Counties with the most college graduates in Missouri
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 Missouri 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.
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#30. Gasconade County
- 21.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 12.2% ($27,096 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 38.4% ($29,496)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 28.1% ($33,195)
- Bachelor's degree: 13.8% ($40,227)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.6% ($49,745)
#29. Newton County
- 21.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 12.1% ($26,778 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 35.1% ($28,738)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.2% ($31,869)
- Bachelor's degree: 14.8% ($40,634)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.8% ($61,563)
#28. Buchanan County
- 21.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 11.2% ($21,655 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 37.3% ($32,696)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.7% ($34,749)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.1% ($44,234)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.8% ($58,750)
#27. Clinton County
- 22.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.2% ($29,349 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 43.4% ($40,483)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 27.4% ($42,209)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.2% ($45,122)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.8% ($55,742)
#26. Camden County
- 22.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.5% ($21,298 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 37.6% ($26,176)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.6% ($30,514)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.2% ($41,332)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.0% ($43,537)
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#25. Cooper County
- 22.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 11.3% ($21,151 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 36.5% ($30,786)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.9% ($36,521)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.1% ($45,332)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.3% ($50,872)
#24. Saline County
- 22.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 15.3% ($28,633 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 36.9% ($31,204)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 25.3% ($28,511)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.7% ($33,942)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.8% ($50,122)
#23. Jasper County
- 22.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 12.8% ($22,461 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 34.9% ($31,135)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.6% ($31,685)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.3% ($39,781)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.3% ($55,911)
#22. Atchison County
- 22.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.3% ($21,983 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 41.1% ($30,786)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 27.0% ($31,467)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.9% ($37,500)
- Graduate or professional degree: 5.8% ($46,875)
#21. Callaway County
- 23.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 11.8% ($25,780 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 35.5% ($31,481)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.3% ($35,393)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.6% ($49,018)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.8% ($44,486)
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#20. Marion County
- 24.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 10.6% ($23,291 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 35.6% ($31,321)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.0% ($30,949)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.7% ($43,625)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.1% ($49,039)
#19. Andrew County
- 26.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.4% ($30,684 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 36.4% ($34,772)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.7% ($37,416)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.4% ($44,173)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.1% ($55,863)
#18. Cass County
- 27.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.5% ($31,155 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 33.1% ($37,410)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.4% ($43,884)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.0% ($56,581)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.0% ($60,330)
#17. Nodaway County
- 27.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.7% ($26,081 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 38.0% ($34,530)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 27.9% ($30,892)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.6% ($41,729)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.7% ($55,361)
#16. Pulaski County
- 27.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.7% ($23,894 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.8% ($25,000)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 36.7% ($35,981)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.9% ($44,602)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.9% ($55,000)
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#15. Howard County
- 28.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 11.2% ($27,321 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 35.5% ($31,597)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 24.5% ($30,319)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.5% ($42,143)
- Graduate or professional degree: 13.2% ($51,087)
#14. Johnson County
- 29.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.5% ($31,168 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 30.0% ($29,600)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.1% ($37,309)
- Bachelor's degree: 17.2% ($39,760)
- Graduate or professional degree: 12.3% ($54,268)
#13. Phelps County
- 29.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 10.3% ($25,845 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 30.2% ($27,531)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.6% ($34,101)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.5% ($37,173)
- Graduate or professional degree: 13.4% ($63,686)
#12. Christian County
- 30.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.6% ($26,746 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.2% ($33,299)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.5% ($33,929)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.2% ($46,393)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.5% ($52,680)
#11. Adair County
- 31.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.9% ($23,250 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 35.1% ($26,163)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 24.8% ($33,502)
- Bachelor's degree: 14.4% ($37,435)
- Graduate or professional degree: 16.8% ($49,718)
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#10. Greene County
- 31.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.4% ($23,047 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.1% ($30,833)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.0% ($32,056)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.0% ($42,403)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.5% ($53,509)
#9. Cape Girardeau County
- 31.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.4% ($23,466 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.5% ($31,295)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 28.2% ($32,858)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.4% ($43,500)
- Graduate or professional degree: 12.5% ($47,591)
#8. Jackson County
- 32.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.7% ($25,899 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.1% ($31,705)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.0% ($37,242)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.3% ($52,553)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.8% ($63,550)
#7. Clay County
- 32.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.6% ($30,134 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.0% ($35,875)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.5% ($41,027)
- Bachelor's degree: 21.9% ($53,966)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.9% ($63,403)
#6. Cole County
- 35.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.8% ($24,303 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 29.0% ($33,141)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 27.6% ($34,340)
- Bachelor's degree: 22.8% ($48,815)
- Graduate or professional degree: 12.8% ($55,417)
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#5. St. Louis city
- 37.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 11.3% ($21,187 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 24.2% ($27,636)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 27.3% ($32,044)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.5% ($49,130)
- Graduate or professional degree: 16.8% ($60,823)
#4. St. Charles County
- 40.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.0% ($30,038 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 23.2% ($37,203)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.1% ($43,925)
- Bachelor's degree: 25.9% ($62,590)
- Graduate or professional degree: 14.9% ($76,367)
#3. Platte County
- 43.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 3.9% ($29,167 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 22.8% ($36,995)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 30.2% ($42,063)
- Bachelor's degree: 26.8% ($59,221)
- Graduate or professional degree: 16.2% ($71,898)
#2. St. Louis County
- 44.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.0% ($26,202 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 21.3% ($31,477)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 28.3% ($37,148)
- Bachelor's degree: 25.2% ($58,327)
- Graduate or professional degree: 19.3% ($78,420)
#1. Boone County
- 47.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.4% ($28,930 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 20.6% ($31,353)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 26.4% ($34,848)
- Bachelor's degree: 27.0% ($46,190)
- Graduate or professional degree: 20.7% ($60,142)
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