Counties with the most college graduates in Montana
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 Montana 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. Judith Basin County
- 24.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.1% (earnings not available)
- High school graduate: 27.8% ($24,615)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 43.6% ($32,031)
- Bachelor's degree: 21.5% ($34,659)
- Graduate or professional degree: 3.0% ($80,000)
#29. Blaine County
- 24.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 10.3% ($29,583 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.0% ($23,404)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 37.2% ($29,743)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.5% ($44,958)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.0% ($55,972)
#28. Dawson County
- 24.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.3% ($15,563 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 29.0% ($27,886)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 38.8% ($32,764)
- Bachelor's degree: 17.4% ($46,763)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.5% ($45,776)
#27. Sheridan County
- 25.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.6% ($26,875 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 36.7% ($27,596)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.4% ($36,974)
- Bachelor's degree: 17.2% ($46,518)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.1% ($65,833)
#26. Teton County
- 25.4% 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: 32.6% ($29,526)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.6% ($30,847)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.7% ($35,063)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.7% ($65,000)
#25. Meagher County
- 26.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.6% (earnings not available)
- High school graduate: 39.9% ($22,212)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 28.2% ($20,769)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.5% (earnings not available)
- Graduate or professional degree: 5.8% ($51,161)
#24. Stillwater County
- 26.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.6% ($45,893 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 33.7% ($33,261)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.4% ($45,116)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.6% ($44,527)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.6% ($58,500)
#23. Petroleum County
- 26.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 1.4% (earnings not available)
- High school graduate: 38.0% ($26,250)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.1% ($34,792)
- Bachelor's degree: 21.7% ($53,563)
- Graduate or professional degree: 4.8% ($31,875)
#22. Hill County
- 26.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.8% ($19,643 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 30.2% ($31,118)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 35.3% ($35,182)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.4% ($44,141)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.3% ($49,783)
#21. Broadwater County
- 27.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.6% ($38,125 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 25.9% ($35,827)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 41.3% ($30,564)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.6% ($48,317)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.6% ($53,750)
#20. Fergus County
- 27.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.4% ($26,648 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.4% ($26,620)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 36.0% ($26,924)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.2% ($43,910)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.0% ($20,326)
#19. Cascade County
- 27.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.6% ($21,901 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.5% ($30,545)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.6% ($33,650)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.5% ($44,056)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.8% ($62,240)
#18. Silver Bow County
- 27.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.5% ($12,429 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 34.6% ($24,869)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.4% ($29,623)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.8% ($51,511)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.8% ($67,375)
#17. Prairie County
- 27.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 12.9% (earnings not available)
- High school graduate: 27.4% ($27,063)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.2% ($24,375)
- Bachelor's degree: 17.0% ($43,958)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.6% ($38,942)
#16. Custer County
- 27.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.3% ($26,623 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.9% ($31,347)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 37.1% ($35,021)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.9% ($42,628)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.9% ($47,472)
#15. Treasure County
- 28.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.7% ($30,114 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.5% ($36,591)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 30.6% ($29,625)
- Bachelor's degree: 24.2% ($40,288)
- Graduate or professional degree: 4.1% ($104,250)
#14. Ravalli County
- 28.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.3% ($22,885 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 29.3% ($28,006)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.0% ($28,004)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.0% ($35,336)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.4% ($50,571)
#13. Chouteau County
- 29.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.0% (earnings not available)
- High school graduate: 35.8% ($26,511)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 28.2% ($24,573)
- Bachelor's degree: 23.4% ($40,638)
- Graduate or professional degree: 5.7% ($53,625)
#12. Granite County
- 31.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.9% (earnings not available)
- High school graduate: 29.4% ($24,583)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.6% ($26,466)
- Bachelor's degree: 23.9% ($32,031)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.2% (earnings not available)
#11. Lake County
- 31.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.0% ($17,072 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 26.1% ($24,151)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 35.5% ($28,387)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.8% ($37,997)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.6% ($50,208)
#10. Carbon County
- 31.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.6% ($47,688 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.2% ($33,100)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.7% ($30,556)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.2% ($37,074)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.3% ($41,964)
#9. Flathead County
- 32.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.8% ($31,837 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.3% ($27,371)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.0% ($31,236)
- Bachelor's degree: 21.6% ($41,903)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.4% ($60,681)
#8. Park County
- 32.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.6% ($27,411 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 27.9% ($31,976)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 35.4% ($31,806)
- Bachelor's degree: 22.2% ($40,497)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.9% ($47,552)
#7. Beaverhead County
- 32.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.3% ($16,994 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 29.8% ($27,333)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.3% ($29,375)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.3% ($41,726)
- Graduate or professional degree: 12.2% ($51,143)
#6. Yellowstone County
- 32.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.2% ($23,408 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 29.3% ($31,884)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.7% ($36,572)
- Bachelor's degree: 22.8% ($51,336)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.1% ($64,161)
#5. Madison County
- 33.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.0% ($25,417 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 27.1% ($28,077)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 35.1% ($28,389)
- Bachelor's degree: 24.9% ($32,207)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.9% ($101,250)
#4. Jefferson County
- 35.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.0% (earnings not available)
- High school graduate: 27.5% ($33,105)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.2% ($39,911)
- Bachelor's degree: 24.3% ($43,163)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.9% ($72,188)
#3. Lewis and Clark County
- 42.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.4% ($23,092 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 23.3% ($28,795)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.8% ($36,568)
- Bachelor's degree: 26.4% ($48,834)
- Graduate or professional degree: 16.0% ($67,109)
#2. Missoula County
- 44.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.2% ($21,119 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 20.7% ($30,691)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 30.8% ($30,939)
- Bachelor's degree: 27.7% ($36,627)
- Graduate or professional degree: 16.5% ($55,392)
#1. Gallatin County
- 51.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 3.0% ($25,987 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 17.8% ($35,920)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 27.7% ($36,046)
- Bachelor's degree: 33.2% ($45,651)
- Graduate or professional degree: 18.4% ($56,533)
