Least educated counties in Oregon

Written by:
May 14, 2022
Henryk Sadura // Shutterstock

Least educated counties in Oregon

The value of traditional education can vary widely across the country. While a college degree has long been viewed as a critical step toward the American dream, growing costs have led many students to reconsider the return-on-investment of higher education. Meanwhile, local economies and individual circumstances can push others toward learning a trade or entering the workforce early.

These considerations aside, national statistics show a clear difference in earnings as they relate to educational attainment, as college graduates than those with only a high school degree.

To help understand areas with the lowest educational attainment, compiled a list of the least educated counties in Oregon using data from the . Counties are ranked by the lowest percent of the population 25 years and over that has a Bachelor's degree or higher. Ties are broken by the highest percent with less than high school diploma.

Keep read on for a look at the least-educated counties in Oregon.

#36. 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)

#35. 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)

#34. 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)

#33. 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)

#32. 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)

#31. 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)

#30. 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)

#29. 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)

#28. 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)

#27. 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)

#26. 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)

#25. 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)

#24. 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)

#23. 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)

#22. 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)

#21. 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)

#20. 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)

#19. 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)

#18. 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)

#17. 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)

#16. 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)

#15. 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)

#14. 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)

#13. 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)

#12. 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)

#11. 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)

#10. 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)

#9. 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)

#8. 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)

#7. Douglas County

- 17.3% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher

- Less than high school diploma: 10.4% ($25,462 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 32.3% ($28,884)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 40% ($30,519)
- Bachelor's degree: 10.8% ($44,109)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.5% ($62,364)

#6. 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)

#5. Umatilla County

- 17.2% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher

- Less than high school diploma: 17.6% ($24,943 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 28.5% ($29,108)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 36.7% ($36,040)
- Bachelor's degree: 10.8% ($42,629)
- Graduate or professional degree: 6.3% ($61,125)

#4. Lake County

- 16.4% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher

- Less than high school diploma: 13.5% ($21,509 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 34.5% ($30,173)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 35.6% ($28,750)
- Bachelor's degree: 11.1% ($51,417)
- Graduate or professional degree: 5.3% ($74,000)

#3. Wheeler County

- 14.9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher

- Less than high school diploma: 8.4%
- High school graduate: 37.1% ($26,150)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 39.6% ($25,063)
- Bachelor's degree: 11.3% ($37,917)
- Graduate or professional degree: 3.6% ($40,313)

#2. Malheur County

- 13.7% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher

- Less than high school diploma: 18.9% ($21,803 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 31.4% ($30,261)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 36% ($27,976)
- Bachelor's degree: 8.5% ($36,228)
- Graduate or professional degree: 5.2% ($52,708)

#1. Morrow County

- 9% of population 25 years and over with Bachelor's degree or higher

- Less than high school diploma: 24.2% ($30,847 median earnings)
- High school graduate: 33.1% ($35,806)
- Some college or Associate's degree: 33.6% ($35,804)
- Bachelor's degree: 6.2% ($48,056)
- Graduate or professional degree: 2.8% ($54,773)

Trending Now