Educational Attainment
Degrees held by adults.
Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher
2006–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year (FRED GCT1502VA).
| Indicator | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher (%) | 42.0 | 35.0 |
- •Virginia ranks among the top five states for share of adults with a graduate or professional degree.
Schools
K-12 school system.
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 | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Per-pupil spending (USD) | 14300 | 15600 |
- •Virginia has 132 school divisions — one for nearly every county and independent city.
Universities
Higher education.
College and graduate school students
2008–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, undergraduate + graduate/professional, B14001 (2020 not released).
| Indicator | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| College enrollment (thousands) | 490 | 18600 |
- •The University of Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Graduation Rates
Completion of high school.
Adults 25+ with a high school diploma or higher
2008–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, B15003 (2020 not released).
| Indicator | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| High school graduation rate (%) | 91.8 | 87.0 |
- •Virginia's on-time graduation rate is one of the ten highest in the nation.
Student Enrollment
Students in the system.
People enrolled in school (age 3+)
2008–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, B14001 (2020 not released).
| Indicator | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| K-12 enrollment (M) | 1.26 | 49.5 |
- •Virginia has among the fewest charter school students of any state: fewer than 10 charter schools operate statewide.
Student-Teacher Ratios
Class staffing.
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 | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Student-teacher ratio | 14.2 | 15.4 |
- •Fairfax County Public Schools alone employs more teachers than several states.