Graduation Rates
Black High School Graduation Rates by State 2026
Attained High School or Higher
82%
84%
86%
88%
90%
92%
94%
96%
98%
State | Attained High School or Higher 2024↓ | High School or Higher 2024 | Total 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Wyoming | 96.73% | 2,960 | 3,060 |
 | Hawaii | 95.16% | 17,500 | 18,390 |
 | Alaska | 94.29% | 13,422 | 14,235 |
 | New Mexico | 92.88% | 27,767 | 29,895 |
 | Maryland | 91.91% | 1,156,910 | 1,258,720 |
 | Vermont | 91.36% | 4,227 | 4,627 |
 | Texas | 91.31% | 2,181,860 | 2,389,390 |
 | Colorado | 91.3% | 142,614 | 156,203 |
 | Arizona | 91.19% | 199,746 | 219,047 |
 | California | 91.15% | 1,371,000 | 1,504,090 |
 | North Dakota | 90.91% | 13,745 | 15,119 |
 | Delaware | 90.91% | 133,697 | 147,071 |
 | Oregon | 90.86% | 48,970 | 53,894 |
 | Nevada | 90.48% | 178,498 | 197,285 |
 | Oklahoma | 90.34% | 160,833 | 178,036 |
 | Washington | 90.32% | 186,164 | 206,127 |
 | Montana | 89.93% | 2,411 | 2,681 |
 | Virginia | 89.78% | 986,005 | 1,098,200 |
 | New Jersey | 89.77% | 726,587 | 809,362 |
 | Georgia | 89.47% | 1,995,160 | 2,230,010 |
 | Missouri | 89.31% | 389,014 | 435,564 |
 | North Carolina | 89.15% | 1,308,400 | 1,467,650 |
 | Tennessee | 89.15% | 642,349 | 720,536 |
 | Illinois | 89.14% | 1,024,170 | 1,148,920 |
 | Pennsylvania | 89.11% | 806,668 | 905,285 |
 | Connecticut | 88.97% | 228,966 | 257,349 |
 | Kansas | 88.61% | 90,061 | 101,633 |
 | Kentucky | 88.59% | 194,668 | 219,747 |
 | District of Columbia | 88.44% | 175,525 | 198,467 |
 | Indiana | 88.1% | 348,891 | 396,017 |
 | Michigan | 88.02% | 772,590 | 877,750 |
 | West Virginia | 87.95% | 35,070 | 39,875 |
 | Ohio | 87.69% | 809,056 | 922,678 |
 | Arkansas | 87.48% | 246,824 | 282,148 |
 | Massachusetts | 87.47% | 274,559 | 313,900 |
 | Utah | 87.32% | 18,429 | 21,104 |
 | Maine | 87.08% | 11,618 | 13,341 |
 | Wisconsin | 86.52% | 183,400 | 211,971 |
 | Alabama | 86.33% | 739,221 | 856,253 |
 | Nebraska | 86.33% | 48,128 | 55,748 |
 | South Carolina | 86.11% | 749,761 | 870,702 |
 | New Hampshire | 85.81% | 10,824 | 12,614 |
 | Florida | 85.79% | 1,899,240 | 2,213,790 |
 | New York | 85.6% | 1,682,230 | 1,965,330 |
 | Rhode Island | 85.29% | 33,984 | 39,844 |
 | South Dakota | 84.34% | 9,174 | 10,877 |
 | Iowa | 83.8% | 57,122 | 68,163 |
 | Louisiana | 83.38% | 751,740 | 901,625 |
 | Mississippi | 83.24% | 570,292 | 685,095 |
 | Minnesota | 83% | 186,350 | 224,517 |
 | Idaho | 82.38% | 6,347 | 7,705 |
 | United States | 23,854,747 | 26,981,640 |
Black high school graduation rates are studied for a variety of reasons. That there are racial disparities in high school graduation rates for African Americans is significant for planners and educators, so that they can work to improve those issues. In America, graduation rates for African Americans range from 78.92 percent to 95.83 percent.
Factors Impacting Graduation Rates for African Americans
The factors impacting graduation rates for African Americans are consistent across all states. Poverty is the leading factor impacting graduation rates among Blacks, at both the high school and college level. It is estimated that approximately 32 percent of Black students live below the poverty line, and 10 percent of Caucasians live below the poverty line.
Additionally, students with parents who are not educated are less likely to achieve a full education. It is estimated that as many as 64 percent of African American students have parents who have not completed high school. Approximately 45 percent of African Americans in high school are living in single-parent households with their mothers, and 35 percent are living in single-parent households with their fathers.
Another factor impacting Black graduation rates is the lack of access to the Internet. This makes it difficult to complete lessons, and homework, and achieve high levels of success in academics. Approximately 90 percent of African Americans have Internet access, and the remaining 10 percent are at risk of not completing their education. Of the 90 percent, 10 percent use only smartphones for Internet access, with affordability frequently listed as the leading reason behind lack of Internet access in the home.
There are approximately 50 million students enrolled in America’s public school system, with almost 8 million of those students being African American. Approximately one in four African American students attend predominantly African American schools, and this could impact their success levels and graduation rates.
