Education in Palo Alto, California: official figures
82.3% of adults aged 25 and over in Palo Alto held a bachelor's degree or higher in 2020-2024, 2nd highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 35.7%; California: 37.1%).
How many people in Palo Alto have a graduate degree?
55.0% of adults aged 25 and over in Palo Alto held a master's, professional or doctoral degree, the highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 14.1%); 17.2% held a doctorate.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyWhat is the education level of adults in Palo Alto?
In Palo Alto, 5.3% of adults aged 25 and over had a high school diploma or equivalent as their highest qualification and 9.2% 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 Palo Alto?
16,144 residents of Palo Alto aged 3 and over were enrolled in school or college in 2020-2024, 24.7% of that age group, 323rd lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 24.7%); 11,579 were in kindergarten to grade 12, including 4,186 in grades 9 to 12.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many college students live in Palo Alto?
1,918 residents of Palo Alto were enrolled as college undergraduates and 1,505 in graduate or professional school in 2020-2024, together 5.2% of residents aged 3 and over, 174th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 6.6%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many children in Palo Alto attend preschool?
1,142 children in Palo Alto were enrolled in nursery school or preschool in 2020-2024.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow Palo Alto compares with other cities in the United States
Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher (2020-2024)
Palo Alto ranks 2 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hoboken | 82.6% |
| 2 | Palo Alto | 82.3% |
| 3 | Cupertino | 82.2% |
| 4 | Newton | 81.1% |
| 5 | Cambridge | 80.8% |
| 6 | Ann Arbor | 77.9% |
| 7 | Sammamish | 77.1% |
Adults 25+ with a graduate or professional degree (2020-2024)
Palo Alto ranks 1 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults 25+ with a graduate or professional degree |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palo Alto | 55.0% |
| 2 | Newton | 53.0% |
| 3 | Cambridge | 51.2% |
| 4 | Cupertino | 48.6% |
| 5 | Ann Arbor | 48.0% |
| 6 | Chapel Hill | 45.2% |
| 7 | Mountain View | 45.1% |
Adults 25+ without a high school diploma (2020-2024)
Palo Alto ranks 771 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults 25+ without a high school diploma |
|---|---|---|
| 768 | Laguna Niguel | 3.3% |
| 769 | Irvine | 3.3% |
| 770 | Huntersville | 3.2% |
| 771 | Palo Alto | 3.2% |
| 772 | Centennial | 3.1% |
| 773 | Celina | 3.1% |
| 774 | Sandy Springs | 3.1% |
Residents aged 3+ enrolled in college or graduate school (2020-2024)
Palo Alto ranks 650 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents aged 3+ enrolled in college or graduate school |
|---|---|---|
| 647 | Fort Smith | 5.3% |
| 648 | Port St. Lucie | 5.3% |
| 649 | Taylorsville | 5.2% |
| 650 | Palo Alto | 5.2% |
| 651 | Clermont | 5.2% |
| 652 | Marana | 5.2% |
| 653 | Jupiter | 5.2% |
More on Palo Alto: 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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