Counties with the most college graduates in Rhode Island
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 Rhode Island 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.
#5. Providence County
- 30.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 13.7% ($28,403 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 30.6% ($35,561)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 25.3% ($40,367)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.7% ($54,691)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.6% ($72,431)
#4. Kent County
- 32.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.6% ($34,519 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.8% ($39,164)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 30.9% ($45,003)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.1% ($60,284)
- Graduate or professional degree: 12.5% ($78,884)
#3. Washington County
- 46.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.3% ($25,199 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 22.1% ($41,368)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 26.6% ($41,654)
- Bachelor's degree: 25.9% ($61,624)
- Graduate or professional degree: 20.1% ($82,689)
#2. Bristol County
- 49.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.3% ($29,197 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 20.1% ($36,467)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 21.5% ($42,762)
- Bachelor's degree: 26.0% ($61,006)
- Graduate or professional degree: 23.2% ($89,159)
#1. Newport County
- 49.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.3% ($32,439 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 20.2% ($36,342)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 24.8% ($40,369)
- Bachelor's degree: 29.9% ($59,325)
- Graduate or professional degree: 19.8% ($86,899)
