Counties with the most college graduates in Wisconsin
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 Wisconsin 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. Fond du Lac County
- 23.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.7% ($29,719 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 35.7% ($36,625)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.7% ($40,727)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.7% ($51,806)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.2% ($61,711)
#29. Columbia County
- 24.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.7% ($33,409 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.7% ($37,135)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 36.5% ($45,242)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.5% ($52,764)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.7% ($60,718)
#28. Sawyer County
- 24.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.9% ($24,306 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 33.0% ($27,471)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.3% ($31,478)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.1% ($39,964)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.8% ($48,547)
#27. Iowa County
- 25.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.6% ($35,491 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 34.2% ($36,058)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 35.9% ($40,554)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.5% ($53,662)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.8% ($64,110)
#26. Sheboygan County
- 25.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.3% ($32,790 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 35.2% ($35,788)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.8% ($40,624)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.0% ($53,508)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.8% ($68,806)
#25. Racine County
- 25.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.9% ($27,099 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.5% ($34,382)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.8% ($39,280)
- Bachelor's degree: 17.0% ($57,500)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.8% ($73,076)
#24. Douglas County
- 25.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.3% ($26,165 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.7% ($35,335)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 39.3% ($38,051)
- Bachelor's degree: 17.2% ($47,227)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.6% ($50,054)
#23. Marathon County
- 26.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.6% ($26,857 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 33.9% ($34,775)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.2% ($40,008)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.3% ($51,629)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.0% ($65,677)
#22. Oneida County
- 26.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.1% ($30,792 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.4% ($30,188)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 36.2% ($35,160)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.6% ($48,190)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.7% ($67,368)
#21. Jefferson County
- 26.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.0% ($29,435 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.5% ($35,425)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.8% ($39,476)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.5% ($52,349)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.1% ($61,618)
#20. Vilas County
- 27.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.4% ($21,184 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.2% ($30,234)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 35.7% ($30,843)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.0% ($44,627)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.8% ($54,397)
#19. Kenosha County
- 27.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.8% ($32,340 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 29.3% ($33,714)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.1% ($39,468)
- Bachelor's degree: 17.7% ($56,740)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.0% ($69,641)
#18. Winnebago County
- 29.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.6% ($31,425 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.9% ($33,907)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.5% ($41,023)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.6% ($52,064)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.4% ($64,883)
#17. Walworth County
- 29.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.5% ($29,964 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 30.5% ($34,544)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.5% ($38,177)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.8% ($51,201)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.7% ($68,983)
#16. Dunn County
- 29.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.5% ($33,042 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.1% ($35,303)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.6% ($35,890)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.4% ($50,673)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.3% ($58,049)
#15. Pierce County
- 29.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.4% ($35,313 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 30.6% ($40,986)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.2% ($44,499)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.7% ($51,622)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.2% ($70,465)
#14. Calumet County
- 29.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.1% ($34,512 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.9% ($39,019)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.1% ($47,996)
- Bachelor's degree: 22.4% ($58,175)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.5% ($70,586)
#13. Outagamie County
- 30.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.0% ($31,016 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 30.9% ($37,003)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.1% ($40,983)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.9% ($52,235)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.1% ($67,373)
#12. Brown County
- 30.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.5% ($26,911 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 29.9% ($32,411)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.2% ($40,957)
- Bachelor's degree: 21.3% ($52,465)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.1% ($65,604)
#11. Milwaukee County
- 31.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 11.3% ($25,880 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 29.0% ($30,650)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 28.4% ($36,303)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.0% ($52,397)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.3% ($67,277)
#10. Bayfield County
- 32.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.3% ($22,083 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.1% ($30,508)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 35.5% ($33,110)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.6% ($41,551)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.5% ($53,618)
#9. Washington County
- 32.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.9% ($35,444 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 29.5% ($40,952)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.7% ($46,220)
- Bachelor's degree: 23.1% ($64,232)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.8% ($76,400)
#8. Eau Claire County
- 33.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.9% ($30,159 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 25.6% ($31,684)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 36.2% ($38,240)
- Bachelor's degree: 22.0% ($48,197)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.2% ($61,426)
#7. Portage County
- 33.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.9% ($25,851 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.9% ($37,138)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 28.7% ($38,957)
- Bachelor's degree: 23.4% ($45,032)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.1% ($63,269)
#6. Door County
- 34.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.4% ($25,439 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 30.3% ($31,707)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 30.5% ($37,991)
- Bachelor's degree: 23.0% ($40,981)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.7% ($50,000)
#5. La Crosse County
- 36.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.7% ($25,484 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 24.9% ($31,287)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.3% ($36,711)
- Bachelor's degree: 22.6% ($48,952)
- Graduate or professional degree: 13.5% ($62,020)
#4. St. Croix County
- 36.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 3.7% ($31,486 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 24.2% ($37,213)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 35.4% ($48,208)
- Bachelor's degree: 25.3% ($62,762)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.5% ($65,632)
#3. Waukesha County
- 44.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 3.8% ($32,234 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 21.8% ($38,384)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.6% ($46,109)
- Bachelor's degree: 29.7% ($65,480)
- Graduate or professional degree: 15.1% ($83,647)
#2. Ozaukee County
- 49.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 3.2% ($29,375 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 20.9% ($39,580)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 26.3% ($43,091)
- Bachelor's degree: 30.5% ($61,155)
- Graduate or professional degree: 19.1% ($84,454)
#1. Dane County
- 52.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 3.8% ($27,905 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 17.3% ($35,005)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 26.5% ($41,514)
- Bachelor's degree: 31.3% ($56,762)
- Graduate or professional degree: 21.1% ($68,268)
