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 New York 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.
Colgate University // Wikimedia Commons
1 / 30- 26.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.4% ($35,169 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 34.7% ($33,150)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.3% ($39,175)
- Bachelor's degree: 14.8% ($49,134)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.8% ($68,582)
Nina Alizada // Shutterstock
2 / 30- 26.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 11.0% ($21,971 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 30.8% ($31,274)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.6% ($37,973)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.1% ($52,275)
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.5% ($62,716)
Stef Ko // Shutterstock
3 / 30- 26.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.3% ($27,017 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.2% ($32,532)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 32.6% ($39,401)
- Bachelor's degree: 14.7% ($50,099)
- Graduate or professional degree: 12.2% ($54,871)
Benjamin D. Esham (bdesham) // Wikimedia Commons
4 / 30- 27.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.2% ($28,378 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.4% ($35,157)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.9% ($40,141)
- Bachelor's degree: 14.8% ($50,266)
- Graduate or professional degree: 12.7% ($61,627)
Canva
5 / 30- 28.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.7% ($21,820 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.0% ($31,154)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 30.4% ($35,558)
- Bachelor's degree: 15.7% ($51,677)
- Graduate or professional degree: 13.1% ($61,952)
tomtsya// Shutterstock
6 / 30- 29.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.5% ($24,179 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.9% ($31,396)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 28.8% ($35,481)
- Bachelor's degree: 16.6% ($41,704)
- Graduate or professional degree: 13.3% ($63,678)
Mwanner // Wikimedia Commons
7 / 30- 30.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 10.1% ($26,983 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.6% ($37,554)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 30.5% ($45,419)
- Bachelor's degree: 17.7% ($66,982)
- Graduate or professional degree: 13.1% ($86,241)
UpstateNYer // Wikimedia Commons
8 / 30- 32.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.1% ($24,942 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.4% ($31,784)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 30.4% ($40,747)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.0% ($57,873)
- Graduate or professional degree: 14.1% ($74,503)
Gbklyn // Wikimedia Commons
9 / 30- 32.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.9% ($26,576 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 29.5% ($34,332)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 30.3% ($40,690)
- Bachelor's degree: 17.2% ($48,969)
- Graduate or professional degree: 15.1% ($68,065)
Fred Hsu // Wikimedia Commons
10 / 30- 33.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.8% ($25,064 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.8% ($33,849)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.2% ($39,288)
- Bachelor's degree: 17.8% ($52,349)
- Graduate or professional degree: 15.4% ($72,807)
Kenneth Sponsler // Shutterstock
11 / 30- 33.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.4% ($21,818 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 30.7% ($31,734)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 28.6% ($34,321)
- Bachelor's degree: 18.1% ($42,013)
- Graduate or professional degree: 15.3% ($58,596)
Bjoertvedt // Wikimedia Commons
12 / 30- 33.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 17.4% ($25,177 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 26.9% ($32,395)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 22.3% ($41,662)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.7% ($57,112)
- Graduate or professional degree: 12.7% ($74,665)
Daniel Case // Wikimedia Commons
13 / 30- 33.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.1% ($26,340 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 29.3% ($35,759)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 28.0% ($36,745)
- Bachelor's degree: 17.6% ($53,338)
- Graduate or professional degree: 16.1% ($66,403)
Matt H. Wade // Wikimedia Commons
14 / 30- 33.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.5% ($22,917 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 27.5% ($37,156)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.1% ($44,468)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.0% ($60,842)
- Graduate or professional degree: 13.9% ($69,238)
Roman Babakin // Shutterstock
15 / 30- 34.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 11.5% ($25,980 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 29.7% ($41,870)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 24.0% ($47,765)
- Bachelor's degree: 21.0% ($65,761)
- Graduate or professional degree: 13.7% ($80,704)
Canva
16 / 30- 35.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.0% ($22,720 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 26.8% ($32,458)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 30.1% ($38,758)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.7% ($53,663)
- Graduate or professional degree: 15.4% ($65,907)
Daniel Case // Wikimedia Commons
17 / 30- 35.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.8% ($24,717 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 26.2% ($32,109)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 31.2% ($37,964)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.6% ($53,482)
- Graduate or professional degree: 16.2% ($68,326)
littlenySTOCK // Shutterstock
18 / 30- 36.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.8% ($25,256 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 25.4% ($34,297)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 29.7% ($39,446)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.1% ($56,559)
- Graduate or professional degree: 16.0% ($67,729)
Colin D. Young // Shutterstock
19 / 30- 36.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.9% ($25,545 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 26.4% ($36,497)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 28.4% ($43,459)
- Bachelor's degree: 19.4% ($62,466)
- Graduate or professional degree: 17.0% ($85,009)
Tim Hettler from New York, NY, USA // Wikimedia Commons
20 / 30- 37.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.6% ($32,970 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 26.4% ($42,250)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 26.7% ($50,977)
- Bachelor's degree: 20.4% ($67,223)
- Graduate or professional degree: 16.9% ($91,184)
Victor Moussa // Shutterstock
21 / 30- 38.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 16.8% ($22,608 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 25.2% ($31,262)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 19.1% ($40,242)
- Bachelor's degree: 23.3% ($62,465)
- Graduate or professional degree: 15.6% ($78,372)
Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock
22 / 30- 39.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 9.2% ($23,033 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 23.1% ($31,030)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 28.6% ($37,101)
- Bachelor's degree: 21.5% ($54,234)
- Graduate or professional degree: 17.7% ($66,863)
James Kirkikis // Shutterstock
23 / 30- 40.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.0% ($21,955 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 26.4% ($40,697)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 25.7% ($48,879)
- Bachelor's degree: 23.1% ($68,186)
- Graduate or professional degree: 17.8% ($82,598)
Felix Lipov // Shutterstock
24 / 30- 41.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 11.5% ($25,099 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 21.9% ($35,030)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 24.7% ($44,263)
- Bachelor's degree: 22.9% ($69,032)
- Graduate or professional degree: 19.0% ($90,193)
PhotoItaliaStudio // Shutterstock
25 / 30- 42.0% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 6.3% ($29,778 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 24.3% ($37,485)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 27.4% ($46,314)
- Bachelor's degree: 23.2% ($67,663)
- Graduate or professional degree: 18.8% ($81,485)
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock
26 / 30- 43.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 7.6% ($21,698 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 21.8% ($34,018)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 27.0% ($42,362)
- Bachelor's degree: 22.1% ($59,499)
- Graduate or professional degree: 21.4% ($72,181)
littlenySTOCK // Shutterstock
27 / 30- 46.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 8.4% ($29,084 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 22.0% ($40,408)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 22.8% ($51,608)
- Bachelor's degree: 25.6% ($76,513)
- Graduate or professional degree: 21.1% ($94,141)
Canva
28 / 30- 49.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 11.4% ($26,271 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 19.0% ($34,932)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 19.9% ($44,265)
- Bachelor's degree: 24.5% ($75,733)
- Graduate or professional degree: 25.2% ($101,710)
Lewis Liu // Shutterstock
29 / 30- 53.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 5.5% ($22,019 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 18.5% ($31,419)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 22.9% ($35,695)
- Bachelor's degree: 23.4% ($44,178)
- Graduate or professional degree: 29.6% ($56,211)
pisaphotography // Shutterstock
30 / 30- 62.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher
- Less than high school diploma: 12.2% ($21,808 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 12.2% ($31,091)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 13.4% ($39,446)
- Bachelor's degree: 31.7% ($82,717)
- Graduate or professional degree: 30.5% ($104,488)
