Counties with the most college graduates in Mississippi
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 Mississippi 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. Alcorn County
- 17.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 19.5% ($21,250 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.7% ($27,051)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.0% ($31,236)
- Bachelor's degree: 11.4% ($40,818)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.4% ($66,281)
#29. Webster County
- 17.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 15.3% ($41,806 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 37.5% ($31,824)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.3% ($35,243)
- Bachelor's degree: 11.6% ($40,581)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.3% ($47,386)
#28. Pontotoc County
- 18.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 23.0% ($28,317 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 27.8% ($32,674)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.0% ($32,432)
- Bachelor's degree: 10.4% ($40,722)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.8% ($44,825)
#27. Sharkey County
- 18.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 20.0% (earnings not available)
- High school graduate: 35.4% ($27,615)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 26.1% ($30,458)
- Bachelor's degree: 12.4% ($45,192)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.2% ($41,736)
#26. Leflore County
- 18.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 16.8% ($23,869 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 37.0% ($22,466)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 27.4% ($23,739)
- Bachelor's degree: 10.9% ($34,393)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.9% ($54,046)
#25. Montgomery County
- 18.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 20.3% ($25,431 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.5% ($32,989)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.3% ($24,252)
- Bachelor's degree: 9.4% ($36,071)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.5% ($39,590)
#24. Jefferson County
- 19.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 19.6% ($19,627 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 33.0% ($19,330)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 28.3% ($18,857)
- Bachelor's degree: 8.9% ($47,799)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.1% ($48,475)
#23. Grenada County
- 19.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 17.1% ($22,708 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 30.9% ($25,625)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.2% ($33,784)
- Bachelor's degree: 12.4% ($31,411)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.5% ($53,861)
#22. Clay County
- 20.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 16.3% ($21,291 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 35.3% ($22,317)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 28.1% ($35,556)
- Bachelor's degree: 13.2% ($41,194)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.1% ($47,628)
#21. Choctaw County
- 20.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 16.9% ($40,045 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 39.3% ($28,536)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 23.5% ($33,353)
- Bachelor's degree: 11.7% ($35,507)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.7% ($48,333)
#20. Washington County
- 20.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 18.4% ($20,988 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.0% ($25,000)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.1% ($30,031)
- Bachelor's degree: 12.4% ($42,407)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.1% ($45,938)
#19. Wayne County
- 20.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 19.6% (earnings not available)
- High school graduate: 34.6% ($33,720)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 25.2% ($32,534)
- Bachelor's degree: 9.3% ($36,075)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.4% ($48,810)
#18. Claiborne County
- 20.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 20.7% (earnings not available)
- High school graduate: 29.0% ($17,993)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.7% ($33,409)
- Bachelor's degree: 8.9% ($31,910)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.8% ($47,917)
#17. Jones County
- 20.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 13.4% ($24,898 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.4% ($27,100)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.5% ($30,694)
- Bachelor's degree: 12.4% ($43,780)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.3% ($48,440)
#16. Lauderdale County
- 21.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 14.8% ($15,451 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 27.2% ($25,313)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 36.9% ($32,036)
- Bachelor's degree: 12.8% ($47,492)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.3% ($54,858)
#15. Jackson County
- 22.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 11.2% ($25,375 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 29.5% ($27,448)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 36.8% ($37,731)
- Bachelor's degree: 14.4% ($45,222)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.1% ($67,357)
#14. Warren County
- 23.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 14.0% ($17,216 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.6% ($24,494)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.4% ($29,266)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.1% ($48,262)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.9% ($75,724)
#13. Harrison County
- 23.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 11.0% ($19,406 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.4% ($26,768)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 36.9% ($32,369)
- Bachelor's degree: 14.6% ($43,929)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.1% ($60,109)
#12. Lowndes County
- 24.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 13.2% ($29,315 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 33.2% ($31,129)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.7% ($32,404)
- Bachelor's degree: 14.7% ($44,536)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.2% ($60,745)
#11. DeSoto County
- 24.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.0% ($29,259 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 30.1% ($35,337)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 36.1% ($41,262)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.2% ($54,485)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.6% ($60,186)
#10. Bolivar County
- 25.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 19.3% ($16,935 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 24.4% ($22,692)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 30.9% ($22,722)
- Bachelor's degree: 14.4% ($34,883)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.0% ($63,945)
#9. Hancock County
- 26.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.6% ($24,632 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.2% ($32,382)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 36.3% ($34,724)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.7% ($53,889)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.3% ($63,190)
#8. Lee County
- 26.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 14.7% ($20,530 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 26.5% ($31,362)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.9% ($32,279)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.1% ($44,341)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.8% ($75,546)
#7. Forrest County
- 27.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 11.5% ($20,803 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 25.9% ($26,456)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.9% ($25,939)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.9% ($36,471)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.8% ($48,929)
#6. Hinds County
- 30.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 11.8% ($19,872 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 23.8% ($25,889)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.2% ($28,635)
- Bachelor's degree: 17.3% ($42,524)
- Graduate or professional degree: 13.0% ($53,678)
#5. Rankin County
- 30.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 10.9% ($26,358 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 25.0% ($34,812)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.8% ($39,106)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.5% ($53,417)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.8% ($61,549)
#4. Lamar County
- 33.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 10.7% ($10,910 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 26.1% ($24,850)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 30.0% ($34,900)
- Bachelor's degree: 21.3% ($48,625)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.9% ($56,641)
#3. Oktibbeha County
- 42.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.8% ($18,859 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 22.1% ($22,255)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 26.3% ($26,509)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.9% ($35,912)
- Graduate or professional degree: 22.0% ($52,581)
#2. Lafayette County
- 47.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.9% ($16,202 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 19.1% ($24,625)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 25.9% ($29,938)
- Bachelor's degree: 24.6% ($37,525)
- Graduate or professional degree: 22.5% ($60,841)
#1. Madison County
- 50.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.2% ($20,886 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 16.7% ($28,997)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 25.1% ($36,639)
- Bachelor's degree: 29.2% ($53,935)
- Graduate or professional degree: 20.8% ($73,987)
