Education in Ames, Iowa: official figures
65.8% of adults aged 25 and over in Ames held a bachelor's degree or higher in 2020-2024, 50th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 35.7%; Iowa: 31.4%).
How many people in Ames have a graduate degree?
31.8% of adults aged 25 and over in Ames held a master's, professional or doctoral degree, 33rd highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 14.1%); 10.6% held a doctorate.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyWhat is the education level of adults in Ames?
In Ames, 11.8% of adults aged 25 and over had a high school diploma or equivalent as their highest qualification and 20.4% had some college or an associate's degree (US: 26.0% and 27.9%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many students are there in Ames?
34,777 residents of Ames aged 3 and over were enrolled in school or college in 2020-2024, 52.3% of that age group, 3rd highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 24.7%); 5,587 were in kindergarten to grade 12, including 2,179 in grades 9 to 12.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many college students live in Ames?
24,942 residents of Ames were enrolled as college undergraduates and 3,729 in graduate or professional school in 2020-2024, together 43.1% of residents aged 3 and over, the highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 6.6%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many children in Ames attend preschool?
519 children in Ames were enrolled in nursery school or preschool in 2020-2024.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow Ames compares with other cities in the United States
Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher (2020-2024)
Ames ranks 50 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher |
|---|---|---|
| 47 | Roswell | 66.0% |
| 48 | Plymouth | 65.9% |
| 49 | Santa Clara | 65.9% |
| 50 | Ames | 65.8% |
| 51 | Rockville | 65.6% |
| 52 | Flower Mound | 65.5% |
| 53 | Bozeman | 65.1% |
Adults 25+ with a graduate or professional degree (2020-2024)
Ames ranks 33 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults 25+ with a graduate or professional degree |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | Hoboken | 32.0% |
| 31 | Dublin | 32.0% |
| 32 | Troy | 31.9% |
| 33 | Ames | 31.8% |
| 34 | Carmel | 31.7% |
| 35 | Irvine | 31.5% |
| 36 | Fulshear | 31.5% |
Adults 25+ without a high school diploma (2020-2024)
Ames ranks 815 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults 25+ without a high school diploma |
|---|---|---|
| 812 | Carmel | 2.2% |
| 813 | Saratoga Springs | 2.2% |
| 814 | Ann Arbor | 2.1% |
| 815 | Ames | 2.1% |
| 816 | Madison | 2.1% |
| 817 | Mount Pleasant | 2.1% |
| 818 | Plymouth | 1.9% |
Residents aged 3+ enrolled in college or graduate school (2020-2024)
Ames ranks 1 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents aged 3+ enrolled in college or graduate school |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ames | 43.1% |
| 2 | Bloomington | 40.9% |
| 3 | College Station | 40.1% |
| 4 | Provo | 39.1% |
| 5 | Stillwater | 38.5% |
| 6 | Ann Arbor | 36.0% |
| 7 | Gainesville | 35.7% |
More on Ames: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · government budget · all cities in the United States
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B15003: Educational Attainment for the Population 25 Years and Over (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 d0c8609e958022459215c8a31d7452ef7528ee8dd70fbb6f9a99de0f491f42d7), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 609deae49c91…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B14001: School Enrollment by Level of School for the Population 3 Years and Over (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 e175af4a33616da45fb590da3d67f37eee65a3cb51e6f5864c64ff31fb716b81), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b85f52a6d640…)
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