Rivers Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

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 using 2020 5-year estimates.

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

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#30. Marengo County

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

– Less than high school diploma: 14.6% (earnings not available)
– High school graduate: 38.2% ($26,902)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 30.1% ($30,589)
– Bachelor’s degree: 10.0% ($48,799)
– Graduate or professional degree: 7.1% ($55,440)

Dailynetworks // Wikimedia Commons

#29. Colbert County

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

– Less than high school diploma: 14.3% ($26,618 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 37.0% ($30,398)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 31.3% ($34,617)
– Bachelor’s degree: 10.9% ($49,583)
– Graduate or professional degree: 6.5% ($61,025)

Rivers Langley SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#28. Russell County

– 17.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 14.7% ($21,836 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 29.7% ($27,774)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 38.1% ($31,984)
– Bachelor’s degree: 11.2% ($52,665)
– Graduate or professional degree: 6.3% ($54,458)

Prestinian // Wikimedia Commons

#27. Etowah County

– 17.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 14.7% ($20,385 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 33.4% ($26,993)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 34.2% ($33,241)
– Bachelor’s degree: 10.8% ($44,207)
– Graduate or professional degree: 6.9% ($60,964)

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#26. Perry County

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

– Less than high school diploma: 21.6% ($13,076 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 36.1% ($19,721)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 24.4% ($26,094)
– Bachelor’s degree: 11.5% ($31,291)
– Graduate or professional degree: 6.3% ($50,339)

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Rudi Weikard // Wikimedia Commons

#25. St. Clair County

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

– Less than high school diploma: 14.2% ($24,867 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 34.8% ($36,729)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 32.8% ($44,279)
– Bachelor’s degree: 12.4% ($51,324)
– Graduate or professional degree: 5.7% ($60,266)

Michael Rivera // Wikimedia Commons

#24. Dale County

– 18.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 14.7% ($23,170 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 30.9% ($25,321)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 36.2% ($34,938)
– Bachelor’s degree: 12.6% ($46,133)
– Graduate or professional degree: 5.7% ($54,811)

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#23. Sumter County

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

– Less than high school diploma: 14.7% ($14,865 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 34.6% ($27,002)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 32.3% ($22,188)
– Bachelor’s degree: 9.9% ($37,009)
– Graduate or professional degree: 8.5% ($47,841)

Rivers Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#22. Crenshaw County

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

– Less than high school diploma: 21.2% ($29,706 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 38.2% ($30,528)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 22.1% ($30,634)
– Bachelor’s degree: 13.1% ($43,944)
– Graduate or professional degree: 5.4% ($55,913)

Rivers A. Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#21. Tallapoosa County

– 18.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 18.8% ($24,353 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 32.9% ($27,681)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 29.5% ($32,283)
– Bachelor’s degree: 11.9% ($48,988)
– Graduate or professional degree: 6.9% ($70,156)

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Rivers Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#20. Calhoun County

– 18.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 14.9% ($22,612 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 34.4% ($30,168)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 31.8% ($34,292)
– Bachelor’s degree: 10.5% ($47,286)
– Graduate or professional degree: 8.4% ($56,856)

Rivers Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#19. Henry County

– 18.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 19.5% ($27,710 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 32.3% ($26,050)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 29.3% ($38,609)
– Bachelor’s degree: 12.3% ($41,424)
– Graduate or professional degree: 6.6% ($53,894)

Mccallk69 // Shutterstock

#18. Macon County

– 20.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 16.4% ($25,191 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 30.6% ($29,000)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 32.5% ($25,955)
– Bachelor’s degree: 11.0% ($46,762)
– Graduate or professional degree: 9.5% ($48,750)

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#17. Marshall County

– 20.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 16.7% ($24,735 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 31.1% ($30,611)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 31.6% ($34,809)
– Bachelor’s degree: 14.0% ($47,339)
– Graduate or professional degree: 6.6% ($57,406)

MPearsallArt // Wikimedia Commons

#16. Morgan County

– 21.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 16.0% ($20,979 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 31.7% ($29,295)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 31.0% ($36,871)
– Bachelor’s degree: 14.5% ($52,922)
– Graduate or professional degree: 6.8% ($68,173)

