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 Iowa 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.
Skye Marthaler // Wikimedia Commons
1 / 30- 22.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.7% ($47,695 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 36.2% ($30,910)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.5% ($33,319)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.1% ($43,860)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.6% ($59,180)
Smallbones // Wikimedia Commons
2 / 30- 23.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 11.1% ($26,239 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.3% ($35,181)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.5% ($36,868)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.2% ($41,298)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.8% ($60,000)
Chuckmor // Wikimedia Commons
3 / 30- 23.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.1% ($31,827 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 34.3% ($33,427)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 36.4% ($34,575)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.4% ($49,010)
- Graduate or professional degree: 4.7% ($54,722)
Dan Breyfogle // Wikimedia Commons
4 / 30- 23.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.8% ($30,313 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 33.6% ($30,420)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 36.4% ($39,100)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.6% ($52,572)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.5% ($74,254)
Nst101 // Wikimedia Commons
5 / 30- 23.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.7% ($40,533 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 33.1% ($31,946)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 36.8% ($38,964)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.1% ($51,275)
- Graduate or professional degree: 5.3% ($73,958)
Tony Webster // Wikicommons
6 / 30- 23.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 12.3% ($33,379 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.7% ($31,484)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.4% ($37,538)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.0% ($50,981)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.6% ($67,889)
Scott Romine // Wikimedia Commons
7 / 30- 23.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.4% ($30,407 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.8% ($27,118)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 37.9% ($39,588)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.9% ($40,708)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.0% ($62,692)
Ann Sullivan-Larson // Wikimedia Commons
8 / 30- 24.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.4% ($33,171 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.0% ($37,228)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 37.6% ($42,225)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.3% ($55,554)
- Graduate or professional degree: 5.8% ($71,607)
Scott Romine // Wikimedia Commons
9 / 30- 24.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.3% ($21,484 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 29.8% ($30,614)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 38.2% ($33,947)
- Bachelor's degree: 17.9% ($47,300)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.9% ($59,250)
en:User:Cburnett // Wikimedia Commons
10 / 30- 25.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.5% ($28,750 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 33.9% ($38,063)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 36.3% ($46,833)
- Bachelor's degree: 17.5% ($54,594)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.8% ($78,250)
Library of Congress // Wikimedia Commons
11 / 30- 25.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.8% ($26,982 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.5% ($34,828)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 36.2% ($40,804)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.0% ($52,196)
- Graduate or professional degree: 7.4% ($58,578)
Jared Winkler // Wikimedia Commons
12 / 30- 26.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.4% ($36,563 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.9% ($33,199)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.7% ($41,897)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.1% ($56,282)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.9% ($77,974)
Jim Roberts // Wikimedia Commons
13 / 30- 26.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 10.2% ($19,957 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 37.8% ($26,791)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 25.4% ($34,338)
- Bachelor's degree: 14.5% ($36,814)
- Graduate or professional degree: 12.0% ($50,486)
Lolwhynot3498 // Wikimedia Commons
14 / 30- 27.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.9% ($33,846 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.7% ($37,625)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 36.2% ($39,875)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.8% ($53,425)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.4% ($70,081)
Smallbones // Wikimedia Commons
15 / 30- 28.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.2% ($32,097 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 38.5% ($35,809)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 27.2% ($37,046)
- Bachelor's degree: 14.8% ($42,716)
- Graduate or professional degree: 13.3% ($63,750)
David Wilson // Wikimedia
16 / 30- 29.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.2% ($30,294 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 29.9% ($31,892)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.7% ($36,308)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.4% ($48,213)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.8% ($70,997)
Josejuan05 // Wikimedia Commons
17 / 30- 29.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.2% ($31,965 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 29.2% ($32,363)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.1% ($38,811)
- Bachelor's degree: 21.0% ($44,013)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.5% ($59,816)
Jonathunder // Wikimedia Commons
18 / 30- 29.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 3.9% ($19,464 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 34.3% ($37,025)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.0% ($38,854)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.5% ($42,425)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.3% ($67,120)
en:User:Cburnett // Wikimedia Commons
19 / 30- 30.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.1% ($23,553 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.5% ($38,390)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 30.6% ($38,765)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.9% ($51,478)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.9% ($73,773)
Lynn Betts // Wikimedia Commons
20 / 30- 31.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.1% ($25,634 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.5% ($39,030)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.1% ($47,345)
- Bachelor's degree: 21.9% ($60,446)
- Graduate or professional degree: 9.4% ($71,790)
FluffyGryphon // Wikimedia Commons
21 / 30- 31.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.7% ($26,031 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.7% ($34,478)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.2% ($37,599)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.1% ($49,565)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.3% ($61,777)
TheCatalyst31 // Wikimedia Commons
22 / 30- 32.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.1% ($9,940 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 26.3% ($32,238)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 37.4% ($35,218)
- Bachelor's degree: 23.8% ($41,067)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8.4% ($63,026)
formulanone // Wikimedia Commons
23 / 30- 32.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.5% ($27,813 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.7% ($33,601)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.3% ($37,281)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.5% ($55,499)
- Graduate or professional degree: 12.1% ($74,180)
Jim Roberts // Wikimedia Commons
24 / 30- 33.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 3.6% ($30,625 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.1% ($36,869)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.3% ($41,572)
- Bachelor's degree: 22.5% ($51,692)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.5% ($69,357)
Jim Roberts // Wikimedia Commons
25 / 30- 34.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.4% ($26,438 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 26.4% ($33,531)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 34.2% ($40,372)
- Bachelor's degree: 23.6% ($55,383)
- Graduate or professional degree: 10.5% ($78,968)
en:User:Cburnett // Wikimedia Commons
26 / 30- 36.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.7% ($17,596 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 25.8% ($31,529)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 30.0% ($25,703)
- Bachelor's degree: 21.1% ($39,111)
- Graduate or professional degree: 15.4% ($40,962)
Katie Haugland Bowen // Flickr
27 / 30- 37.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.9% ($28,924 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 24.8% ($33,133)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.8% ($41,070)
- Bachelor's degree: 26.0% ($58,494)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.6% ($74,173)
Stephen Matthew Milligan // Wikimedia Commons
28 / 30- 50.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.5% ($30,878 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 18.4% ($37,718)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 26.7% ($46,059)
- Bachelor's degree: 34.4% ($68,403)
- Graduate or professional degree: 16.1% ($82,164)
Carl Wycoff // Wikimedia Commons
29 / 30- 51.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 3.2% ($25,938 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 17.1% ($30,162)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 27.8% ($40,795)
- Bachelor's degree: 30.0% ($46,362)
- Graduate or professional degree: 22.0% ($58,175)
Billwhittaker // Wikimedia Commons
30 / 30- 54.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 4.3% ($25,780 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 15.8% ($29,824)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 25.6% ($38,787)
- Bachelor's degree: 29.1% ($47,183)
- Graduate or professional degree: 25.2% ($66,026)
