Special Report

Cities Where The Most People Graduate High School

Samuel Stebbins

Published: October 9, 2018 3:48 pm

Last Updated: January 11, 2020 4:41 pm

Nearly 54.1 million Americans are enrolled in school — from kindergarten up to the 12th grade. The vast majority of them attend public schools, typically funded by a mix of local, state, and federal tax dollars. Despite near universal, virtually unrestricted access, only about 84% of those who make it to high school graduate with a diploma in four years.

In general, the benefits associated with a high school education are practically a given and not a matter for any serious debate. High school dropouts have fewer employment options, are generally less insulated from economic downturns, are more likely to struggle financially, and more likely to be in poor health than those with greater levels of education. A high school diploma is also a prerequisite for admission to college.

The average annual salary of American adults who have not graduated from high school is $23,031, about $7,600 less than the average salary for those with a diploma, and $29,500 less than the salary for those with a bachelor’s degree. Even more strikingly, life expectancy among high school dropouts is about nine years shorter than life expectancy among college graduates.

Encouragingly, high school graduation rates have been on the rise in recent years, as dropout rates have been steadily falling. In dozens of metro areas, high school graduation rates exceed 90%, even topping 95% in a handful of cases. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the share of high school freshman who graduate within four years across U.S. metro areas to identify the 50 cities where the most people graduate from high school.

These areas tend to have healthy job markets and are almost exclusively confined to the Southern and Midwestern United States. In most cases, the cities on this list are located in states that have policies that make dropping out relatively difficult.

Click here to see the cities where the most people graduate high school.
Click here to see the cities where the fewest people graduate high school.
Click here to read our detailed findings and methodology.

Source: W.marsh / Wikimedia Commons

50. Owensboro, KY
> High school graduation rate: 90.7%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.5%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $25,804
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $30,434
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 20.3% (bottom 20%)

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49. Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH
> High school graduation rate: 90.7%
> 2017 unemployment: N/A
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $21,435
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $27,299
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 16.7% (bottom 10%)

Source: Joshua Moore / Getty Images

48. Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA
> High school graduation rate: 90.7%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.1%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $20,531
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $25,085
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 20.5% (bottom 20%)

Source: Liveon001 ©Travis Witt / Wikimedia Commons

47. Corpus Christi, TX
> High school graduation rate: 90.7%
> 2017 unemployment: 5.8% (top 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $20,292
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $28,623
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 19.7% (bottom 20%)

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46. Oshkosh-Neenah, WI
> High school graduation rate: 90.8%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.0% (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $26,217
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $32,162
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 29.5%

Source: Dsmspence / Wikimedia Commons

45. Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
> High school graduation rate: 90.8%
> 2017 unemployment: 2.9% (bottom 10%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $26,028
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $32,372
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 36.6% (top 20%)

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44. Knoxville, TN
> High school graduation rate: 90.8%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.5%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $22,252
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $27,453
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 28.8%

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43. Terre Haute, IN
> High school graduation rate: 91.0%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.3%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $22,925
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $29,166
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 19.3% (bottom 20%)

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42. Austin-Round Rock, TX
> High school graduation rate: 91.0%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.1% (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $27,062 (top 20%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $31,826 (top 20%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 44.8% (top 10%)

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41. Waco, TX
> High school graduation rate: 91.1%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.9%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $21,612
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $26,520
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 24.1%

Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images

40. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
> High school graduation rate: 91.1%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.6%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $26,001
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $31,664
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 34.6%

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39. Columbus, IN
> High school graduation rate: 91.2%
> 2017 unemployment: 2.7% (bottom 10%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $30,187 (top 10%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $30,595 (top 10%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 35.1%

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38. Amarillo, TX
> High school graduation rate: 91.3%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.0% (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $26,862 (top 20%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $29,924 (top 20%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 24.2%

Source: G LLOYD PHILPOTT / Wikimedia Commons

37. Decatur, AL
> High school graduation rate: 91.4%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.3%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $19,666 (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $24,635 (bottom 20%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 18.5% (bottom 10%)

