Counties with the most college graduates in Tennessee
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 Tennessee 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. Dyer County
- 18.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 14.3% ($23,759 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 36.0% ($30,704)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.2% ($36,294)
- Bachelor's degree: 11.5% ($52,392)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.0% ($60,455)
#29. Carroll County
- 18.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 12.8% ($22,159 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 42.8% ($28,466)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 25.6% ($30,806)
- Bachelor's degree: 11.5% ($37,591)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.3% ($49,132)
#28. DeKalb County
- 18.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 20.5% ($24,030 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 38.2% ($31,920)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 22.3% ($38,264)
- Bachelor's degree: 12.5% ($43,750)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.4% ($52,527)
#27. Roane County
- 19.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 10.2% ($15,915 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 37.8% ($28,279)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.0% ($36,832)
- Bachelor's degree: 11.4% ($53,621)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.7% ($57,282)
#26. Lincoln County
- 19.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 15.1% ($23,098 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 41.5% ($34,884)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 24.2% ($35,569)
- Bachelor's degree: 11.7% ($62,225)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.5% ($57,047)
#25. Moore County
- 19.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 13.6% ($38,833 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 42.1% ($31,522)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 24.9% ($46,615)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.3% ($60,388)
- Graduate or professional degree: 4.1% (earnings not available)
#24. Weakley County
- 19.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 12.7% ($25,694 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 44.1% ($30,189)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 23.3% ($32,713)
- Bachelor's degree: 11.6% ($39,440)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.2% ($47,966)
#23. Robertson County
- 20.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 12.7% ($32,271 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 39.1% ($32,480)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 27.8% ($39,823)
- Bachelor's degree: 14.6% ($49,697)
- Graduate or professional degree: 5.8% ($58,836)
#22. Cheatham County
- 20.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 13.4% ($25,842 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 38.8% ($35,826)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 27.3% ($38,452)
- Bachelor's degree: 13.7% ($52,372)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.8% ($67,473)
#21. Franklin County
- 20.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 11.9% ($26,977 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 42.1% ($29,871)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 25.2% ($35,213)
- Bachelor's degree: 12.4% ($42,250)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.4% ($63,793)
#20. Coffee County
- 21.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 13.1% ($22,408 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 38.3% ($29,733)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 27.5% ($34,731)
- Bachelor's degree: 12.9% ($46,053)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.3% ($54,048)
#19. Fayette County
- 22.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 12.2% ($33,538 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 33.4% ($32,163)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.9% ($42,111)
- Bachelor's degree: 14.6% ($61,757)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.9% ($75,181)
#18. Anderson County
- 22.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 11.4% ($25,047 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 34.3% ($31,346)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.5% ($35,482)
- Bachelor's degree: 12.5% ($46,199)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.3% ($65,288)
#17. Bradley County
- 23.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 12.9% ($21,766 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.3% ($30,986)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.3% ($34,287)
- Bachelor's degree: 14.8% ($42,862)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.7% ($57,434)
#16. Maury County
- 24.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.6% ($27,606 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 34.8% ($31,227)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.6% ($39,442)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.0% ($49,242)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.0% ($59,517)
#15. Sullivan County
- 24.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 12.5% ($22,041 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 34.1% ($27,562)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 28.8% ($32,138)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.8% ($43,389)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.7% ($60,806)
#14. Blount County
- 24.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 10.6% ($21,494 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 35.4% ($32,307)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.4% ($36,207)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.5% ($48,918)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.1% ($60,133)
#13. Madison County
- 25.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 11.5% ($25,492 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 34.4% ($30,220)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 28.2% ($32,077)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.0% ($44,545)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.9% ($58,540)
#12. Putnam County
- 26.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 11.8% ($21,635 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 37.6% ($29,759)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 24.2% ($32,326)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.7% ($44,568)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.7% ($50,129)
#11. Loudon County
- 27.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 13.0% ($27,255 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 30.6% ($30,528)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.2% ($34,522)
- Bachelor's degree: 17.9% ($46,456)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.4% ($68,458)
#10. Sumner County
- 28.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.7% ($28,310 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 30.3% ($34,479)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.4% ($37,771)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.7% ($54,982)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.9% ($64,833)
#9. Montgomery County
- 29.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.7% ($19,466 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 27.1% ($32,848)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 36.7% ($37,087)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.0% ($46,597)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.4% ($56,688)
#8. Washington County
- 32.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 10.4% ($24,046 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 29.5% ($27,659)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 27.8% ($33,072)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.7% ($48,260)
- Graduate or professional degree: 13.6% ($63,389)
#7. Shelby County
- 32.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 10.9% ($22,168 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 27.3% ($27,358)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.4% ($33,480)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.3% ($51,197)
- Graduate or professional degree: 13.0% ($69,645)
#6. Rutherford County
- 32.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.6% ($28,678 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 27.8% ($35,809)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.0% ($40,168)
- Bachelor's degree: 22.9% ($49,897)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.7% ($59,816)
#5. Hamilton County
- 33.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.7% ($21,743 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 26.2% ($29,364)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 30.7% ($34,799)
- Bachelor's degree: 21.5% ($52,279)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.8% ($63,815)
#4. Wilson County
- 34.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.0% ($31,224 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.1% ($37,187)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.1% ($42,815)
- Bachelor's degree: 23.4% ($58,066)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.3% ($65,553)
#3. Knox County
- 38.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.1% ($22,086 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 24.7% ($29,393)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 28.4% ($36,195)
- Bachelor's degree: 23.5% ($51,090)
- Graduate or professional degree: 15.3% ($65,229)
#2. Davidson County
- 43.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 10.3% ($25,012 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 21.4% ($30,427)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 25.0% ($36,392)
- Bachelor's degree: 27.3% ($50,453)
- Graduate or professional degree: 16.0% ($63,145)
#1. Williamson County
- 60.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.8% ($25,410 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 13.0% ($37,575)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 21.7% ($44,115)
- Bachelor's degree: 38.1% ($70,751)
- Graduate or professional degree: 22.4% ($92,454)
