The 2014-15 school year is the last year for which we have data. The data comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, and is based on the Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). The ACGR was first collected for the 2010-11 school year. The ACGR is calculated by taking the “cohort” of first-time ninth graders in a particular school year and adjusting this number by adding any students who transfer into the cohort after ninth grade and subtracting any students who transfer out, emigrate to another country, or die. The ACGR is the percentage of students who graduate within four years. The data is calculated for each school, school district, and state.
- America’s graduation rate was 83.2 percent.
- Asian/Pacific Islanders had a graduation rate of 90.2 percent.
- White students had a graduation rate of 87.6 percent.
- Hispanic students graduated at a rate of 77.6 percent.
- Black students had a graduation rate of 74.6 percent.
- American Indian/Alaska Natives graduated at a 71.6 percent rate.
- Between 2011 and 2015, the graduation gap between white and black students narrowed from 17 percentage points to 13 percentage points.
- The gap between white and Hispanic students went from 13 percentage points to 10 percentage points.
- The gap between white and American Indian/Alaska Native students narrowed from 19 percentage points to 16 percentage points.
- In 2014-15, low-income students had a graduation rate of 76.1 percent.
- English learners graduated at a 65.1 percent rate.
- Students with disabilities had a graduation rate of 64.6 percent.
Below is the graduation rate for each state.
| State | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 89.3 |
| Alaska | 75.6 |
| Arizona | 77.4 |
| Arkansas | 84.9 |
| California | 82.0 |
| Colorado | 77.3 |
| Connecticut | 87.2 |
| Delaware | 85.6 |
| District of Columbia | 68.5 |
| Florida | 77.9 |
| Georgia | 78.8 |
| Hawaii | 81.6 |
| Idaho | 78.9 |
| Illinois | 85.6 |
| Indiana | 87.1 |
| Iowa | 90.8 |
| Kansas | 85.7 |
| Kentucky | 88.0 |
| Louisiana | 77.5 |
| Maine | 87.5 |
| Maryland | 87.0 |
| Massachusetts | 87.3 |
| Michigan | 79.8 |
| Minnesota | 81.9 |
| Mississippi | 75.4 |
| Missouri | 87.8 |
| Montana | 86.0 |
| Nebraska | 88.9 |
| Nevada | 71.3 |
| New Hampshire | 88.1 |
| New Jersey | 89.7 |
| New Mexico | 68.6 |
| New York | 79.2 |
| North Carolina | 85.6 |
| North Dakota | 86.6 |
| Ohio | 80.7 |
| Oklahoma | 82.5 |
| Oregon | 73.8 |
| Pennsylvania | 84.8 |
| Rhode Island | 83.2 |
| South Carolina | 80.3 |
| South Dakota | 83.9 |
| Tennessee | 87.9 |
| Texas | 89.3 |
| Utah | 84.8 |
| Vermont | 87.7 |
| Virginia | 85.7 |
| Washington | 78.2 |
| West Virginia | 86.5 |
| Wisconsin | 88.4 |
| Wyoming | 79.3 |
As of this writing, the data submitted by Mississippi was under review.
Historically, the data submitted by Texas has been widely criticized. Texas’s critics assert the state’s real graduation rate is around 75 percent.
Alabama has admitted its graduation rate was inflated.
There may be other instances of states reporting false data. I haven’t checked each state’s numbers. If you know of any false information, please let me know.