Ever wondered where do red states rank in education?
This article explores the standing of Republican-leaning states commonly referred to as red states in the educational arena.
We dive into the most recent statistics scrutinizing various factors such as academic achievements public school ratings and literacy levels.
However could political affiliations influence a state’s commitment to education?
Red State Education Rankings
An analysis comparing all 50 states in terms of education quality and attainment reveals that ‘red states’ or United States regions predominantly supporting the Republican party during the 2016 elections and Donald Trump consistently have lower educational attainment than blue states.
The ranking brought out from various sources including WalletHub World Population Review and American School and University show that red states on average fall within the bottom 50% of the US.
It is significant to have this conversation due to the implications that the education ranking of a state has on its citizens. West Virginia a typical red state ranked as the least educated state with a total score of 22.40.
An important pattern highlighted in this research is ‘the diploma divide’ where non-college-educated white voters predominantly tend to back Republican entities.
Educational Attainment By State
Diving into more details on educational attainment states like Montana and Colorado prominent red states show high percentages of population with high school diplomas and associate’s degrees respectively.
According to recent data Montana has the highest percentage of high school diploma holders.
Meanwhile in Colorado the state boasts the highest percentage of associate’s degree holders or college-experienced adults.
The technical words implying the levels of education ‘High School Diploma’ and ‘Associate’s Degree’ represent basic stages in one’s educational course altering the person’s knowledge map.
State Education Scores
The quality and attainment of education across all 50 states in the United States have been studied and ranked. These rankings were based on recent data by the American School and University and the World Population Review.
The highest overall score was a 83.03 claimed by Massachusetts. This state also boasted the highest percentage of bachelor’s and graduate or professional degree holders.
It is notable for its average university quality as well.
High School Diploma Holder Statistics
Montana took the lead in terms of the highest percentage of high school diploma holders. In a similar vein Colorado was found to have the highest percentage of associate’s degree holders or adults with some college experience.
Least Educated States
On the other end of the spectrum West Virginia scored the lowest in education ranking as per the studies with a total score of only 22.40.
Breakdown of Education Rankings
- Most educated state: Massachusetts
- Highest percentage of high school diploma holders: Montana
- Highest percentage of associate’s degree holders or college-experienced adults: Colorado
- Least educated state: West Virginia
Comparing Red And Blue State Education
The most educated states in America overwhelmingly voted for Joe Biden in the 2016 election while the least educated states voted for Donald Trump.
Additional data from World Population Review shows that statistically the bottom 50% of least educated states are 72% Trump supporters while the top 50% of most educated states are 76% Biden supporters.
These rankings highlight a clear connection between education and voting patterns with a significant education gap existing between Democratic and Republican voters in the United States.
The “Diploma Divide”
A noticeable pattern in these election results is the ‘diploma divide’ wherein non-college-educated white voters predominantly vote Republican indicating a stronger divide between voters based on educational attainment.
Education And Political Affiliation
The connection between education and political affiliation has been a prominent conversation in recent data analysis following the 2016 election and subsequent politics in the United States. According to an analysis by World Population Review clear patterns were discovered through the assessment of the top and bottom 50% in a list ranking states by educational attainment.
The research notably indicates that the bottom 50% of least educated states exhibited a stronger divide with 72% of them being Trump supporters. Conversely the top 50% of most educated states showed a significant preference for Biden as he received 76% of their support.
These results seem to manifest the implications of a phenomenon called the ‘diploma divide’. This pattern as noticed by researchers like the Associated Press and entities like the American School and University shows that non-college-educated white voters frequently alter their vote towards the Republican camp resulting in red states having less educational achievement than their blue counterparts.
This becomes more evident when considering the most educated states where the value of degrees and high school diplomas resonate more with Democratic voters.
Presidential election results and their relation to education rankings continued to reflect this divide. Data from American School and University by comparing the educational standing (high school diploma and degree acquisition) of blue states and red states reveals that the top ten most educated states all voted blue.
This alignment showcases a strong correlation between Democrat-leaning regions and a higher quality of education pointing to the ongoing and important implications of the ‘diploma divide’ in our country.
WalletHub’s recent data that compared all 50 U.S states in terms of education quality and attainment also supports this trend. From this analysis Massachusetts emerged as the most educated state with a total score of 83.03.
West Virginia on the contrary was at the other end of the spectrum as the least educated state with a total score of 22.40.
An eye-opening conclusion is that red states do not fare well in education rankings. This information doesn’t just stem out of thin air — it aligns with several years of research and analysis conducted by various sources including World Population Review WalletHub and the Atlantic.
Undeniably the political landscape of the nation is inextricably linked to its education system. As citizens understanding these connections and consequences could help in shaping a more informed approach towards the country’s future.