Data / Rankings / Graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over / Counties in Tennessee

Counties in Tennessee by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over

Williamson County had the highest graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over of 95 counties in 2021, at 23.5%. Jackson County had the lowest, at 2.8%. The median was 5.9% and the figure for Tennessee was 10.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest23.5Williamson County
Lowest2.8Jackson County
Median5.995 counties
Tennessee10.8History

Map of counties, 2021

Anderson County: 11.1 %Bedford County: 5.7 %Benton County: 4.6 %Bledsoe County: 4.1 %Blount County: 9.5 %Bradley County: 9.1 %Campbell County: 5.4 %Cannon County: 5.1 %Carroll County: 7.9 %Carter County: 7.2 %Cheatham County: 7.6 %Chester County: 7.3 %Claiborne County: 7.4 %Clay County: 4 %Cocke County: 4.7 %Coffee County: 9.3 %Crockett County: 4.8 %Cumberland County: 7 %Davidson County: 16.6 %Decatur County: 3.7 %DeKalb County: 6.1 %Dickson County: 6.7 %Dyer County: 7.1 %Fayette County: 7.9 %Fentress County: 4.9 %Franklin County: 9 %Gibson County: 6.5 %Giles County: 6.3 %Grainger County: 5.4 %Greene County: 6.3 %Grundy County: 7.3 %Hamblen County: 6 %Hamilton County: 12.3 %Hancock County: 6.9 %Hardeman County: 4.1 %Hardin County: 4.8 %Hawkins County: 5.1 %Haywood County: 4.4 %Henderson County: 4.2 %Henry County: 6.7 %Hickman County: 3.1 %Houston County: 4.9 %Humphreys County: 5.9 %Jackson County: 2.8 %Jefferson County: 7.1 %Johnson County: 4.5 %Knox County: 15.3 %Lake County: 4.1 %Lauderdale County: 3.8 %Lawrence County: 6.5 %Lewis County: 3.9 %Lincoln County: 7.5 %Loudon County: 10.2 %McMinn County: 6.1 %McNairy County: 5.1 %Macon County: 3.1 %Madison County: 10.7 %Marion County: 4.8 %Marshall County: 5.4 %Maury County: 7.8 %Meigs County: 3.8 %Monroe County: 5.1 %Montgomery County: 10.8 %Moore County: 7.1 %Morgan County: 4.6 %Obion County: 5.3 %Overton County: 5.1 %Perry County: 3.8 %Pickett County: 4.7 %Polk County: 5.2 %Putnam County: 10.4 %Rhea County: 5.7 %Roane County: 9.2 %Robertson County: 5.6 %Rutherford County: 10.3 %Scott County: 3.7 %Sequatchie County: 5.8 %Sevier County: 6.5 %Shelby County: 13.5 %Smith County: 5.4 %Stewart County: 6.6 %Sullivan County: 8.9 %Sumner County: 9.7 %Tipton County: 6.7 %Trousdale County: 3.4 %Unicoi County: 5.9 %Union County: 5.4 %Van Buren County: 4.1 %Warren County: 4.7 %Washington County: 14 %Wayne County: 3.5 %Weakley County: 8.3 %White County: 5.1 %Williamson County: 23.5 %Wilson County: 11.5 %
  • Under 4.2
  • 4.2 to 5.1
  • 5.1 to 5.9
  • 5.9 to 7.1
  • 7.1 to 9.3
  • 9.3 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Williamson County: 23.5 %Williamson County23.5Davidson County: 16.6 %Davidson County16.6Knox County: 15.3 %Knox County15.3Washington County: 14 %Washington County14Shelby County: 13.5 %Shelby County13.5Hamilton County: 12.3 %Hamilton County12.3Wilson County: 11.5 %Wilson County11.5Anderson County: 11.1 %Anderson County11.1Montgomery County: 10.8 %Montgomery County10.8Madison County: 10.7 %Madison County10.7Putnam County: 10.4 %Putnam County10.4Rutherford County: 10.3 %Rutherford County10.3Loudon County: 10.2 %Loudon County10.2Sumner County: 9.7 %Sumner County9.7Blount County: 9.5 %Blount County9.5Coffee County: 9.3 %Coffee County9.3Roane County: 9.2 %Roane County9.2Bradley County: 9.1 %Bradley County9.1Franklin County: 9 %Franklin County9Sullivan County: 8.9 %Sullivan County8.9Weakley County: 8.3 %Weakley County8.3Carroll County: 7.9 %Carroll County7.9Fayette County: 7.9 %Fayette County7.9Maury County: 7.8 %Maury County7.8Cheatham County: 7.6 %Cheatham County7.6Lincoln County: 7.5 %Lincoln County7.5Claiborne County: 7.4 %Claiborne County7.4Grundy County: 7.3 %Grundy County7.3Chester County: 7.3 %Chester County7.3Carter County: 7.2 %Carter County7.2Jefferson County: 7.1 %Jefferson County7.1Moore County: 7.1 %Moore County7.1Dyer County: 7.1 %Dyer County7.1Cumberland County: 7 %Cumberland County7Hancock County: 6.9 %Hancock County6.9Tipton County: 6.7 %Tipton County6.7Dickson County: 6.7 %Dickson County6.7Henry County: 6.7 %Henry County6.7Stewart County: 6.6 %Stewart County6.6Lawrence County: 6.5 %Lawrence County6.5Williamson County: 23.5 %Williamson County23.5Davidson County: 16.6 %Davidson County16.6Knox County: 15.3 %Knox County15.3Washington County: 14 %Washington County14Shelby County: 13.5 %Shelby County13.5Hamilton County: 12.3 %Hamilton County12.3Wilson County: 11.5 %Wilson County11.5Anderson County: 11.1 %Anderson County11.1Montgomery County: 10.8 %Montgomery County10.8Madison County: 10.7 %Madison County10.7Putnam County: 10.4 %Putnam County10.4Rutherford County: 10.3 %Rutherford County10.3Loudon County: 10.2 %Loudon County10.2Sumner County: 9.7 %Sumner County9.7Blount County: 9.5 %Blount County9.5Coffee County: 9.3 %Coffee County9.3Roane County: 9.2 %Roane County9.2Bradley County: 9.1 %Bradley County9.1Franklin County: 9 %Franklin County9Sullivan County: 8.9 %Sullivan County8.9Weakley County: 8.3 %Weakley County8.3Carroll County: 7.9 %Carroll County7.9Fayette County: 7.9 %Fayette County7.9Maury County: 7.8 %Maury County7.8Cheatham County: 7.6 %Cheatham County7.6Lincoln County: 7.5 %Lincoln County7.5Claiborne County: 7.4 %Claiborne County7.4Grundy County: 7.3 %Grundy County7.3Chester County: 7.3 %Chester County7.3Carter County: 7.2 %Carter County7.2Jefferson County: 7.1 %Jefferson County7.1Moore County: 7.1 %Moore County7.1Dyer County: 7.1 %Dyer County7.1Cumberland County: 7 %Cumberland County7Hancock County: 6.9 %Hancock County6.9Tipton County: 6.7 %Tipton County6.7Dickson County: 6.7 %Dickson County6.7Henry County: 6.7 %Henry County6.7Stewart County: 6.6 %Stewart County6.6Lawrence County: 6.5 %Lawrence County6.5
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Williamson County23.5
2Davidson County16.6
3Knox County15.3
4Washington County14
5Shelby County13.5
6Hamilton County12.3
7Wilson County11.5
8Anderson County11.1
9Montgomery County10.8
10Madison County10.7
11Putnam County10.4
12Rutherford County10.3
13Loudon County10.2
14Sumner County9.7
15Blount County9.5
16Coffee County9.3
17Roane County9.2
18Bradley County9.1
19Franklin County9
20Sullivan County8.9
21Weakley County8.3
22Carroll County7.9
23Fayette County7.9
24Maury County7.8
25Cheatham County7.6
26Lincoln County7.5
27Claiborne County7.4
28Grundy County7.3
29Chester County7.3
30Carter County7.2
31Jefferson County7.1
32Moore County7.1
33Dyer County7.1
34Cumberland County7
35Hancock County6.9
36Tipton County6.7
37Dickson County6.7
37Henry County6.7
39Stewart County6.6
40Lawrence County6.5
41Gibson County6.5
41Sevier County6.5
43Giles County6.3
44Greene County6.3
45DeKalb County6.1
46McMinn County6.1
47Hamblen County6
48Unicoi County5.9
49Humphreys County5.9
50Sequatchie County5.8
51Bedford County5.7
51Rhea County5.7
53Robertson County5.6
54Marshall County5.4
54Union County5.4
56Grainger County5.4
57Smith County5.4
58Campbell County5.4
59Obion County5.3
60Polk County5.2
61Hawkins County5.1
61McNairy County5.1
61Overton County5.1
64Monroe County5.1
65White County5.1
66Cannon County5.1
67Fentress County4.9
68Houston County4.9
69Hardin County4.8
70Crockett County4.8
71Marion County4.8
72Warren County4.7
73Pickett County4.7
74Cocke County4.7
75Morgan County4.6
76Benton County4.6
77Johnson County4.5
78Haywood County4.4
79Henderson County4.2
80Hardeman County4.1
80Van Buren County4.1
82Bledsoe County4.1
82Lake County4.1
84Clay County4
85Lewis County3.9
86Lauderdale County3.8
87Meigs County3.8
87Perry County3.8
89Decatur County3.7
90Scott County3.7
91Wayne County3.5
92Trousdale County3.4
93Hickman County3.1
94Macon County3.1
95Jackson County2.8

Other periods

About this ranking

People aged 25 and over whose highest degree is a master's, professional school or doctorate degree, as a percentage of all people aged 25 and over. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

A subset of bachelors_degree_share, which also counts people whose highest degree is a bachelor's.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in Tennessee by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Tennessee by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/tennessee-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in Tennessee by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/tennessee-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Tennessee by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/tennessee-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_tennessee_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Tennessee by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/tennessee-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Tennessee by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/tennessee-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/tennessee-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over?

Williamson County, with 23.5% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over?

Jackson County, with 2.8% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over: other rankings

Counties in Tennessee: more rankings