Counties with the most college graduates in South Dakota
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 South Dakota 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. Custer County
- 23.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.3% ($21,855 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 36.8% ($39,029)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.6% ($33,810)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.9% ($48,872)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.3% ($52,708)
#29. Kingsbury County
- 23.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.9% ($32,643 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 38.6% ($36,890)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 30.1% ($37,645)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.4% ($44,323)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.0% ($52,778)
#28. Beadle County
- 23.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 15.3% ($28,028 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 34.0% ($32,933)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 27.2% ($34,876)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.4% ($48,067)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.0% ($58,906)
#27. Potter County
- 23.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.9% (earnings not available)
- High school graduate: 38.1% ($27,768)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.5% ($37,188)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.8% ($39,231)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.6% ($50,809)
#26. McPherson County
- 23.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 15.7% (earnings not available)
- High school graduate: 33.7% ($31,467)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 27.2% ($32,303)
- Bachelor's degree: 17.7% ($36,754)
- Graduate or professional degree: 5.7% ($46,250)
#25. McCook County
- 24.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 10.4% ($26,167 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 35.2% ($40,450)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.9% ($38,587)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.9% ($45,417)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.7% ($54,800)
#24. Harding County
- 24.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.5% ($42,604 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 34.8% ($34,375)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 35.0% ($43,906)
- Bachelor's degree: 21.0% ($39,836)
- Graduate or professional degree: 3.7% ($42,750)
#23. Moody County
- 25.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.7% (earnings not available)
- High school graduate: 31.3% ($32,458)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 35.7% ($39,572)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.7% ($45,156)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.6% (earnings not available)
#22. Marshall County
- 25.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.1% ($35,216 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.1% ($31,042)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 36.1% ($34,432)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.7% ($50,847)
- Graduate or professional degree: 5.1% ($48,750)
#21. Edmunds County
- 25.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.5% ($37,500 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 34.1% ($26,681)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.6% ($37,500)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.1% ($50,223)
- Graduate or professional degree: 5.8% ($62,969)
#20. Davison County
- 26.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.0% ($35,461 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.3% ($33,506)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.7% ($33,906)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.4% ($44,401)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.7% ($49,313)
#19. Meade County
- 26.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.9% ($25,676 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 30.1% ($35,269)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 38.9% ($34,267)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.6% ($45,313)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.5% ($63,457)
#18. Spink County
- 26.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.9% ($29,167 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 34.3% ($32,431)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.6% ($40,182)
- Bachelor's degree: 21.0% ($48,083)
- Graduate or professional degree: 5.2% ($70,213)
#17. Turner County
- 26.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.2% ($31,042 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.1% ($32,857)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.4% ($38,800)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.8% ($43,373)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.4% ($53,750)
#16. Brule County
- 26.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 10.0% ($18,672 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 34.1% ($29,034)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.4% ($31,914)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.6% ($47,679)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.9% ($61,184)
#15. Yankton County
- 26.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.6% ($28,891 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.2% ($32,171)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.5% ($34,345)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.1% ($47,248)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.6% ($54,890)
#14. Campbell County
- 28.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 10.7% (earnings not available)
- High school graduate: 30.8% ($36,964)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 30.2% ($41,181)
- Bachelor's degree: 25.7% ($46,293)
- Graduate or professional degree: 2.5% ($43,750)
#13. Stanley County
- 28.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.9% ($38,438 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 36.1% ($37,786)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 30.5% ($37,418)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.0% ($48,958)
- Graduate or professional degree: 12.5% ($71,352)
#12. Faulk County
- 28.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.5% ($9,222 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.0% ($30,893)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 35.9% ($35,046)
- Bachelor's degree: 14.7% ($44,219)
- Graduate or professional degree: 13.8% ($50,521)
#11. Jones County
- 29.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 3.5% (earnings not available)
- High school graduate: 41.5% ($30,750)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 25.8% ($45,066)
- Bachelor's degree: 22.2% ($37,917)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.1% (earnings not available)
#10. Union County
- 30.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.2% ($31,414 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.9% ($35,907)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.5% ($40,102)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.8% ($58,871)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.5% ($81,898)
#9. Pennington County
- 31.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.4% ($20,259 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 29.0% ($29,656)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.9% ($32,390)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.5% ($45,027)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.2% ($63,331)
#8. Brown County
- 31.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.3% ($27,443 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 30.1% ($34,029)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.0% ($39,702)
- Bachelor's degree: 21.8% ($48,766)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.9% ($59,229)
#7. Lake County
- 33.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.0% ($28,885 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 27.9% ($28,828)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.9% ($35,816)
- Bachelor's degree: 24.2% ($42,488)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.9% ($53,333)
#6. Minnehaha County
- 33.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.0% ($28,776 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 26.2% ($32,313)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.2% ($39,443)
- Bachelor's degree: 23.2% ($50,677)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.4% ($60,617)
#5. Lawrence County
- 35.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.0% ($28,942 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 26.4% ($31,598)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.6% ($30,694)
- Bachelor's degree: 23.8% ($40,360)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.2% ($51,735)
#4. Hughes County
- 36.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.4% ($8,942 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 27.7% ($26,896)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.3% ($41,291)
- Bachelor's degree: 25.7% ($51,861)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.9% ($59,209)
#3. Lincoln County
- 36.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.5% ($31,724 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 25.7% ($35,915)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.2% ($43,903)
- Bachelor's degree: 25.1% ($51,119)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.6% ($67,489)
#2. Brookings County
- 42.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 3.6% ($19,375 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 25.1% ($35,225)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.0% ($40,285)
- Bachelor's degree: 26.5% ($44,828)
- Graduate or professional degree: 15.8% ($62,857)
#1. Clay County
- 48.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.2% ($30,750 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 21.9% ($32,779)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 23.0% ($32,896)
- Bachelor's degree: 26.5% ($40,975)
- Graduate or professional degree: 22.4% ($54,167)
