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Snagging the number two most-educated spot was Israel, which trailed Canada by 5%. Japan, the U.S., New Zealand and South Korea all ranked with more than 40% of citizens having a higher-education degree. The top 10 most-educated countries are:

1. Canada

2. Israel

3. Japan

4. United States

5. New Zealand

6. South Korea

7. United Kingdom

8. Finland

9. Australia

10. Ireland

Read the original article here at 24/7 Wall St., for a detailed breakdown of each nation and its education status.

Based on population the United States has upwards of 120 million people with a higher education degree. America’s large population and access to universities gives the US a strong advantage in the world. The US doesn’t have to be first in this category to stay ahead in research and technology. According to the Scientific American the US estimates that approximately 30,000 scientists and engineers—about 18,000 of them American citizens—who earn PhDs in the U.S. each year.

However, though the numbers are high when considering population there is still an issue.

its growth rate for post-secondary education – 1.3 percent per year – is quite low in comparison to the OECD average of 3.7 percent, which means other countries could outpace the US in the coming years.

The good news is the West continues to lead.