The state of Maryland ranks No. 1 in the list, Best States for Gender Equality, recently released by the U.S. News & World Report. The ranking is based on five categories: education, economy, health, representation and power, and family planning and care.

Maryland’s ranking was boosted by its first place metric in education. Experts say K-12 education has been prioritized under the last two governors .

Gender equality in higher education has proven to be a success in the state as well. Many Maryland educational institutions make it a goal to ensure females have equal opportunities in all fields, especially STEM where they have been underrepresented. The University of Maryland, Baltimore County , for example, strives to offer female scholars support and mentorship, through initiatives like its Center for Women in Technology and the Meyerhoff Scholars Program.

Maryland also scored high in the category of representation and power. While men still hold more management positions than women in every state, Maryland is helping lead the way to change by having one of the smallest disparities.

U.S. News reported that on average, in the United States, women earn 82.4 percent of what men earn in their weekly wages. However, Maryland is helping to close the gap, exceeding the national average. In Maryland, women earn 86 cents for every dollar a man earns.

“We are proud that Maryland leads the nation in expanding opportunities for women and girls,” said Governor Hogan . “This is another example of how we are truly changing Maryland for the better.”