Counties with the most college graduates in Oregon
Stuart Seeger // Wikicommons
Counties with the most college graduates in Oregon
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 Oregon 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.
Finetooth // Wikimedia Commons
#30. Sherman County
– 17.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 10.7% ($35,208 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 31.9% ($30,083)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 40.1% ($38,295)
– Bachelor’s degree: 11.8% ($57,639)
– Graduate or professional degree: 5.4% ($40,750)
Tedder // Wikimedia Commons
#29. Gilliam County
– 17.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 10.1% ($36,250 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 30.5% ($37,813)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 42% ($31,750)
– Bachelor’s degree: 15.4% ($40,000)
– Graduate or professional degree: 2% ($42,292)
Joseph Novak // Wikicommons
#28. Josephine County
– 17.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 9.6% ($24,136 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 31% ($23,559)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 41.9% ($28,538)
– Bachelor’s degree: 11% ($40,500)
– Graduate or professional degree: 6.4% ($58,762)
Debbie Tegtmeier // Wikimedia Commons
#27. Coos County
– 17.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 11.2% ($25,057 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 30.2% ($27,555)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 40.8% ($30,380)
– Bachelor’s degree: 11% ($50,143)
– Graduate or professional degree: 6.8% ($60,519)
Ken L. // Wikimedia Commons
#26. Harney County
– 18.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 8.4% ($30,417 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 36.6% ($28,163)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 36.6% ($29,963)
– Bachelor’s degree: 10.4% ($42,000)
– Graduate or professional degree: 8.1% ($54,625)
Cacophony // Wikimedia Commons
#25. Columbia County
– 18.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 8.7% ($30,417 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 33.8% ($34,618)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 39% ($44,146)
– Bachelor’s degree: 12.3% ($59,333)
– Graduate or professional degree: 6.2% ($62,729)
Finetooth // Wikimedia Commons
#24. Grant County
– 18.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 11.2% ($28,750 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 36% ($31,250)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 33.9% ($28,697)
– Bachelor’s degree: 11.7% ($42,500)
– Graduate or professional degree: 7.2% ($49,688)
Jmabel // Wikimedia Commons
#23. Linn County
– 19.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 10.5% ($25,641 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 29% ($30,787)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 41.2% ($39,293)
– Bachelor’s degree: 13.3% ($43,261)
– Graduate or professional degree: 6% ($55,091)
Finetooth // Wikimedia Commons
#22. Jefferson County
– 19.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 12.9% ($25,735 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 30.7% ($26,500)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 37% ($32,444)
– Bachelor’s degree: 12.9% ($41,156)
– Graduate or professional degree: 6.4% ($59,152)
Cacophony // Wikimedia Commons
#21. Wasco County
– 19.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 13.6% ($26,443 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 29.1% ($32,112)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 37.8% ($34,044)
– Bachelor’s degree: 12.4% ($55,517)
– Graduate or professional degree: 7.2% ($53,403)
Cacophony // Wikimedia Commons
#20. Crook County
– 19.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 10% ($24,333 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 33.3% ($26,414)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 37% ($31,916)
– Bachelor’s degree: 13.5% ($48,452)
– Graduate or professional degree: 6.3% ($49,212)
Bobjgalindo // Wikimedia Commons
#19. Klamath County
– 20% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 12% ($16,584 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 31% ($31,194)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 37.1% ($30,544)
– Bachelor’s degree: 12.6% ($41,910)
– Graduate or professional degree: 7.4% ($59,688)
USFWS Headquarters’ photostream // Wikimedia Commons
#18. Tillamook County
– 21.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 10.5% ($17,048 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 28.7% ($30,273)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 39.1% ($33,090)
– Bachelor’s degree: 12.9% ($37,699)
– Graduate or professional degree: 8.9% ($57,692)
Edmund Garman // Flickr
#17. Marion County
– 23.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 14.7% ($26,169 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 26.6% ($30,313)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 35.2% ($33,948)
– Bachelor’s degree: 15.5% ($50,191)
– Graduate or professional degree: 8% ($63,403)
Finetooth // Wikimedia Commons
#16. Baker County
– 23.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 9% ($23,889 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 31.1% ($28,245)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 36.2% ($28,460)
– Bachelor’s degree: 15.7% ($43,668)
