NEW: RI Ranked Least Educated State in New England

NEW: RI Ranked Least Educated State in New England

Rhode Island is ranked as the least educated state in New England, according to a new study completed by WalletHub.

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Massachusetts is ranked number one overall in the United States, followed by Vermont and Connecticut at four and five respectively. New Hampshire is ranked eighth and Maine is ranked 18th. 

RI is ranked #22. 

“For a growing number of Americans, a good education is the ticket to a better future. College opens doors to more career opportunities, higher earnings, and new social connections, among other benefits. But how much schooling one receives also matters to some extent. Generally, the higher the level of education one completes, the higher their income potential and the lower their chances of unemployment become,” writes WalletHub.

These rankings come a little over a month after the Wall Street Journal named Providence “an education horror show — a case study in public school failure and lack of accountability.”

GoLocal named Rhode Island Education Commissioner Angelica Infante-Green as the Woman of the Year for 2019.

About Infante-Green, GoLocal wrote:

"Infante-Green quickly made her mark, saying she believed should could “break contracts” once the state takeover officially began in January of 2020 — and announcing that she would not formally include parents in the interviewing and selection of the new Providence “turnaround superintendent.”

With parents -- and teachers -- eyeing her every move, Infante-Green did not shy away from making her intentions clear." 

RI’s Rankings

• 23rd Best - Educational Attainment
• 20th Best - Quality of Education

 

Overall Rankings

RI ranks ahead of Nebraska and Kansas, who rank 23rd and 24th respectively.

Mississippi is ranked as the least educated state.

See the Full Rankings in the Map Below

 

The Method

In order to determine the most and least educated states in America, WalletHub compared the 50 states across two key dimensions, Educational Attainment and Quality of Education.

WalletHub examined those dimensions using 18 relevant metrics.

Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the “most educated.”

WalletHub then determined each state’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its ranking.

Educational Attainment - Total Points: 60

• Share of Adults Aged 25 Years and Older with at Least a High School Diploma: Full Weight (~15.00 Points)
• Share of Adults Aged 25 Years and Older with at Least Some College Experience or an Associate's Degree: Full Weight (~15.00 Points)
• Share of Adults Aged 25 Years and Older with at Least a Bachelor's Degree: Full Weight (~15.00 Points)
• Share of Adults Aged 25 Years and Older with at Least a Graduate or Professional Degree: Full Weight (~15.00 Points)

 

Quality of Education & Attainment Gap - Total Points: 40

• Quality of School System: Double Weight (~5.16 Points)
• Blue Ribbon Schools per Capita: Full Weight (~2.58 Points)
• Average Quality of Universities: Double Weight (~5.16 Points)
• Enrolled Students in Top Universities per Capita: Full Weight (~2.58 Points)
• Public High School Graduation Rate: Double Weight (~5.16 Points)
• Projected High School Graduation Rate Change between 2018-2019 and 2031-2032: Full Weight (~2.58 Points)
• NAEP Math & Reading Test Scores: Full Weight (~2.58 Points)
• Share of 2018 High School Class Scoring “3” or Higher on Advanced Placement Exams: Full Weight (~2.58 Points)
• School Engagement of Students: Full Weight (~2.58 Points)
• States with Summer Learning Legislation: Half Weight (~1.29 Points)
• States with Voucher Programs: Half Weight (~1.29 Points)
• Presence of Free Community College Education: Half Weight (~1.29 Points)
• Racial Gap in Educational Attainment*: Full Weight (~2.58 Points)
• Gender Gap in Educational Attainment*: Full Weight (~2.58 Points)