Counties with the most college graduates in Massachusetts
The American philosopher and psychologist John Dewey once said, "Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself." Dewey advocated for an educational paradigm called pragmatism, which stresses the importance of learning academic concepts by experiencing them firsthand, instead of through lecture and repetition in a classroom.
While the philosophy is used by many educators (especially those working in fields where the value of work experience exceeds the value placed on an academic background), many people take great pride in their formal educational credentials because of the valuable skills such educations provided and because of the immense amount of work that goes into earning a degree.
Stacker compiled a list of counties with the most college graduates in Massachusetts using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the highest percent of the population 25 years and over that has a Bachelor's degree or higher using 2020 5-year estimates.
Keep reading to see which counties in your state have the most college graduates.
#14. Hampden County
- 27.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 14.2% ($27,226 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 30.0% ($35,653)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 28.3% ($40,756)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.8% ($54,654)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.7% ($68,886)
#13. Bristol County
- 29.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 13.9% ($32,478 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 30.3% ($39,502)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 26.7% ($44,289)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.7% ($62,325)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.4% ($80,955)
#12. Berkshire County
- 35.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.1% ($26,630 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 29.8% ($34,422)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 27.7% ($36,571)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.3% ($46,784)
- Graduate or professional degree: 16.0% ($64,558)
#11. Worcester County
- 37.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.7% ($30,377 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 27.4% ($38,945)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 26.9% ($44,186)
- Bachelor's degree: 22.0% ($63,168)
- Graduate or professional degree: 15.1% ($81,701)
#10. Plymouth County
- 38.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.2% ($30,853 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 27.5% ($41,588)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 27.2% ($46,816)
- Bachelor's degree: 24.1% ($67,840)
- Graduate or professional degree: 14.0% ($87,303)
#9. Franklin County
- 38.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.6% ($28,299 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.0% ($34,829)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 27.2% ($37,948)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.4% ($41,502)
- Graduate or professional degree: 17.9% ($60,043)
#8. Essex County
- 40.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 10.3% ($27,840 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 24.5% ($36,303)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 24.5% ($42,557)
- Bachelor's degree: 24.3% ($65,191)
- Graduate or professional degree: 16.4% ($85,161)
#7. Dukes County
- 44.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.3% ($27,394 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 23.4% ($30,202)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 28.3% ($40,054)
- Bachelor's degree: 24.3% ($53,621)
- Graduate or professional degree: 19.7% ($61,106)
#6. Barnstable County
- 45.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.2% ($32,252 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 22.7% ($36,525)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 28.1% ($40,455)
- Bachelor's degree: 24.9% ($51,583)
- Graduate or professional degree: 20.1% ($67,185)
#5. Nantucket County
- 47.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.9% ($34,771 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 17.3% ($47,261)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 30.3% ($62,317)
- Bachelor's degree: 29.8% ($55,460)
- Graduate or professional degree: 17.7% ($51,009)
#4. Suffolk County
- 47.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 13.1% ($25,180 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 21.0% ($32,936)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 18.1% ($38,753)
- Bachelor's degree: 26.3% ($64,383)
- Graduate or professional degree: 21.4% ($80,619)
#3. Hampshire County
- 48.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.9% ($31,676 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 22.6% ($39,742)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 23.5% ($39,990)
- Bachelor's degree: 24.4% ($50,729)
- Graduate or professional degree: 24.6% ($67,636)
#2. Norfolk County
- 54.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.9% ($30,405 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 18.7% ($40,644)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 20.8% ($46,475)
- Bachelor's degree: 28.8% ($73,226)
- Graduate or professional degree: 25.8% ($93,142)
#1. Middlesex County
- 57.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.3% ($28,702 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 18.5% ($39,928)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 18.1% ($46,335)
- Bachelor's degree: 28.1% ($71,741)
- Graduate or professional degree: 28.9% ($92,609)
