US states with the highest high school graduation rates, ranked

Kentucky has the highest high school graduation rate in the US at 93.60%. littleny/Getty Images Business Insider looked at the most recent reported graduation rates across all 50 US states. Kentucky had the highest graduation rate at 93.60%, while Alaska had the lowest, falling under 80% High school diploma requirements can vary by state, leading to differences in attainment. Students' chances of tossing their graduation caps on time can vary widely by the US state where they attend high school. In Alaska, the rate of students who graduate from high school in four years is 79.87%, compared to 93.60% in Kentucky, the highest in the country. While graduation rates are one way to monitor academic achievement and are used by local and state governments to track educational progress, they are complex metrics to define and measure. Diploma requirements vary from state to state, and students in different states face different course and testing requirements to earn it. Still, the diploma matters. Across the nation, higher levels of education are almost always associated with higher earnings, and high school degrees are no different. On average, US adults aged 25 or over with a high school degree earn $8,216 more a year than those without one, according to Census data. Using data from state education agencies and public data portals across all 50 states, Business Insider compiled a list of the most up-to-date high school graduation rates from each. While most percentages reflect the 2024-2025 school year, Oklahoma's most recent data is from the 2023-2024 school year. Most states follow the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate formula, which measures the share of first-time ninth graders who earn a regular high school diploma within four years. The formula adjusts the student cohort by including those who transfer into the school system and removing those who transfer out, emigrate, or die. To put graduation rates into context, we also listed each state's public school spending per pupil and median household income. See what percentage of public high school students graduate in four years in every state, and where yours falls in the nationwide ranking. 50. Alaska Jeff Manes/Getty Images/iStockphoto Four-year high school graduation rate: 79.87% Per-pupil education spending: $21,004 Median household income: $95,665 49. Arizona Sean Pavone/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 80.00% Per-pupil education spending: $12,003 Median household income: $81,486 48. New Mexico MonaMakela/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 80.63% Per-pupil education spending: $17,664 Median household income: $67,816 47. Vermont jenifoto/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 82.00% Per-pupil education spending: $28,818 Median household income: $82,730 46. Oklahoma Sean Pavone/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 82.20% Per-pupil education spending: $12,162 Median household income: $66,148 45. Idaho knowlesgallery/Getty Images/iStockphoto Four-year high school graduation rate: 82.50% Per-pupil education spending: $11,060 Median household income: $81,166 44. Washington Seattle. Mekdet/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 82.64% Per-pupil education spending: $18,564 Median household income: $99,389 43. Oregon Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 83.00% Per-pupil education spending: $18,083 Median household income: $85,220 42. Wyoming Cheri Alguire/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 83.10% Per-pupil education spending: $20,521 Median household income: $75,532 41. North Dakota Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images/iStockphoto Four-year high school graduation rate: 84.00% Per-pupil education spending: $17,102 Median household income: $77,871 40. Michigan Craig Rinzema/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 84.01% Per-pupil education spending: $18,314 Median household income: $72,389 39. Minnesota Sean Pavone/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 84.90% Per-pupil education spending: $17,098 Median household income: $87,117 38. Louisiana Larry Gibson/Getty Images/iStockphoto Four-year high school graduation rate: 85.00% Per-pupil education spending: $15,581 Median household income: $60,986 37. Nevada f11photo/Getty Images/iStockphoto Four-year high school graduation rate: 85.40% Per-pupil education spending: $14,812 Median household income: $81,134 36. Montana Ultima_Gaina/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 85.41% Per-pupil education spending: $13,656 Median household income: $75,340 34. (tie) Rhode Island SeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto Four-year high school graduation rate: 85.50% Per-pupil education spending: $22,110 Median household income: $83,504 34. (tie) New York francois-roux/Getty Images Four-year high school graduation rate: 85.50% Per-pupil education spending: $31,918 Median household income: $