WTOP NEWS: If education equals intelligence, then Maryland is a very smart state.
WalletHub’s annual ranking of Most Educated States has Maryland at No. 3 on the list, behind Massachusetts and Vermont, and it jumps to No. 2 for percentage of graduate or professional degree holders.
Virginia ranks 6th overall, and No. 4 for graduate and professional degree holders.
WalletHub’s rankings are based on educational attainment and quality of education, including U.S. News and World Report’s school system ratings and the Department of Education’s Blue Ribbon Schools program for academic excellence, among other considerations.
WalletHub said Maryland is notable for being a state that has enacted a free statewide community college program, which is partially responsible for its high ranking. It also said Maryland has great education at the high school level, an indication of those who go on to pursue degrees.
The state rankings did not include D.C.
A separate report ranked the Washington, D.C., metro No. 3 among metros for educational attainment, behind Ann Arbor, Michigan, and San Jose, California, with all three tying for percentage of graduate or professional degree holders.
WalletHub’s full state rankings and detailed methodology are available online.