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Calvin Beale // Wikimedia Commons

#15. Coffee County

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

– Less than high school diploma: 14.4% ($26,513 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 27.5% ($25,370)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 36.4% ($36,688)
– Bachelor’s degree: 13.9% ($52,558)
– Graduate or professional degree: 7.8% ($60,139)

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

#14. Houston County

– 22.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 13.1% ($22,381 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 31.5% ($27,416)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 33.2% ($34,084)
– Bachelor’s degree: 13.9% ($50,252)
– Graduate or professional degree: 8.3% ($60,898)

Altairisfar // Wikicommons

#13. Mobile County

– 24.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 12.7% ($22,163 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 33.5% ($31,556)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 29.4% ($33,908)
– Bachelor’s degree: 16.2% ($47,032)
– Graduate or professional degree: 8.2% ($59,196)

Carol M. Highsmith // Wikimedia Commons

#12. Limestone County

– 24.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 14.7% ($22,278 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 29.3% ($30,917)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 31.0% ($36,917)
– Bachelor’s degree: 17.5% ($57,621)
– Graduate or professional degree: 7.4% ($65,573)

Wayne James // Shutterstock

#11. Lauderdale County

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

– Less than high school diploma: 11.4% ($19,441 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 34.9% ($31,066)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 28.7% ($35,584)
– Bachelor’s degree: 16.0% ($42,943)
– Graduate or professional degree: 9.1% ($54,336)

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Rivers A. Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#10. Elmore County

– 25.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 12.7% ($21,502 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 31.7% ($32,849)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 29.7% ($39,931)
– Bachelor’s degree: 16.9% ($48,272)
– Graduate or professional degree: 9.0% ($65,953)

Chris Pruitt // Wikimedia Commons

#9. Autauga County

– 28.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 11.3% ($28,132 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 31.4% ($31,224)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 29.0% ($38,967)
– Bachelor’s degree: 16.7% ($52,979)
– Graduate or professional degree: 11.6% ($70,556)

Kreeder13 // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Pike County

– 29.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 12.6% ($20,495 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 33.4% ($30,065)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 24.3% ($29,768)
– Bachelor’s degree: 16.0% ($46,757)
– Graduate or professional degree: 13.6% ($56,944)

Tracy Burroughs Brown // Shutterstock

#7. Tuscaloosa County

– 31.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 10.5% ($25,258 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 28.9% ($31,227)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 29.4% ($35,205)
– Bachelor’s degree: 18.3% ($50,320)
– Graduate or professional degree: 12.9% ($54,364)

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: 9.5% ($25,639 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 27.2% ($31,659)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 31.4% ($34,443)
– Bachelor’s degree: 20.2% ($52,171)
– Graduate or professional degree: 11.7% ($64,297)

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Chris Pruitt // wikicommons

#5. Montgomery County

– 33.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 12.7% ($21,975 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 24.5% ($26,461)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 29.2% ($32,760)
– Bachelor’s degree: 19.6% ($45,698)
– Graduate or professional degree: 14.1% ($59,034)

M Floyd // Flickr

#4. Jefferson County

– 34.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 9.5% ($21,307 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 26.3% ($30,645)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 30.1% ($34,885)
– Bachelor’s degree: 20.9% ($53,283)
– Graduate or professional degree: 13.1% ($66,397)

Library of Congress

#3. Lee County

– 36.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 9.6% ($24,667 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 22.3% ($30,125)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 31.6% ($34,673)
– Bachelor’s degree: 20.1% ($47,090)
– Graduate or professional degree: 16.4% ($56,350)

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#2. Madison County

– 43.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 8.3% ($21,976 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 19.5% ($30,566)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 28.4% ($34,093)
– Bachelor’s degree: 26.9% ($62,976)
– Graduate or professional degree: 17.0% ($90,938)

Rivers Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#1. Shelby County

– 44.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher

– Less than high school diploma: 6.8% ($27,363 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 19.4% ($38,670)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 29.6% ($41,237)
– Bachelor’s degree: 28.9% ($60,506)
– Graduate or professional degree: 15.3% ($67,201)

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