– Graduate or professional degree: 8% ($51,579)
English: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives // Wikimedia Commons
#15. Clatsop County
– 24.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 8% ($25,620 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 26.7% ($31,757)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 40.9% ($30,822)
– Bachelor’s degree: 15.5% ($40,914)
– Graduate or professional degree: 8.9% ($60,970)
Williamborg // Wikimedia Commons
#14. Union County
– 24.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 7.3% ($26,017 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 32.2% ($31,803)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 36% ($31,095)
– Bachelor’s degree: 16.6% ($41,622)
– Graduate or professional degree: 8% ($57,105)
Manuela Durson // Shutterstock
#13. Curry County
– 24.6% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 9.7% ($19,500 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 27.4% ($30,685)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 38.3% ($34,446)
– Bachelor’s degree: 14.9% ($54,164)
– Graduate or professional degree: 9.7% ($51,404)
EncMstr // Wikimedia Commons
#12. Lincoln County
– 24.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 8.6% ($24,268 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 27.3% ($25,406)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 39.3% ($30,231)
– Bachelor’s degree: 14.8% ($34,620)
– Graduate or professional degree: 10.1% ($50,673)
Sam Beebe // Wikimedia Commons
#11. Wallowa County
– 26.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 6.9% ($28,276 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 28.6% ($26,268)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 38.1% ($26,985)
– Bachelor’s degree: 17.7% ($36,198)
– Graduate or professional degree: 8.8% ($53,125)
M.O. Stevens // Wikimedia Commons
#10. Yamhill County
– 26.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 11% ($27,288 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 24.6% ($30,687)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 37.5% ($39,099)
– Bachelor’s degree: 17.6% ($52,978)
– Graduate or professional degree: 9.3% ($62,000)
Little Mountain 5 // Wikicommons
#9. Jackson County
– 27.8% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 9.9% ($23,988 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 26.1% ($30,420)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 36.1% ($31,501)
– Bachelor’s degree: 17.1% ($44,293)
– Graduate or professional degree: 10.7% ($59,010)
Lauram12345 // Wikicommons
#8. Lane County
– 30.5% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 8.1% ($23,701 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 23.2% ($29,988)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 38.3% ($31,530)
– Bachelor’s degree: 18.4% ($40,398)
– Graduate or professional degree: 12.1% ($54,469)
Bruce Fingerhood from Springfield, Oregon, US // Wikimedia Commons
#7. Polk County
– 31% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 9.1% ($23,634 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 23.5% ($31,533)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 36.4% ($37,845)
– Bachelor’s degree: 19% ($46,263)
– Graduate or professional degree: 12% ($67,536)
Sam Beebe // Wikimedia Commons
#6. Hood River County
– 32% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 18.7% ($25,740 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 21.8% ($33,582)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 27.6% ($31,800)
– Bachelor’s degree: 16.9% ($48,800)
– Graduate or professional degree: 15.1% ($64,450)
Ian Poellet // Wikimedia Commons
#5. Deschutes County
– 35.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 6.3% ($26,928 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 21.8% ($29,965)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 36.5% ($33,493)
– Bachelor’s degree: 22.4% ($44,760)
– Graduate or professional degree: 12.9% ($60,939)
Mrgadget51 // Wikimedia Commons
#4. Clackamas County
– 37.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 6.7% ($28,660 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 21.2% ($36,491)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 34.8% ($44,067)
– Bachelor’s degree: 24.1% ($61,182)
– Graduate or professional degree: 13.3% ($75,370)
M.O. Stevens // Wikimedia Commons
#3. Washington County
– 44.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 7.8% ($26,106 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 17.4% ($31,870)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 30.3% ($41,212)
– Bachelor’s degree: 27.4% ($61,129)
– Graduate or professional degree: 17.1% ($88,533)
Stuart Seeger // Wikicommons
#2. Multnomah County
– 45.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 8.5% ($24,949 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 17% ($30,642)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 28.7% ($35,071)
– Bachelor’s degree: 27.6% ($51,406)
– Graduate or professional degree: 18.3% ($70,511)
cpaulfell // Shutterstock
#1. Benton County
– 54.1% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor’s degree or higher
– Less than high school diploma: 4.1% ($29,663 median earnings)
– High school graduate: 13.3% ($30,762)
– Some college or Associate’s degree: 28.5% ($31,765)
– Bachelor’s degree: 29.2% ($42,108)
– Graduate or professional degree: 24.9% ($61,636)
