Pixabay

Counties with the most college graduates in Alabama

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 Alabama 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.

Keep reading to see which counties in your state have the most college graduates.

Canva

#30. Marengo County

– 16.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 16.1% ($33,444 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 38% ($26,665)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 29.7% ($33,223)
– Bachelor’s degree: 8.7% ($51,111)
– Graduate or professional degree: 7.4% ($56,935)

Rivers A. Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#29. Randolph County

– 16.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 20.4% ($26,831 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 34.9% ($30,953)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 28.2% ($33,295)
– Bachelor’s degree: 9.6% ($43,177)
– Graduate or professional degree: 6.9% ($51,233)

Rivers Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#28. Henry County

– 17.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 20.7% ($23,611 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 32.6% ($25,741)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 29.8% ($37,294)
– Bachelor’s degree: 10.3% ($41,977)
– Graduate or professional degree: 6.8% ($50,603)

Rivers Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#27. Crenshaw County

– 17.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 20.8% ($17,358 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 39.5% ($31,370)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 22.2% ($31,847)
– Bachelor’s degree: 12.7% ($41,103)
– Graduate or professional degree: 4.7% ($55,521)

Prestinian // Wikimedia Commons

#26. Etowah County

– 17.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 15.4% ($21,450 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 32.9% ($27,631)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 33.9% ($31,400)
– Bachelor’s degree: 11% ($42,642)
– Graduate or professional degree: 6.8% ($58,774)

Rivers Langley SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#25. Russell County

– 17.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 16.2% ($26,455 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 31.4% ($27,300)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 34.6% ($31,106)
– Bachelor’s degree: 11.4% ($52,238)
– Graduate or professional degree: 6.4% ($52,366)

Michael Rivera // Wikimedia Commons

#24. Dale County

– 18.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 13.9% ($22,967 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 32.3% ($25,841)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 35.7% ($35,579)
– Bachelor’s degree: 12.1% ($43,855)
– Graduate or professional degree: 6.1% ($53,448)

Dailynetworks // Wikimedia Commons

#23. Colbert County

– 18.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 14.9% ($22,901 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 37.8% ($31,038)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 29.2% ($35,931)
– Bachelor’s degree: 11.5% ($46,389)
– Graduate or professional degree: 6.6% ($55,248)

Rivers A. Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#22. Tallapoosa County

– 18.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 19.3% ($23,204 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 32.7% ($28,667)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 29.5% ($31,778)
– Bachelor’s degree: 11.8% ($47,390)
– Graduate or professional degree: 6.6% ($64,402)

Rivers Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#21. Calhoun County

– 18.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 15.6% ($19,845 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 32.8% ($28,967)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 33.2% ($32,907)
– Bachelor’s degree: 10.5% ($43,864)
– Graduate or professional degree: 8% ($54,938)

Canva

#20. Marshall County

– 19.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 18.4% ($23,934 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 31.1% ($27,458)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 31.1% ($32,058)
– Bachelor’s degree: 13% ($45,597)
– Graduate or professional degree: 6.4% ($56,943)

Mccallk69 // Shutterstock

#19. Macon County

– 20.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 18.2% ($22,188 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 30.2% ($29,177)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 31.2% ($24,845)
– Bachelor’s degree: 11.8% ($41,435)
– Graduate or professional degree: 8.6% ($53,088)

Canva

#18. Sumter County

– 21.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 13.3% ($15,511 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 35.4% ($24,277)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 29.8% ($23,285)
– Bachelor’s degree: 11.4% ($31,761)
– Graduate or professional degree: 10.2% ($44,972)

Carol M. Highsmith/Library of Congress // Wikimedia Commons

#17. Houston County

– 21.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 13.9% ($21,737 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 31.2% ($26,491)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 33.1% ($32,510)
– Bachelor’s degree: 13.4% ($49,706)
– Graduate or professional degree: 8.3% ($59,938)

MPearsallArt // Wikimedia Commons

#16. Morgan County

– 22.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 15.9% ($20,416 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 30.4% ($28,152)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 31.3% ($36,679)
– Bachelor’s degree: 15.4% ($50,511)
– Graduate or professional degree: 7% ($64,464)

