Here are the 2016 US presidential election results for each state (plus D.C.), ranked by educational attainment of each state. For educational attainment, I used the percent of people 25 years or older with a bachelors degree or higher from census.gov*.
This table is sorted with the highest percent of educational attainment at the top and lowest at the bottom.
There is a clear pattern that the states with higher levels of educational attainment voted for Clinton. I’ve heard many conservatives say liberals are a bunch of poor beggars voting for handouts. On the contrary it appears liberals are the more educated.
I’m interested in any intelligent and polite comments. Others will be deleted.
Educational Attainment Rank | Geography | Percent bachelor’s degree or higher; ages 25 and higher | 2016 US Presidential Election Result |
1 | District of Columbia | 56.8 | Clinton |
2 | Massachusetts | 42.7 | Clinton |
3 | Colorado | 39.9 | Clinton |
4 | Maryland | 39.3 | Clinton |
5 | New Jersey | 38.6 | Clinton |
6 | Connecticut | 38.6 | Clinton |
7 | Virginia | 38.1 | Clinton |
8 | New Hampshire | 36.6 | Clinton |
9 | Vermont | 36.4 | Clinton |
10 | New York | 35.7 | Clinton |
11 | Washington | 35.1 | Clinton |
12 | Minnesota | 34.8 | Clinton |
13 | Rhode Island | 34.1 | Clinton |
14 | Illinois | 34.0 | Clinton |
15 | California | 32.9 | Clinton |
16 | Kansas | 32.8 | Trump |
17 | Oregon | 32.7 | Clinton |
18 | Utah | 32.6 | Trump |
19 | Hawaii | 31.9 | Clinton |
20 | Nebraska | 31.4 | Trump |
21 | Montana | 31.0 | Trump |
22 | Delaware | 31.0 | Clinton |
23 | Pennsylvania | 30.8 | Trump |
24 | Georgia | 30.5 | Trump |
25 | North Carolina | 30.4 | Trump |
26 | Maine | 30.1 | Clinton |
27 | North Dakota | 29.6 | Trump |
28 | Alaska | 29.6 | Trump |
29 | Wisconsin | 29.5 | Trump |
30 | South Dakota | 28.9 | Trump |
31 | Texas | 28.9 | Trump |
32 | Arizona | 28.9 | Trump |
33 | Florida | 28.6 | Trump |
34 | Missouri | 28.5 | Trump |
35 | Iowa | 28.4 | Trump |
36 | Michigan | 28.3 | Trump |
37 | Idaho | 27.6 | Trump |
38 | Ohio | 27.5 | Trump |
39 | South Carolina | 27.2 | Trump |
40 | New Mexico | 27.2 | Clinton |
41 | Wyoming | 27.1 | Trump |
42 | Tennessee | 26.1 | Trump |
43 | Indiana | 25.6 | Trump |
44 | Oklahoma | 25.2 | Trump |
45 | Alabama | 24.7 | Trump |
46 | Nevada | 23.5 | Clinton |
47 | Louisiana | 23.4 | Trump |
48 | Kentucky | 23.4 | Trump |
49 | Arkansas | 22.4 | Trump |
50 | Mississippi | 21.8 | Trump |
51 | West Virginia | 20.8 | Trump |
* The educational attainment data came from census.gov 2016 S1501 1 year data set.