Educational Attainment
With a diverse employment base across a large range of industry sectors, Metro Denver takes great pride in its highly educated workforce.
Colorado has one of the nation's most educated workforces, ranking second among the 50 states for percentage of residents (42.7%) with a bachelor's degree or higher.
In addition, 92.3% of Metro Denver and 92.3% of Northern Colorado residents have completed high school – almost 4% higher than the national rate.
Educational Attainment
| Metro Denver | N. Colorado | Colorado | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 92.3% | 92.3% | 92.4% | 88.6% |
| Bachelor's Degree/Higher | 47.8% | 40.0% | 42.7% | 33.1% |
| Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, American Community Survey | ||||
Metro Denver also places strong emphasis on K-12 education excellence. Colorado's high school students have some of the nation's highest scores for college entrance exams.
College Entrance Test Scores*Colorado is one of 18 states where all 11th-grade students are required to take the test.
| Colorado | USA | |
|---|---|---|
| American College Test (ACT) | 23.7 | 20.6 |
| Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) | 1012 | 1051 |
| Source: Colorado Department of Education; ACT, Inc.; and College Board, 2020 | ||