White college graduates by state

[King of Kensington]

Bachelor's degree or higher (White, Not Hispanic/Latino)

1. Colorado  43.4%
2. Massachusetts  42.5%
3. Hawaii  42.3%
4. Maryland  42%
5. Connecticut  41.1%
6. California  40.3%
7. New Jersey  40%
8. New York  39.4%
9. Virginia  39%
10. New Mexico  38.6%
11. Illinois  35.6%
12. Texas  35.5%
13. Vermont  35.1%
14. Minnesota  34.4%
15. Rhode Island  34.3%
16. New Hampshire  34.2%
17. Washington  33.9%
18. Utah  33.1%
19. Arizona, Kansas  33%
21. Alaska  32.9%
22. Georgia  32.1%
23. Nebraska  31.7%
24. Oregon  31.6%
25. Delaware  31.5%
26. North Carolina  31.4%
27. Montana  30.4%
28. Florida  30%
29. South Carolina  29.8%
30. Pennsylvania  29.4%
31. Wisconsin  28.8%
32. Maine  28.5%
33. South Dakota  28.1%
34. North Dakota  27.9%
35. Missouri  27.7%
36. Michigan  27.5%
37. Idaho  27%
38. Iowa  26.8%
39. Nevada  26.6%
40. Ohio  26.5%
41. Wyoming  26.4%
42. Oklahoma  26%
43. Louisiana  25.9%
44. Tennessee  25.7%
45. Alabama  25.6%
46. Indiana  24.4%
47. Mississippi  23.9%
48. Arkansas  22.2%
49. Kentucky  22%
50. West Virginia  18.5%

[cinyc]

Is this the percentage of whites with a college degree among the total state population, or the percentage of whites with a college degree solely among whites?  If it's the former, Hawaii's percentage has to be wrong because it isn't even 42% non-Hispanic white.

[King of Kensington]

It's the percentage of NHWs with a college degree.

[ElectionsGuy]

Bachelor's degree or higher (White, Not Hispanic/Latino)

1. Colorado  43.4%
2. Massachusetts  42.5%
3. Hawaii  42.3%
4. Maryland  42%
5. Connecticut  41.1%
6. California  40.3%
7. New Jersey  40%
8. New York  39.4%
9. Virginia  39%
10. New Mexico  38.6%
11. Illinois  35.6%
12. Texas  35.5%
13. Vermont  35.1%
14. Minnesota  34.4%
15. Rhode Island  34.3%
16. New Hampshire  34.2%
17. Washington  33.9%
18. Utah  33.1%
19. Arizona, Kansas  33%
21. Alaska  32.9%
22. Georgia  32.1%
23. Nebraska  31.7%
24. Oregon  31.6%
25. Delaware  31.5%
26. North Carolina  31.4%
27. Montana  30.4%
28. Florida  30%
29. South Carolina  29.8%
30. Pennsylvania  29.4%
31. Wisconsin  28.8%
32. Maine  28.5%
33. South Dakota  28.1%
34. North Dakota  27.9%
35. Missouri  27.7%
36. Michigan  27.5%
37. Idaho  27%
38. Iowa  26.8%
39. Nevada  26.6%
40. Ohio  26.5%
41. Wyoming  26.4%
42. Oklahoma  26%
43. Louisiana  25.9%
44. Tennessee  25.7%
45. Alabama  25.6%
46. Indiana  24.4%
47. Mississippi  23.9%
48. Arkansas  22.2%
49. Kentucky  22%
50. West Virginia  18.5%

Thanks for this. This is totally helpful for understanding one of the most important demographic swings were going to see this election. I highlighted a few that either surprise me (Indiana, Wisconsin) or justify a state being more or less competitive than expected. This is why I moved Colorado to Likely D and Nevada to Lean D. Ohio being super competitive (instead of Hillary leading) and Indiana being out of play is partially influenced by this.

