65	119
75	Jacksonville, FL	52.19	80	66
76	Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	52.16	79	69
77	Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ	52.06	81	65
78	Ogden-Clearfield, UT	52.00	57	149
79	North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL	51.87	59	142
80	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	51.16	95	12
81	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	51.03	68	139
82	Cleveland-Elyria, OH	50.73	73	136
83	Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	50.58	82	107
84	Oklahoma City, OK	50.48	86	67
85	Birmingham-Hoover, AL	50.38	88	62
86	Wichita, KS	50.32	76	122
87	Jackson, MS	50.08	84	121
88	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	50.07	90	53
89	Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO	49.84	101	11
90	Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	49.48	94	42
90	Springfield, MO	49.48	92	63
92	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	49.24	99	25
93	Peoria, IL	48.85	85	124
94	Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	48.60	89	105
95	Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	48.58	87	114
95	Knoxville, TN	48.58	97	48
97	Greensboro-High Point, NC	48.50	105	18
98	Toledo, OH	48.25	93	84
99	Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL	48.05	91	110
100	Fayetteville, NC	47.68	108	27
101	Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	47.31	98	78
102	Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC	47.00	109	37
103	New Orleans-Metairie, LA	46.94	102	72
104	Fort Wayne, IN	46.80	103	61
105	Montgomery, AL	46.77	100	88
106	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	46.46	112	24
107	Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC	46.09	114	23
108	Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL	45.15	110	87
109	Tulsa, OK	44.98	106	106
110	Memphis, TN-MS-AR	44.53	104	125
111	Killeen-Temple, TX	44.19	111	94
112	Baton Rouge, LA	43.90	113	85
113	Winston-Salem, NC	43.55	116	64
114	Salem, OR	42.73	119	74
115	Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL	42.60	96	148
116	Vallejo-Fairfield, CA	42.35	107	140
117	Chattanooga, TN-GA	42.08	117	96
118	Salisbury, MD-DE	41.66	115	133
119	Canton-Massillon, OH	41.00	125	41
120	Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV	40.60	127	28
121	Flint, MI	40.49	122	116
122	Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC	40.32	121	127
123	Lancaster, PA	39.94	129	38
124	Mobile, AL	39.68	131	26
125	Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL	39.38	118	141
126	Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA	39.35	123	135
127	Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS	38.92	124	109
128	York-Hanover, PA	38.88	130	60
129	Shreveport-Bossier City, LA	38.14	128	95
130	Port St. Lucie, FL	38.12	120	146
131	Rockford, IL	37.57	126	130
132	Reading, PA	36.48	132	75
133	Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA	36.03	133	79
134	Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH	34.00	134	80
135	Lafayette, LA	33.43	139	14
136	El Paso, TX	33.07	140	15
137	Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	32.66	136	82
138	Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL	31.51	138	56
139	Corpus Christi, TX	30.17	137	123
140	Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX	29.80	141	83
141	Fresno, CA	28.30	144	44
142	Ocala, FL	27.71	135	147
143	Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	27.33	143	108
144	Stockton-Lodi, CA	26.20	145	98
145	Salinas, CA	25.67	142	143
146	Modesto, CA	21.40	146	138
147	Bakersfield, CA	17.19	147	131
148	McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX	13.97	150	1
149	Brownsville-Harlingen, TX	12.03	149	49
150	Visalia-Porterville, CA	8.31	148	144

 

Embed on your website<iframe src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/embed/6656/geochart-educatedc2.html" width="700" height="450" frameBorder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="width:700px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="https://ift.tt/2uWhD9i>

Note: For readability purposes, the above chart displays only 50 metro areas from a total sample of 150.

Ask the Experts

Research shows that a skilled and educated workforce provides a significant boost to the economy. For strategies aimed at increasing a city’s brainpower and the best approaches to educational development, we asked a panel of experts to share their thoughts on the following key questions:

1. Should local authorities target policies and programs to attract highly educated people? If so, what works?
2. Are highly educated cities better able to withstand economic shocks?
3. In your opinion, what is the most important step we can take as a country to develop a more educated and skilled workforce?
4. Will the Trump administration’s proposed education budget cuts — to student loans, after-school programs and teacher training, for instance — increase or decrease the level of education inequality among cities?
5. How can the U.S. reform its immigration policy in order to attract and retain highly educated workers from abroad?

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• Cynthia Stevenson Ph.D. – Senior Instructor, University of Colorado Denver
• Christine Kiracofe Associate Professor & Director of the Higher Education Ph.D. Program, Purdue University
• Rebekah Dimick Eastman Ph.D. – Director of Earlham College's Graduate Programs in Education
• DeLacy Ganley Ph.D. – Interim Dean, School of Educational Studies, Professor of Education, Claremont Graduate University

Methodology

To identify the most and least educated cities in America, WalletHub compared the 150 most populated U.S. metropolitan statistical areas, or MSAs, across two key dimensions, including “Educational Attainment” and “Quality of Education & Attainment Gap.”

We evaluated those dimensions using 11 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the highest educational attainment and quality of education. For metrics marked with two asterisks (**), we used the square root of the population to calculate the population size in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across cities.

Finally, we determined each metro area’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.

Educational Attainment - Total Points: 80

• Share of Adults Aged 25 Years & Older with a High School Diploma or Higher: Full Weight (~20.00 Points)
• Share of Adults Aged 25 Years & Older with at Least Some College Experience or an Associate's Degree or Higher: Full Weight (~20.00 Points)
• Share of Adults Aged 25 Years & Older with a Bachelor's Degree or Higher: Full Weight (~20.00 Points)
• Share of Adults Aged 25 Years & Older with a Graduate or Professional Degree: Full Weight (~20.00 Points)

Quality of Education & Attainment Gap - Total Points: 20

• Quality of Public School System: Double Weight (~4.44 Points)Note: This metric is based on GreatSchools.org’s ratings of U.S. public schools.
• Average Quality of Universities: Double Weight (~4.44 Points)Note: This metric is based on WalletHub “College & University” rankings Report.
• Enrolled Students in Top 951 Universities per Capita: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)Note: This metric is based on WalletHub “College & University” rankings Report.
• Number of Summer Learning Opportunities per Capita**: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
• Racial Education Gap*: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)Note: This metric specifically measures the difference between the percentage of black bachelor’s degree holders and the percentage of their white counterparts.
• Gender Education Gap*: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)Note: This metric specifically measures the difference between the percentage of female bachelor’s degree holders and the percentage of their male counterparts.
• Education Equality Index Score: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)Note: The Education Equality Index (EEI) is a comparative measure of the achievement gap between students from low-income families, as measured by participation in the free and reduced price lunch program, and their more advantaged peers. The EEI compares the proportion of students from low-income families who are proficient on a state assessment to all students across the state who took that same grade or subject level assessment.

• *Additional context: In metro areas where women have an advantage over men and blacks have an advantage over whites, we gave extra credit compared to the metro areas with no gender-based/racial inequality.

Videos for News Use:

• YouTube (for web embedding National)
• YouTube (for web embedding Ann Arbor)
• Raw files (for editing into clips)

 Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, GreatSchools.org, Education Cities.org, Yelp and WalletHub research.

Image: Syda Productions / Shutterstock.com

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