Counties with the most college graduates in Pennsylvania
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 Pennsylvania 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. Mercer County
- 22.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 10.1% ($21,234 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 41.8% ($30,838)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 25.3% ($31,933)
- Bachelor's degree: 14.5% ($50,855)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.2% ($63,513)
#29. Clarion County
- 23.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.4% ($24,951 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 46.0% ($31,307)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 21.6% ($35,498)
- Bachelor's degree: 13.6% ($45,865)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.3% ($64,030)
#28. Lycoming County
- 23.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.5% ($25,196 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 37.7% ($30,643)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.3% ($33,548)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.6% ($44,836)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.9% ($65,631)
#27. Luzerne County
- 23.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.8% ($26,011 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 38.7% ($31,087)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 27.9% ($36,130)
- Bachelor's degree: 14.6% ($50,667)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.0% ($69,916)
#26. Columbia County
- 24.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.2% ($28,302 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 42.8% ($31,588)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 23.8% ($38,198)
- Bachelor's degree: 14.8% ($46,602)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.5% ($66,828)
#25. Indiana County
- 25.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.2% ($25,364 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 41.5% ($30,288)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 24.3% ($35,536)
- Bachelor's degree: 14.2% ($42,233)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.8% ($56,131)
#24. York County
- 25.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.7% ($26,232 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 39.2% ($36,554)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 25.9% ($43,211)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.3% ($56,170)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.9% ($72,346)
#23. Union County
- 25.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 12.2% ($30,082 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 41.0% ($22,139)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 21.4% ($31,950)
- Bachelor's degree: 12.9% ($47,587)
- Graduate or professional degree: 12.6% ($68,047)
#22. Beaver County
- 25.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.2% ($26,913 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 36.4% ($33,200)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.8% ($40,177)
- Bachelor's degree: 17.3% ($54,531)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.2% ($68,227)
#21. Monroe County
- 25.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 10.4% ($30,598 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 34.7% ($33,671)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.0% ($38,696)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.7% ($49,740)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.1% ($77,309)
#20. Berks County
- 25.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 12.8% ($28,370 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 36.3% ($35,802)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 25.0% ($39,704)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.4% ($54,490)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.5% ($73,181)
#19. Pike County
- 27.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.6% ($22,353 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 33.8% ($35,947)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.6% ($34,978)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.9% ($53,744)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.1% ($66,613)
#18. Lancaster County
- 28.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 14.4% ($32,085 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 34.8% ($36,118)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 22.3% ($39,746)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.4% ($51,544)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.2% ($67,151)
#17. Lackawanna County
- 28.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.5% ($24,451 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 36.7% ($31,090)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 26.1% ($35,249)
- Bachelor's degree: 17.8% ($50,601)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.8% ($66,101)
#16. Erie County
- 28.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.5% ($21,301 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 37.8% ($30,505)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 25.0% ($33,269)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.4% ($44,686)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.3% ($63,182)
#15. Westmoreland County
- 30.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.2% ($22,682 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 35.9% ($32,929)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 28.7% ($38,897)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.3% ($54,119)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.0% ($69,234)
#14. Washington County
- 30.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.5% ($20,150 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 37.4% ($33,719)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 25.5% ($40,142)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.0% ($56,914)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.6% ($75,775)
#13. Lehigh County
- 30.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 10.5% ($23,438 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.7% ($33,109)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 26.0% ($38,744)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.9% ($58,388)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.9% ($80,410)
#12. Philadelphia County
- 31.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 14.3% ($24,277 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.8% ($28,209)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 22.7% ($34,556)
- Bachelor's degree: 17.9% ($52,020)
- Graduate or professional degree: 13.3% ($66,531)
#11. Northampton County
- 31.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.7% ($30,977 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 34.2% ($35,873)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 25.3% ($42,445)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.7% ($55,369)
- Graduate or professional degree: 12.1% ($73,231)
#10. Dauphin County
- 32.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.0% ($27,737 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.5% ($33,837)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 26.2% ($41,171)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.6% ($53,801)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.7% ($70,413)
#9. Montour County
- 33.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.9% ($20,154 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 39.4% ($32,880)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 18.7% ($39,727)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.3% ($50,984)
- Graduate or professional degree: 16.7% ($71,450)
#8. Cumberland County
- 37.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.1% ($27,441 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.7% ($33,917)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 23.8% ($43,190)
- Bachelor's degree: 23.2% ($56,216)
- Graduate or professional degree: 14.2% ($71,674)
#7. Butler County
- 37.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.6% ($25,875 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.8% ($35,360)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 26.2% ($41,832)
- Bachelor's degree: 24.1% ($62,402)
- Graduate or professional degree: 13.4% ($77,736)
#6. Delaware County
- 39.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.8% ($25,784 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 29.3% ($34,745)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 24.3% ($41,725)
- Bachelor's degree: 22.7% ($61,836)
- Graduate or professional degree: 16.8% ($83,833)
#5. Bucks County
- 42.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.7% ($30,328 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.0% ($40,070)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 24.1% ($45,100)
- Bachelor's degree: 25.1% ($67,257)
- Graduate or professional degree: 17.1% ($89,786)
#4. Allegheny County
- 42.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.2% ($22,591 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 26.4% ($31,125)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 25.9% ($38,467)
- Bachelor's degree: 24.7% ($54,648)
- Graduate or professional degree: 17.8% ($72,211)
#3. Centre County
- 45.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.5% ($27,585 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.0% ($31,343)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 20.7% ($37,109)
- Bachelor's degree: 23.6% ($47,993)
- Graduate or professional degree: 22.2% ($65,298)
#2. Montgomery County
- 49.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.6% ($27,504 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 23.3% ($38,499)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 21.5% ($44,886)
- Bachelor's degree: 28.2% ($66,212)
- Graduate or professional degree: 21.5% ($89,967)
#1. Chester County
- 54.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.7% ($26,828 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 20.5% ($38,601)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 19.6% ($45,127)
- Bachelor's degree: 31.9% ($71,043)
- Graduate or professional degree: 22.3% ($99,959)