Calvin Beale // Wikimedia Commons

#15. Coffee County

– 22.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 14.1% ($26,181 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 27.2% ($26,642)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 35.9% ($35,816)
– Bachelor’s degree: 15.3% ($50,523)
– Graduate or professional degree: 7.5% ($59,013)

Canva

#14. Perry County

– 22.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 17.2% ($12,674 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 36.9% ($23,118)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 23.1% ($25,977)
– Bachelor’s degree: 12.9% ($19,524)
– Graduate or professional degree: 9.9% ($39,668)

Altairisfar // Wikicommons

#13. Mobile County

– 23.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 13.5% ($22,112 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 34% ($30,463)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 29.3% ($32,233)
– Bachelor’s degree: 15.4% ($47,225)
– Graduate or professional degree: 7.8% ($56,415)

Wayne James // Shutterstock

#12. Lauderdale County

– 23.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 12.6% ($23,607 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 36% ($31,561)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 27.9% ($32,554)
– Bachelor’s degree: 14.9% ($44,256)
– Graduate or professional degree: 8.6% ($55,345)

Kreeder13 // Wikimedia Commons

#11. Pike County

– 23.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 15% ($21,932 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 35.7% ($26,545)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 25.4% ($26,664)
– Bachelor’s degree: 14.1% ($46,727)
– Graduate or professional degree: 9.6% ($58,507)

Rivers A. Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#10. Elmore County

– 25.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 13.4% ($27,715 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 32.5% ($31,457)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 29% ($38,816)
– Bachelor’s degree: 16.3% ($52,179)
– Graduate or professional degree: 8.8% ($63,135)

Carol M. Highsmith // Wikimedia Commons

#9. Limestone County

– 25.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 15.3% ($21,747 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 30.4% ($29,151)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 28.5% ($34,764)
– Bachelor’s degree: 17.4% ($53,954)
– Graduate or professional degree: 8.4% ($63,913)

Chris Pruitt // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Autauga County

– 26.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 11.5% ($22,813 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 33.6% ($31,295)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 28.4% ($40,948)
– Bachelor’s degree: 16.1% ($51,637)
– Graduate or professional degree: 10.5% ($56,380)

Tracy Burroughs Brown // Shutterstock

#7. Tuscaloosa County

– 30.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 11.6% ($25,013 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 29.9% ($30,734)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 27.7% ($32,995)
– Bachelor’s degree: 18.4% ($50,856)
– Graduate or professional degree: 12.3% ($54,506)

Jodybwiki // Wikimedia Commons

#6. Baldwin County

– 31.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 9.2% ($23,202 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 27.7% ($29,250)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 31.2% ($32,642)
– Bachelor’s degree: 21% ($50,555)
– Graduate or professional degree: 10.8% ($58,411)

M Floyd // Flickr

#5. Jefferson County

– 33.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 9.9% ($20,858 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 26.4% ($29,823)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 30.3% ($33,335)
– Bachelor’s degree: 20.4% ($51,999)
– Graduate or professional degree: 13% ($64,363)

Chris Pruitt // wikicommons

#4. Montgomery County

– 33.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 13.3% ($20,982 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 25% ($25,631)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 28.4% ($31,286)
– Bachelor’s degree: 19.6% ($46,296)
– Graduate or professional degree: 13.8% ($60,269)

Library of Congress

#3. Lee County

– 35.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 9.1% ($17,898 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 23.7% ($30,170)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 31.9% ($33,387)
– Bachelor’s degree: 19.6% ($45,878)
– Graduate or professional degree: 15.7% ($57,916)

Pixabay

#2. Madison County

– 42.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 8.3% ($20,299 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 20.6% ($28,480)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 28.3% ($34,199)
– Bachelor’s degree: 26% ($61,247)
– Graduate or professional degree: 16.8% ($87,081)

Rivers Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#1. Shelby County

– 42.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 7.3% ($26,103 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 19.8% ($36,836)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 29.9% ($41,230)
– Bachelor’s degree: 28.4% ($59,506)
– Graduate or professional degree: 14.5% ($65,032)