Counties with the most college graduates in Virginia
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 Virginia 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. Harrisonburg city
- 35.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 16.7% ($25,585 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 25.9% ($26,574)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 22.2% ($29,228)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.0% ($40,875)
- Graduate or professional degree: 15.2% ($58,136)
#29. King George County
- 35.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.5% ($11,788 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 26.9% ($38,854)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 30.1% ($47,632)
- Bachelor's degree: 21.8% ($66,013)
- Graduate or professional degree: 13.6% ($86,887)
#28. Fluvanna County
- 35.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.5% ($21,373 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 23.8% ($39,750)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.0% ($45,119)
- Bachelor's degree: 22.4% ($49,961)
- Graduate or professional degree: 13.2% ($63,512)
#27. Lynchburg city
- 36.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 11.4% ($25,541 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 24.3% ($26,038)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 28.3% ($32,393)
- Bachelor's degree: 21.0% ($37,861)
- Graduate or professional degree: 15.0% ($48,513)
#26. Roanoke County
- 36.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.7% ($25,176 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 27.2% ($35,465)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 30.1% ($42,419)
- Bachelor's degree: 23.7% ($53,961)
- Graduate or professional degree: 12.3% ($65,412)
#25. Fauquier County
- 36.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.1% ($30,671 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 24.3% ($43,300)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 30.9% ($54,046)
- Bachelor's degree: 22.8% ($74,573)
- Graduate or professional degree: 13.9% ($74,332)
#24. Virginia Beach city
- 37.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.0% ($24,112 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 20.8% ($34,916)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 36.0% ($41,496)
- Bachelor's degree: 23.5% ($53,779)
- Graduate or professional degree: 13.7% ($70,457)
#23. Chesterfield County
- 40.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.4% ($30,139 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 23.1% ($35,148)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.4% ($45,328)
- Bachelor's degree: 24.9% ($58,761)
- Graduate or professional degree: 15.2% ($71,215)
#22. Hanover County
- 40.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.1% ($30,185 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 25.6% ($41,276)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 27.9% ($45,895)
- Bachelor's degree: 25.8% ($62,769)
- Graduate or professional degree: 14.5% ($73,397)
#21. Radford city
- 40.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.4% ($13,678 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 20.8% ($40,799)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.1% ($39,086)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.5% ($45,556)
- Graduate or professional degree: 22.2% ($57,698)
#20. Richmond city
- 41.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 13.1% ($22,317 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 21.3% ($25,532)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 24.5% ($30,484)
- Bachelor's degree: 23.9% ($47,903)
- Graduate or professional degree: 17.3% ($59,747)
#19. Stafford County
- 41.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.0% ($27,194 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 22.3% ($40,854)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.4% ($51,050)
- Bachelor's degree: 24.6% ($73,499)
- Graduate or professional degree: 16.7% ($108,925)
#18. Prince William County
- 41.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 10.8% ($31,295 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 19.9% ($39,283)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 27.4% ($48,088)
- Bachelor's degree: 24.9% ($70,191)
- Graduate or professional degree: 17.0% ($94,541)
#17. Fredericksburg city
- 42.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.8% ($26,585 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 23.3% ($33,172)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 26.4% ($35,961)
- Bachelor's degree: 23.4% ($60,265)
- Graduate or professional degree: 19.0% ($96,579)
#16. Poquoson city
- 42.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.0% ($51,000 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 23.4% ($46,582)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.7% ($48,036)
- Bachelor's degree: 22.7% ($63,774)
- Graduate or professional degree: 20.2% ($86,898)
#15. Goochland County
- 43.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.9% ($25,250 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 23.2% ($33,218)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 26.1% ($34,792)
- Bachelor's degree: 23.7% ($63,596)
- Graduate or professional degree: 20.1% ($75,313)
#14. Henrico County
- 44.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.5% ($24,733 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 21.7% ($32,340)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 26.5% ($39,339)
- Bachelor's degree: 26.8% ($56,609)
- Graduate or professional degree: 17.4% ($74,832)
#13. Montgomery County
- 46.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.2% ($25,904 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 23.1% ($33,482)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 24.7% ($35,476)
- Bachelor's degree: 21.5% ($46,016)
- Graduate or professional degree: 24.5% ($60,586)
#12. York County
- 49.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.8% ($24,420 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 17.4% ($40,114)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 28.3% ($42,179)
- Bachelor's degree: 26.7% ($56,190)
- Graduate or professional degree: 22.8% ($90,536)
#11. Lexington city
- 50.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.3% ($61,438 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 23.6% ($16,071)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 18.1% ($40,000)
- Bachelor's degree: 25.8% ($37,617)
- Graduate or professional degree: 24.2% ($74,848)
#10. Williamsburg city
- 50.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.8% ($34,282 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 19.5% ($21,678)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 23.1% ($33,977)
- Bachelor's degree: 25.7% ($33,933)
- Graduate or professional degree: 24.9% ($51,875)
#9. James City County
- 51.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.6% ($27,459 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 17.8% ($30,386)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 26.7% ($36,828)
- Bachelor's degree: 26.8% ($52,474)
- Graduate or professional degree: 24.2% ($75,888)
#8. Charlottesville city
- 55.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.1% ($21,415 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 16.6% ($25,931)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 18.6% ($31,663)
- Bachelor's degree: 27.1% ($50,328)
- Graduate or professional degree: 28.6% ($62,691)
#7. Albemarle County
- 58.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.3% ($22,947 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 14.5% ($33,484)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 19.4% ($40,436)
- Bachelor's degree: 30.5% ($54,221)
- Graduate or professional degree: 28.3% ($73,308)
#6. Fairfax city
- 60.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.4% ($19,971 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 13.4% ($35,078)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 18.9% ($40,524)
- Bachelor's degree: 29.0% ($77,595)
- Graduate or professional degree: 31.2% ($101,019)
#5. Loudoun County
- 61.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.1% ($31,566 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 12.4% ($40,704)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 19.9% ($53,534)
- Bachelor's degree: 35.2% ($90,476)
- Graduate or professional degree: 26.4% ($109,811)
#4. Fairfax County
- 62.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.3% ($27,274 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 12.6% ($32,661)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 17.9% ($44,841)
- Bachelor's degree: 31.0% ($77,628)
- Graduate or professional degree: 31.1% ($108,229)
#3. Alexandria city
- 65.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.0% ($28,526 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 10.3% ($26,850)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 17.7% ($43,182)
- Bachelor's degree: 31.2% ($73,094)
- Graduate or professional degree: 33.8% ($101,787)
#2. Arlington County
- 75.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.1% ($23,240 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 7.9% ($31,907)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 11.2% ($43,921)
- Bachelor's degree: 35.3% ($82,163)
- Graduate or professional degree: 40.5% ($104,700)
#1. Falls Church city
- 79.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 3.2% ($24,475 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 6.5% ($29,695)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 11.2% ($50,931)
- Bachelor's degree: 31.5% ($87,674)
- Graduate or professional degree: 47.6% ($117,003)