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36. Janesville-Beloit, WI
> High school graduation rate: 91.4%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.7%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $26,389 (top 20%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $30,641 (top 20%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 21.4%

Source: . Joelfun. / Wikimedia Commons

35. Springfield, MO
> High school graduation rate: 91.4%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.2% (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $19,742 (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $29,852 (bottom 20%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 28.4%

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34. Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
> High school graduation rate: 91.5%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.7%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $21,246
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $27,187
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 20.5% (bottom 20%)

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33. San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA
> High school graduation rate: 91.5%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.6%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $34,663 (top 10%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $31,625 (top 10%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 34.6%

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32. State College, PA
> High school graduation rate: 91.6%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.7%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $30,737 (top 10%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $28,343 (top 10%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 45.5% (top 10%)

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31. Columbia, MO
> High school graduation rate: 91.6%
> 2017 unemployment: 2.6% (bottom 10%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $22,335
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $26,209
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 45.7% (top 10%)

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30. Gettysburg, PA
> High school graduation rate: 91.7%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.7%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $32,343 (top 10%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $32,465 (top 10%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 22.9%

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29. Appleton, WI
> High school graduation rate: 91.9%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.0% (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $25,589
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $34,194
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 29.9%

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28. Dubuque, IA
> High school graduation rate: 92.0%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.0% (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $33,073 (top 10%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $32,016 (top 10%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 33.0%

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27. Huntsville, AL
> High school graduation rate: 92.0%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.9%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $21,112
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $28,395
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 38.8% (top 20%)

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26. Jackson, TN
> High school graduation rate: 92.1%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.0%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $25,359
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $27,365
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 23.4%

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25. Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
> High school graduation rate: 92.2%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.9%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $25,792
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $31,841
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 19.3% (bottom 20%)

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24. Wausau, WI
> High school graduation rate: 92.3%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.0% (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $30,489 (top 10%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $31,691 (top 10%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 25.8%

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23. Iowa City, IA
> High school graduation rate: 92.4%
> 2017 unemployment: 2.5% (bottom 10%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $17,859 (bottom 10%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $30,441 (bottom 10%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 51.5% (top 10%)

Source: Tim Kiser (w:User:Malepheasant) / Wikimedia Commons

22. St. Joseph, MO-KS
> High school graduation rate: 92.5%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.4% (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $25,642
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $31,769
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 18.8% (bottom 10%)

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21. Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL
> High school graduation rate: 92.6%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.8%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $21,890
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $32,490
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 22.2%

Source: OPMaster / Wikimedia Commons

20. Bowling Green, KY
> High school graduation rate: 92.6%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.3%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $23,162
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $27,383
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 23.9%

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19. Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
> High school graduation rate: 92.7%
> 2017 unemployment: 5.0%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $23,074
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $31,130
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 32.4%

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18. Bloomington, IN
> High school graduation rate: 92.8%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.7%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $14,588 (bottom 10%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $31,235 (bottom 10%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 40.9% (top 10%)

Source: Prussian_Fool / Wikimedia Commons

17. Dothan, AL
> High school graduation rate: 93.1%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.4%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $19,618 (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $28,767 (bottom 20%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 20.2% (bottom 20%)

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16. Longview, TX
> High school graduation rate: 93.2%
> 2017 unemployment: 5.1%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $26,461 (top 20%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $24,608 (top 20%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 18.2% (bottom 10%)

Source: Billy Hathorn / Wikimedia Commons

15. Tyler, TX
> High school graduation rate: 93.4%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.1%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $22,776
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $26,925
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 26.8%

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14. Cumberland, MD-WV
> High school graduation rate: 93.5%
> 2017 unemployment: 5.7% (top 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $26,575 (top 20%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $30,349 (top 20%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 16.6% (bottom 10%)

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13. San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
> High school graduation rate: 93.5%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.5%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $22,016
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $29,071
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 28.1%

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12. Muncie, IN
> High school graduation rate: 93.6%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.2%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $16,218 (bottom 10%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $29,555 (bottom 10%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 24.7%

