Education in San Francisco, California: official figures
60.3% of adults aged 25 and over in San Francisco held a bachelor's degree or higher in 2020-2024, 83rd highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 35.7%; California: 37.1%).
How many people in San Francisco have a graduate degree?
25.4% of adults aged 25 and over in San Francisco held a master's, professional or doctoral degree, 93rd highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 14.1%); 3.7% held a doctorate.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyWhat is the education level of adults in San Francisco?
In San Francisco, 11.3% of adults aged 25 and over had a high school diploma or equivalent as their highest qualification and 17.4% 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 San Francisco?
147,130 residents of San Francisco aged 3 and over were enrolled in school or college in 2020-2024, 18.2% of that age group, 11th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 24.7%); 78,981 were in kindergarten to grade 12, including 24,235 in grades 9 to 12.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many college students live in San Francisco?
37,889 residents of San Francisco were enrolled as college undergraduates and 19,406 in graduate or professional school in 2020-2024, together 7.1% of residents aged 3 and over, 317th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 6.6%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many children in San Francisco attend preschool?
10,854 children in San Francisco were enrolled in nursery school or preschool in 2020-2024.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow San Francisco compares with other cities in the United States
Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher (2020-2024)
San Francisco ranks 83 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher |
|---|---|---|
| 80 | Iowa City | 60.5% |
| 81 | Plano | 60.5% |
| 82 | Arlington Heights | 60.4% |
| 83 | San Francisco | 60.3% |
| 84 | Broomfield | 60.3% |
| 85 | Madison | 59.9% |
| 86 | Laguna Niguel | 59.8% |
Adults 25+ with a graduate or professional degree (2020-2024)
San Francisco ranks 93 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults 25+ with a graduate or professional degree |
|---|---|---|
| 90 | Royal Oak | 25.6% |
| 91 | Santa Fe | 25.6% |
| 92 | Boca Raton | 25.4% |
| 93 | San Francisco | 25.4% |
| 94 | Minnetonka | 25.2% |
| 95 | Laguna Niguel | 25.1% |
| 96 | Centennial | 24.9% |
Adults 25+ without a high school diploma (2020-2024)
San Francisco ranks 327 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults 25+ without a high school diploma |
|---|---|---|
| 324 | Dearborn Heights | 11.0% |
| 325 | Racine | 11.0% |
| 326 | Troy | 11.0% |
| 327 | San Francisco | 11.0% |
| 328 | Norwalk | 11.0% |
| 329 | Federal Way | 11.0% |
| 330 | Novato | 11.0% |
Residents aged 3+ enrolled in college or graduate school (2020-2024)
San Francisco ranks 317 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents aged 3+ enrolled in college or graduate school |
|---|---|---|
| 314 | Oceanside | 7.1% |
| 315 | Bakersfield | 7.1% |
| 316 | San Rafael | 7.1% |
| 317 | San Francisco | 7.1% |
| 318 | Augusta | 7.1% |
| 319 | Visalia | 7.1% |
| 320 | Vallejo | 7.0% |
More on San Francisco: 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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