Educational Attainment
About 31.0% of Alaska adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 35.0%.
Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher
2006–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year (FRED GCT1502AK).
| Indicator | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher (%) | 31 | 35 |
- •Alaska's remote geography makes access to four-year universities more limited than in most states.
- •High-paying resource jobs in Alaska do not always require a four-year degree, affecting attainment rates.
Schools
Alaska's K-12 public school system serves about 128,000 students across a vast, geographically dispersed network of urban and remote rural schools.
Public schools reporting teachers
1986–2024NCES Common Core of Data, public schools (school year starting in the year shown), via Urban Institute Education Data API.
Public school enrollment (K-12)
1986–2024NCES Common Core of Data, public schools (school year starting in the year shown), via Urban Institute Education Data API.
| Indicator | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Per-pupil spending ($) | 20000 | 15600 |
- •Some rural Alaska schools are accessible only by boat or small aircraft.
- •Alaska's per-pupil education spending is among the highest of any US state.
Universities
The University of Alaska system, with campuses in Fairbanks, Anchorage, and Southeast, anchors higher education across the state.
College and graduate school students
2008–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, undergraduate + graduate/professional, B14001 (2020 not released).
| Indicator | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree attainment (%) | 31 | 35 |
- •University of Alaska Fairbanks is a leading center for Arctic and permafrost research.
- •The University of Alaska system operates across three main campuses spanning the state's vast geography.
Graduation Rates
Alaska's high school graduation rate stands at about 80%, below the national average and reflecting challenges in rural student retention.
Adults 25+ with a high school diploma or higher
2008–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, B15003 (2020 not released).
| Indicator | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| High school graduation rate (%) | 80 | 87 |
- •Some Alaska students must relocate away from home communities to attend larger regional high schools.
- •Graduation rates vary widely between urban Anchorage schools and rural village schools.
Student Enrollment
Approximately 128,000 students are enrolled in Alaska's public K-12 schools, a relatively stable figure reflecting the state's flat population growth.
People enrolled in school (age 3+)
2008–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, B14001 (2020 not released).
| Indicator | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| K-12 enrollment (thousands) | 128 | 49400 |
- •Nearly a quarter of Alaska's population is under age 18, among the higher shares in the nation.
- •Enrollment trends vary sharply between growing Anchorage-area districts and shrinking rural districts.
Student-Teacher Ratios
Alaska's student-teacher ratio of approximately 16 to 1 is slightly higher than the national average of 15.4 to 1.
Students per full-time teacher (public schools)
1986–2024NCES Common Core of Data, public schools (school year starting in the year shown), via Urban Institute Education Data API.
Full-time-equivalent public school teachers
1986–2024NCES Common Core of Data, public schools (school year starting in the year shown), via Urban Institute Education Data API.
| Indicator | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Student-teacher ratio | 16 | 15.4 |
- •Staffing remote rural schools is a persistent challenge that affects Alaska's student-teacher ratios.
- •High per-pupil spending in Alaska partly reflects the added cost of serving isolated communities.