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11. Ames, IA
> High school graduation rate: 93.7%
> 2017 unemployment: 2.0% (bottom 10%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $31,622 (top 10%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $25,008 (top 10%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 53.0% (top 10%)

Source: Thinkstock

10. Sheboygan, WI
> High school graduation rate: 93.9%
> 2017 unemployment: 2.8% (bottom 10%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $25,414
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $35,717
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 25.2%

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9. Morristown, TN
> High school graduation rate: 93.9%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.0%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $20,398
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $26,810
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 14.9% (bottom 10%)

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8. California-Lexington Park, MD
> High school graduation rate: 94.0%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.0%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $28,561 (top 20%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $40,640 (top 20%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 31.8%

Source: joncutrer / Flickr

7. San Angelo, TX
> High school graduation rate: 94.0%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.7%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $19,881 (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $26,295 (bottom 20%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 23.2%

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6. Clarksville, TN-KY
> High school graduation rate: 94.5%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.6%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $21,222
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $31,460
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 24.5%

Source: Urbanative / Wikimedia Commons

5. Sherman-Denison, TX
> High school graduation rate: 94.6%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.5%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $23,381
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $36,609
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 19.9% (bottom 20%)

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4. Lubbock, TX
> High school graduation rate: 95.3%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.2% (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $20,707
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $27,482
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 29.5%

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3. Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX
> High school graduation rate: 96.4%
> 2017 unemployment: 7.1% (top 10%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $22,149
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $30,893
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 17.8% (bottom 10%)

Source: JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ M.D. / Wikimedia Commons

2. Midland, TX
> High school graduation rate: 96.7%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.0% (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $30,816 (top 10%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $40,407 (top 10%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 27.6%

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1. Wichita Falls, TX
> High school graduation rate: 97.4%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.7%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $30,330 (top 10%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $29,658 (top 10%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 22.5%

Detailed Findings

While completing high school is a personal accomplishment, public policy appears to have an impact on graduation rates.

Only four of the 50 cities on this list allow students to drop out at the minimum age of 16, and in the vast majority of the cities with the highest graduation rates, dropping out is not permitted until the student is 18 or 19 years old, unless certain special circumstances apply.

Additionally, in 35 of the 50 metro areas on this list, school systems are legally required to offer free education to 21 year old residents. Fifteen of the cities on this list are in Texas, a state that requires school districts to offer free secondary education through age 26.

Not allowing students to drop out at age 16 or 17 and extending access to a free education to those well in their 20s may help reduce dropout rates.

The unemployment rate in any given area is the product of a wide range of factors. Still, high school graduates are qualified for more jobs than dropouts and are more likely to make more attractive candidates to potential employers. In 38 of the 50 metro areas on this list, annual unemployment rates are below the 4.4% national rate.

A high school education not only helps workers maintain a more steady employment, but also allows access to better paying jobs. Nationwide, workers whose highest level of education is high school earn $30,624 a year, about $7,600 more than the average salary of workers without a high school diploma of $23,031.

While a high school diploma does not guarantee a well-paying job, it generally helps. In a total of 44 of the 50 metro areas on this list, average salaries are higher among those with a diploma than those without one. In nine metro areas on this list, high school graduates earn at least $10,000 more than the average salary for those without a diploma.

Methodology

To determine the graduation rates in U.S. metro areas, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the 2018 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps program, a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. High school graduation rates are defined as the percentage of the ninth-grade cohort that graduates in four years. The data represents students graduating on time in the 2015-2016 school year, the most recent available. The estimate of the median income for adults with less than a high school diploma and the percentage of people with at least a bachelor’s degree come from the 2017 U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. The 2017 unemployment rate comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In metro areas with insufficient data, graduation rates were imputed with the population of 15-19 year olds in the each of the metro area’s counties, provided by the U.S Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, in order to account for counties where a cohort was not provided. Metro areas that did not have at least 80% of their graduating population represented in the county data were excluded from consideration.