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Colorado residents are still the most educated in the nation, but Massachusetts now shares the top spot, according to a report released last week.
This year’s Stronger Nation Report found that 63% of Colorado residents aged 25 and older had an educational credential beyond a high school diploma in 2023, matching Massachusetts. That’s above the national average of 54.9% of residents who have earned college degrees or certificates or an industry certification.
The figure is mostly unchanged from 2022, when about 62.9% of Colorado’s residents held a college credential. However, the percentage of Native American Colorado residents with college degrees or credentials has fallen, a troubling sign after years of steady increases.
The annual report from the Lumina Foundation aims for a national goal of 60% college attainment. (Lumina is a funder of Chalkbeat. See our funders here, and read our ethics policy here.)
Having an education beyond a high school diploma matters because it is crucial for state economic growth and individual financial success, as high-wage jobs typically require a college credential.
Colorado has long been among the most educated states, but racial disparities persist. While most racial group data remained steady, Native American college attainment fell for the second consecutive year.
About 30.5% of Native American residents in 2023 held a college credential — a 3.2% decline from 2022. The drop stems from fewer college graduates aged 25-34. Only 22.3% of Native American residents in that age category have education beyond high school, now the lowest of any racial group in Colorado.
Hispanic residents had for years been the least likely to have a college education, but steady gains have changed that. Now, 30.6% hold a postsecondary credential.
Meanwhile, 41.7% of Black, 63.1% of white, and 66.1% of Asian American residents have a credential or higher.
Jason Gonzales is a reporter covering higher education and the Colorado legislature. Chalkbeat Colorado partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. Contact Jason at jgonzales@chalkbeat.org.
