Counties with the most college graduates in Minnesota
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 Minnesota 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.
#30. Otter Tail County
- 25.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.9% ($25,272 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 27.2% ($31,206)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 39.0% ($38,811)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.0% ($47,958)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.9% ($65,130)
#29. Crow Wing County
- 26.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.7% ($27,667 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 29.6% ($30,364)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 38.6% ($38,579)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.8% ($48,665)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.4% ($70,548)
#28. Goodhue County
- 26.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.1% ($30,132 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.2% ($37,431)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.5% ($40,515)
- Bachelor's degree: 17.2% ($57,452)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.9% ($66,928)
#27. Kittson County
- 26.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 3.2% ($28,750 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 39.7% ($37,256)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 30.8% ($40,991)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.0% ($44,881)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.3% ($47,829)
#26. Lyon County
- 26.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.0% ($28,191 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.0% ($31,688)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 35.6% ($37,050)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.4% ($47,185)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.0% ($53,214)
#25. Steele County
- 26.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.3% ($36,953 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.8% ($36,619)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.0% ($43,210)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.6% ($54,904)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.2% ($71,402)
#24. Douglas County
- 27.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.5% ($27,151 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 30.6% ($31,945)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 37.8% ($40,275)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.1% ($51,928)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.0% ($61,898)
#23. Polk County
- 27.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.8% ($26,600 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 30.5% ($32,286)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 35.4% ($40,318)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.1% ($51,054)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.2% ($60,797)
#22. Dodge County
- 27.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.8% ($37,261 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.3% ($39,949)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 35.5% ($47,420)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.7% ($63,613)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.7% ($66,519)
#21. Stearns County
- 27.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.1% ($25,360 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.2% ($34,754)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 35.9% ($40,688)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.9% ($51,944)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.9% ($66,408)
#20. Lake County
- 28.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.4% ($37,083 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 30.3% ($32,267)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 36.3% ($43,021)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.7% ($53,929)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.3% ($70,139)
#19. Hubbard County
- 28.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.2% ($19,250 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 29.5% ($30,109)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 35.9% ($34,855)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.6% ($46,571)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.8% ($53,300)
#18. Rice County
- 28.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.5% ($28,042 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.6% ($36,250)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.3% ($42,642)
- Bachelor's degree: 17.7% ($53,972)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.8% ($66,821)
#17. Stevens County
- 29.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.2% ($18,750 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.1% ($36,109)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.9% ($40,115)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.5% ($40,927)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.3% ($59,375)
#16. Beltrami County
- 29.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.7% ($20,919 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 27.8% ($26,796)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.5% ($33,760)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.5% ($46,796)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.4% ($64,534)
#15. St. Louis County
- 30.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.5% ($19,571 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 25.9% ($31,399)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 38.4% ($37,555)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.6% ($50,057)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.6% ($69,189)
#14. Anoka County
- 30.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.8% ($31,962 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 27.9% ($38,948)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 35.9% ($45,455)
- Bachelor's degree: 21.6% ($64,044)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.8% ($81,684)
#13. Wright County
- 31.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.0% ($45,981 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.6% ($41,755)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.3% ($47,260)
- Bachelor's degree: 21.5% ($64,808)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.5% ($74,965)
#12. Winona County
- 31.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.5% ($30,508 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 26.9% ($32,207)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 35.4% ($37,856)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.5% ($50,869)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.7% ($55,816)
#11. Clay County
- 34.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.7% ($29,427 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 23.0% ($36,273)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 38.0% ($42,946)
- Bachelor's degree: 24.2% ($53,566)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.0% ($62,944)
#10. Nicollet County
- 34.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.2% ($26,779 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 24.6% ($31,250)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.8% ($40,622)
- Bachelor's degree: 22.9% ($45,960)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.5% ($72,283)
#9. Blue Earth County
- 34.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.4% ($28,869 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 27.3% ($35,662)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.8% ($39,185)
- Bachelor's degree: 23.0% ($46,295)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.6% ($64,803)
#8. Scott County
- 40.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.9% ($32,598 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 21.1% ($41,234)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.1% ($47,367)
- Bachelor's degree: 29.0% ($75,308)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.9% ($81,852)
#7. Dakota County
- 42.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.0% ($29,612 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 19.8% ($38,395)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.5% ($46,943)
- Bachelor's degree: 29.3% ($65,860)
- Graduate or professional degree: 13.3% ($82,868)
#6. Ramsey County
- 43.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.0% ($25,403 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 21.1% ($31,581)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 26.9% ($38,603)
- Bachelor's degree: 26.0% ($53,104)
- Graduate or professional degree: 17.0% ($72,668)
#5. Cook County
- 45.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 3.0% ($40,313 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 22.3% ($30,726)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.5% ($36,132)
- Bachelor's degree: 30.2% ($39,931)
- Graduate or professional degree: 15.0% ($47,426)
#4. Washington County
- 45.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.0% ($32,451 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 20.4% ($37,144)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 30.0% ($47,556)
- Bachelor's degree: 29.3% ($70,056)
- Graduate or professional degree: 16.3% ($86,360)
#3. Olmsted County
- 46.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.5% ($23,054 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 19.2% ($32,587)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 28.6% ($41,984)
- Bachelor's degree: 26.7% ($61,227)
- Graduate or professional degree: 20.0% ($77,685)
#2. Carver County
- 49.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 3.6% ($34,185 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 17.4% ($41,002)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.9% ($47,720)
- Bachelor's degree: 33.7% ($72,745)
- Graduate or professional degree: 15.4% ($91,615)
#1. Hennepin County
- 51.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.4% ($26,209 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 15.9% ($33,149)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 26.7% ($42,057)
- Bachelor's degree: 32.4% ($63,324)
- Graduate or professional degree: 18.6% ($81,330)