Mapped

>70: >40%
>60: 35-40%
>50: 30-35%
>40: 25-30%
>30: <25%

[Kevin]

Bachelor's degree or higher (White, Not Hispanic/Latino)

1. Colorado  43.4%
2. Massachusetts  42.5%
3. Hawaii  42.3%
4. Maryland  42%
5. Connecticut  41.1%
6. California  40.3%
7. New Jersey  40%
8. New York  39.4%
9. Virginia  39%
10. New Mexico  38.6%
11. Illinois  35.6%
12. Texas  35.5%
13. Vermont  35.1%
14. Minnesota  34.4%
15. Rhode Island  34.3%
16. New Hampshire  34.2%
17. Washington  33.9%
18. Utah  33.1%
19. Arizona, Kansas  33%
21. Alaska  32.9%
22. Georgia  32.1%
23. Nebraska  31.7%
24. Oregon  31.6%
25. Delaware  31.5%
26. North Carolina  31.4%
27. Montana  30.4%
28. Florida  30%
29. South Carolina  29.8%
30. Pennsylvania  29.4%
31. Wisconsin  28.8%
32. Maine  28.5%
33. South Dakota  28.1%
34. North Dakota  27.9%
35. Missouri  27.7%
36. Michigan  27.5%
37. Idaho  27%
38. Iowa  26.8%
39. Nevada  26.6%
40. Ohio  26.5%
41. Wyoming  26.4%
42. Oklahoma  26%
43. Louisiana  25.9%
44. Tennessee  25.7%
45. Alabama  25.6%
46. Indiana  24.4%
47. Mississippi  23.9%
48. Arkansas  22.2%
49. Kentucky  22%
50. West Virginia  18.5%

Thanks for this. This is totally helpful for understanding one of the most important demographic swings were going to see this election. I highlighted a few that either surprise me (Indiana, Wisconsin) or justify a state being more or less competitive than expected. This is why I moved Colorado to Likely D and Nevada to Lean D. Ohio being super competitive (instead of Hillary leading) and Indiana being out of play is partially influenced by this.

Mapped

>70: >40%
>60: 35-40%
>50: 30-35%
>40: 25-30%
>30: <25%

Might want to move MI and PA into the that catagory as well based on your criteria.

Also it would be interesting to see a listing of percentages of college graduates overall by state too just for comparison's sake.

[jimrtex]

It's the percentage of NHWs with a college degree.

What is the age bracket for the denominator?

[King of Kensington]

Age 25 and older

[nclib]

What is the national average? And DC, which I assume is very high.

[jimrtex]

Age 25 and older

So the key is a large metropolitan area that attracts people who were educated in other states, and retains those who are educated in the state. The attraction would be a combination of jobs and lifestyle, including lots of people who are in their 20s and 30s and aren't tied to the area. Even if they can't find a job that requires a college education, they may be able to find a job where a college education serves as a talent screen, say in sales.

A rural Midwestern state may do a good job of getting 21-22 YO through college, but has a harder time to retain them. Positions that "require" a BA in a big city will only need some college or a HS degree.

There will be both positive and negative feedback. If a college degree is valuable, it will be valued.

States that attract retirees may have lowered rates. People who are over 65 have fewer degrees (even though they may be better educated). Nevada attracts retirees from California, who either can not afford to be retired in California, or can cash out a home, and be better retired outside California. Those without a college degree may predominate among those who can't afford to retire in California.

[King of Kensington]

What is the national average? And DC, which I assume is very high.

32.7% nationally.  89.6% (!) in DC.

[Bismarck]

Indiana does stick out. It should be noted that Indiana's most educated county, Hamilton, is also 70% R.

[nclib]

The southwest (-Nevada) is higher than expected. Iowa, Ohio, and Indiana are quite low, esp. given that Iowa's whites are (marginally) Democratic.

This is over/under national average (red = above, blue = below)

[King of Kensington]

NM is particularly surprising, as it is the poorest state west of the Mississippi.  Is Los Alamos/Sandia driving this?

Probably.  Note that the least NHW states - California, Hawaii, New Mexico - have very educated white populations.