Highest degree rates, fewer men after 35
The Washington metro leads our list on education. 54.1% of men and 54.6% of women aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's or higher, around one and a half times the national rate. Government, law and policy jobs draw graduates here, so asking for a degree still keeps more than half of people.
Median earnings are $74.6k for men and $58.6k for women. 27.7% of women with earnings make $100k or more, second only to San Francisco and more than double the US's 12.5%.
At 25–34 there are 109 unmarried men per 100 women, already narrower than the US's 118. By 35–44 it drops to 97: more single women than men. Only Dallas is as low. For a woman in her late 30s, that means fewer single men than single women.
A man aged 30–40, at least 5′11″, earning $100k+ with a degree comes to about 7,440 across the metro, which runs from DC through northern Virginia and suburban Maryland.
DC's census table
| Washington, DC | US | |
|---|---|---|
| Men 25–34, unmarried | 68.3% | 64.5% |
| Women 25–34, unmarried | 61.2% | 56.2% |
| Men 35–44, unmarried | 34.3% | 38% |
| Women 35–44, unmarried | 34.8% | 35.7% |
| Men per 100 women, 25–34 | 109 | 118 |
| Men per 100 women, 35–44 | 97 | 108 |
| Median earnings, men | $74,618 | $53,015 |
| Median earnings, women | $58,623 | $39,325 |
| Men at $100k+ | 38.3% | 22.6% |
| Women at $100k+ | 27.7% | 12.5% |
| Men with a degree | 54.1% | 34.4% |
| Women with a degree | 54.6% | 36.9% |
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metro Area, ACS 2020–2024. How we define these.