The 7 Most Educated Places in Missouri
As the world becomes more competitive, more and more people will have bachelor’s degrees. The world is going through this transition as we speak. Currently, around 35% of people 25 or older have bachelor’s degrees in the United States. As people pursue higher degrees, the numbers go down. Only 13% of those aged 25 and above have master’s degrees and only 2% of the population have doctorate degrees.
When it comes to Missouri, what are the statistics there? Let’s take a look at the seven most educated places in Missouri. We will look at the counties that have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
1. St. Louis County
St Louis County is the most educated in the state of Missouri. Approximately 315,000 people have bachelor’s degrees or higher. That cipher lowers to just 97,000 for those that have master’s degrees or above. Of course, it makes sense that the number of those who have doctorate degrees would be even less. St Louis County is home to 25 private colleges and universities, three public universities, and two community colleges.
2. Platte County
Even though Jackson County has the second-highest number of bachelor’s degrees in the state with 158,000, it is Platte County that has the second-highest number of bachelor’s degrees per capita. The county has 32,000 people with bachelor’s degrees followed by 9,000 with master’s degrees, and only 1,000 people have doctorate degrees. Platte County has several University of Missouri college extensions where people can go before transferring to one of the main universities located throughout the state.
3. Boone County
There are around 53,000 people who have bachelor’s degrees or higher in Boone County. The county is a small one population-wise, however, it is home to the University of Missouri (colloquially called Mizzou). That’s why you’re going to find an overabundance of people who have master’s degrees and doctorate degrees residing in Boone. When it comes to master’s degrees, 14,000 people have them, and only 4,000 people have doctorate degrees.
4. St. Louis
Normally, this list would include only counties, however, St. Louis is an independent city within the county of St Louis. It is an iconic city that has a lot to offer with several universities located within its city limits, including St. Louis University.
The City of St. Louis comes in number four with the number of people who have bachelor’s degrees or higher at 83,000. The city is also at number four when it comes to master’s degrees with 24,000 people having them. Lastly, St. Louis comes in at number 3 for those who have doctorate degrees with 4,000 people.
5. St. Charles County
Rounding up the top five is St. Charles County. They are number three in terms of most people with bachelor’s degrees in the state with 115,000 (that’s because St. Charles, MO is more populated than other counties). When it comes to master’s degrees in St. Charles, there are approximately 33,000 people. That cipher lowers to 3,500 for those who have doctorate degrees. St. Charles County is home to Lindenwood University and St. Charles Community College.
6. Cole County
Located in the center of the state, Cole County is a small county whose county seat is Jefferson City. The county is home to a historically black university called Lincoln University. When it comes to the county’s degrees, there are about 18,900 people with bachelor’s degrees or higher. That cipher, of course, goes down to 4,900 for those who have master’s degrees. The number of doctorate degrees in the county is only 526.
7. Clay County
Located in northwestern Missouri, Clay County is home to William Jewell College and Maple Woods, a community college. The number of people with bachelor’s degrees in the county is 58,000. When it comes to master’s degrees in the county, the number lowers to 15,000. There are approximately 1,600 people with a doctorate in Clay County.
Conclusion
And there you have it, these are the seven most educated places in Missouri. As revealed in this list, sometimes metropolitan areas have a larger number of educated people. University towns also have an inflated number of people with degrees even though they are not as populated. As time passes, more and more people will have bachelor’s degrees, keeping up with the times, as well as the competitive nature of the 21st century.
Summary of the 7 Most Educated Places in Missouri
Rank | County | Percent with Bachelor’s Degree or Higher |
---|---|---|
1 | St. Louis County | 31.6% |
2 | Boone County | 29.4% |
3 | Boone County | 28.9% |
4 | St. Louis | 28.3% |
5 | St. Charles County | 28.1% |
6 | Cole County | 24.4% |
7 | Clay County | 22.7% |
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