Counties with the most college graduates in New Mexico
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 New Mexico 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. Luna County
- 13.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 28.7% ($14,677 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 36.0% ($23,605)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 22.2% ($25,509)
- Bachelor's degree: 7.5% ($42,730)
- Graduate or professional degree: 5.5% ($54,688)
#29. De Baca County
- 13.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 18.0% ($30,613 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 27.6% ($35,650)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 41.1% ($26,406)
- Bachelor's degree: 6.7% ($25,882)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.6% ($47,625)
#28. Lea County
- 14.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 24.4% ($32,737 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.0% ($42,361)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.0% ($40,763)
- Bachelor's degree: 8.2% ($61,279)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.4% ($65,725)
#27. Quay County
- 15.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 17.8% ($30,328 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 37.3% ($31,597)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.5% ($24,567)
- Bachelor's degree: 9.6% ($40,536)
- Graduate or professional degree: 5.8% ($60,313)
#26. San Juan County
- 15.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 13.8% ($25,518 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 29.2% ($30,095)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 41.6% ($33,862)
- Bachelor's degree: 9.0% ($49,278)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.4% ($59,121)
#25. Torrance County
- 15.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 14.5% ($23,010 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 35.8% ($31,882)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.1% ($29,306)
- Bachelor's degree: 10.0% ($44,477)
- Graduate or professional degree: 5.6% ($52,141)
#24. Catron County
- 16.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.3% (earnings not available)
- High school graduate: 42.0% ($23,385)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.0% ($34,179)
- Bachelor's degree: 10.0% ($37,333)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.6% (earnings not available)
#23. Eddy County
- 17.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 16.4% ($30,202 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.5% ($41,528)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.0% ($45,450)
- Bachelor's degree: 10.7% ($57,051)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.4% ($61,250)
#22. Cibola County
- 17.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 18.5% ($19,945 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 30.3% ($25,125)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.8% ($26,670)
- Bachelor's degree: 11.0% ($43,082)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.3% ($73,125)
#21. Mora County
- 17.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.5% ($42,759 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 39.1% ($22,083)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.8% ($29,722)
- Bachelor's degree: 6.2% (earnings not available)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.3% ($44,644)
#20. Chaves County
- 17.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 20.6% ($21,399 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 26.6% ($28,399)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 35.1% ($29,046)
- Bachelor's degree: 11.9% ($48,540)
- Graduate or professional degree: 5.8% ($55,809)
#19. Rio Arriba County
- 18.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 13.4% ($20,929 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 33.5% ($29,518)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.6% ($40,972)
- Bachelor's degree: 10.6% ($50,699)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.9% ($48,942)
#18. Otero County
- 18.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 13.2% ($15,045 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.1% ($25,317)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 39.9% ($30,349)
- Bachelor's degree: 12.6% ($40,330)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.3% ($59,405)
#17. Valencia County
- 19.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 15.3% ($23,849 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.3% ($31,276)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.5% ($31,740)
- Bachelor's degree: 11.2% ($49,187)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.6% ($56,675)
#16. Hidalgo County
- 19.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 17.5% ($19,583 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 33.4% ($28,750)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.1% ($32,672)
- Bachelor's degree: 13.3% ($18,594)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.6% ($46,625)
#15. Curry County
- 20.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 19.1% ($24,366 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 25.8% ($30,664)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.9% ($33,585)
- Bachelor's degree: 13.5% ($41,307)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.7% ($60,959)
#14. Colfax County
- 21.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 12.5% ($14,345 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 30.4% ($22,772)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 35.7% ($25,208)
- Bachelor's degree: 13.0% ($41,934)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.4% ($50,329)
#13. Roosevelt County
- 21.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 19.0% ($23,125 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.8% ($31,036)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 27.3% ($29,162)
- Bachelor's degree: 14.7% ($36,250)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.1% ($53,945)
#12. Socorro County
- 22.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 17.0% ($18,350 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 38.0% ($16,933)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 22.9% ($26,310)
- Bachelor's degree: 10.2% ($38,600)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.8% ($64,259)
#11. San Miguel County
- 22.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 16.7% ($23,441 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 25.1% ($21,050)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 36.1% ($29,694)
- Bachelor's degree: 11.1% ($26,500)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.9% ($50,363)
#10. Sierra County
- 22.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 11.5% ($14,803 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 29.7% ($18,769)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 36.7% ($22,838)
- Bachelor's degree: 13.4% ($45,139)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.7% ($51,545)
#9. Harding County
- 24.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 14.6% (earnings not available)
- High school graduate: 21.0% ($29,583)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 40.1% ($42,813)
- Bachelor's degree: 14.9% ($28,438)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.4% (earnings not available)
#8. Lincoln County
- 25.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.7% ($18,497 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 33.0% ($25,412)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.2% ($24,326)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.5% ($43,217)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.6% ($51,480)
#7. Grant County
- 25.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 12.6% ($16,742 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.3% ($18,843)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.5% ($26,391)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.5% ($38,539)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.1% ($46,813)
#6. Dona Ana County
- 29.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 19.4% ($16,353 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 21.5% ($24,096)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.6% ($29,202)
- Bachelor's degree: 17.3% ($40,187)
- Graduate or professional degree: 12.2% ($56,878)
#5. Sandoval County
- 31.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.1% ($23,014 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 25.3% ($30,541)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.6% ($36,467)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.2% ($50,141)
- Graduate or professional degree: 12.8% ($63,932)
#4. Taos County
- 32.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.9% (earnings not available)
- High school graduate: 25.1% ($19,725)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.7% ($27,295)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.8% ($33,558)
- Graduate or professional degree: 13.5% ($55,086)
#3. Bernalillo County
- 35.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 10.0% ($22,323 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 22.9% ($28,044)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.8% ($33,288)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.5% ($45,808)
- Graduate or professional degree: 15.8% ($67,355)
#2. Santa Fe County
- 40.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 10.2% ($23,970 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 23.0% ($27,874)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 26.1% ($35,905)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.6% ($43,640)
- Graduate or professional degree: 20.1% ($62,677)
#1. Los Alamos County
- 67.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 1.9% ($85,809 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 10.0% ($43,158)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 20.5% ($59,505)
- Bachelor's degree: 25.2% ($72,665)
- Graduate or professional degree: 42.4% ($117,576)
