According to a 2024 report from Forbes, Atlanta is the #2 Most Educated City in America. The study cited that nearly 60 percent of residents have a bachelor’s degree and nearly 30 percent have graduate degrees. In comparison, only about half of adult Americans hold a college degree.
As the report states, Atlanta is home to major colleges, including Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Georgia State University, so it’s no surprise the city’s residents are highly educated. This point is echoed by the Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education (ARCHE), a consortium of 18 colleges and universities across the Atlanta metropolitan region, which recently released its own study, Higher Education in America’s Metropolitan Areas and Atlanta’s Prominence. This national study assessed higher education capacity in the 45 largest U.S. metropolitan regions and found that the Atlanta region ranked in the top ten nationally for the following fields: Information Technology and Computer Science, Engineering, Natural and Physical Sciences, and Education degrees. Atlanta is also a leader in bachelor’s degrees conferred, graduate and undergraduate enrollment, and grant research economic impact.
“Atlanta’s higher education ecosystem is a national model,” said ARCHE Executive Director Tracey Brantley. “The diversity, quality, and research strength of our institutions create unparalleled resources for students, employers, and the community.”
Founded in 1938, ARCHE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works to strengthen public support for higher education and help its members collaborate in ways that leverage their individual strengths. ARCHE offers cooperative programs — such as library sharing and cross registration for courses, in addition to several intentional communities of practice — that help member institutions expand opportunities for students, faculty, and staff. The 18 schools that make up its membership consist of Agnes Scott College, Brenau University, Clark Atlanta University, Clayton State University, Columbia Theological Seminary, Emory University, Georgia Gwinnett College, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State University, Interdenominational Theological Center, Kennesaw State University, Mercer University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, Oglethorpe University, Spelman College, University of Georgia, and University of West Georgia.
The ARCHE report analyzes student enrollment, degrees awarded, and university finances to show how metro areas leverage higher education to drive economic growth, innovation, and workforce development. With a special focus on Atlanta’s role in the national landscape, ARCHE highlights that the region now ranks among the top metropolitan areas in the United States for academic research, STEM degree production, and educational attainment.
According to the ARCHE report, “The Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education hopes this report encourages government, business, and civic leaders to work more closely with institutions of higher education in their metro regions. Our goal is that after reading this report, two takeaways are evident. First, universities and colleges are key to future economic development being shaped by technology and innovation. Secondly, provide evidence of the work that continues to define the exceptional post-secondary education experience and accomplishments of students, faculty and administrations represented in the 45 metropolitan regions profiled in this report.”
Below is a breakdown of some of the educational achievements of students at metro Atlanta colleges and universities as determined by the ARCHE study:
Atlanta is a national leader in the growing demand for STEM fields. While the U.S. share of STEM degrees has risen from 18.5 percent in 2014 to 23.5 percent in 2022, Atlanta’s rankings in engineering, Information Technology (IT), natural sciences and physical sciences all exceed its population and GDP rankings.
Among 45 U.S. metro regions, Atlanta ranks:
#2 in total IT and Computer Science degrees
#2 in master’s degrees in IT and Computer Science
#3 in undergraduate degrees in IT and Natural Sciences
#4 in undergraduate Engineering and Physical Sciences
#3 in doctoral Engineering
#3 in doctoral Education
The Atlanta region is one of the nation’s strongest research hubs, ranking:
#4 in research spending
#5 in federal grant receipts
#6 in total operating revenue
#6 in institutional housing capacity
#6 in total bachelor’s degrees conferred
The region’s institutions attract and support a diverse student body, ranking:
#2 nationally in Black undergraduate and graduate enrollment
#5 in graduate full-time enrollment
#5 in first-time, full-time Pell Grant recipients
In comparison to other Southeast metro regions, Atlanta is the top provider of college degrees overall. Atlanta ranks:
#1 in Engineering, IT, Communications & Media, Education, Policy Studies, Natural Sciences, and Physical Sciences
#2 in Business (behind Miami)
#2 in Mathematics, Statistics & Computation (behind Dallas)
#3 in Medical & Health Sciences (behind Miami, Dallas, and Washington, D.C.)
#3 in Arts (behind Orlando and Dallas)
In summary, the authors of the ARCHE study conclude: “Atlanta is exceptional in the unique constellation of higher education institutions within its metropolitan region. The combination of large public and private research universities, state colleges, and private liberal arts colleges, including two nationally ranked women’s colleges, offer a wide diversity of post-secondary education options for both faculty and students. Added to this list are four Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that make up the Atlanta University Center. As a result, Atlanta is positioned as one of the nation’s top centers for academic research, innovation, and producing highly educated and talented graduates contributing to national and global societal good.”
More information and a report download option are available at atlantahighered.org/reports.
The full report from Forbes is available at forbes.com/advisor/education/most-educated-cities.
