Who Is the Most Recent President without a College Degree?

Most people think you need a college degree to succeed, but that’s not always true. While the importance of education has changed over time, some former U.S. presidents didn’t have one!

So, who was the most recent president without a college degree? That would be Harry S. Truman. Despite lacking formal education, he led the U.S. through major challenges and got to where he was through hard work and determination.

In this blog, we’ll explore the history behind this, list other presidents without college degrees, and see how expectations for education have evolved.

• Who Was the Last U.S. President Who Didn’t Go to College?
• Do You Need a College Degree to Be President?
• U.S. Presidents without College Degrees
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

Who Was the Last U.S. President Who Didn’t Go to College?

The most recent president without a college degree is Harry S. Truman. He served as the 33rd U.S. president from 1945 to 1953 after Franklin D. Roosevelt’s death. Truman is known for his decision to use atomic weapons on Japan during World War II, along with other important moments in his presidency.

Early years

Truman actually attended business college and law school but never finished either due to financial problems. He grew up in Missouri as the eldest child of a livestock dealer and farmer. After graduating high school in 1901, he enrolled at Spalding’s Commercial College but had to quit after one semester to help his father with his failing business.

In 1923, Truman gave higher education another try by enrolling in night classes at the Kansas City School of Law (now part of the University of Missouri-Kansas City). However, he had to drop out again after losing his administrative government post with the Jackson County Court in 1925.

Political career

Even though Truman didn’t have a degree, it didn’t stop him from climbing the political ladder. He became a U.S. senator in 1934 and served as vice president under Franklin D. Roosevelt. After just 82 days as VP, Roosevelt died, and Truman was sworn in as president.

Interestingly, Truman is the most recent U.S. president to have never earned a law degree or even a bachelor’s degree. But that didn’t mean he didn’t value education. As he once said: “Knowledge is not only key to power. It is the citadel of human freedom.”

Truman’s time in office was defined by major decisions and events. He made the difficult call to authorize the use of atomic bombs on Japan, ending World War II. He also helped rebuild Western Europe’s economy through the Marshall Plan and formed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to strengthen alliances against future threats.

Self-taught and well-read

Truman is arguably least known as one of the last presidents without a college degree. In fact, he’s the only U.S. president in the 20th century who didn’t finish his tertiary studies. But his lack of a degree didn’t keep him from being well-read or well-educated.

He deeply understood history, law, and politics, mostly from personal study. This wasn’t unusual for presidents of his time—Abraham Lincoln and several other early presidents were also largely self-taught. We’ll explore this more later, but for now, let’s look at whether a college degree is really required to become president.

Do You Need a College Degree to Be President?

The short answer is no. You’re not required to have a college degree to be sworn into the White House, and the U.S. Constitution doesn’t require presidents to have one.

To be eligible, you only need to be a natural-born citizen, at least 35 years old, and have lived in the United States for at least 14 years.

While many modern presidents have degrees from elite colleges like the Ivy League, this wasn’t always the case. Back then, voters focused more on personal achievements, military service, and political experience than formal education. 

Truman’s lack of a college degree wasn’t a deal breaker in the 1940s. His World War I experience, political career, and reputation for integrity mattered more than where (or if) he went to school.

So, what changed? As the 20th century progressed, so did the educational expectations for U.S. presidents. It’s hard to imagine any president without a degree now. It almost feels like an unwritten rule for political roles. With higher education becoming more accessible, it’s seen as a sign of success and readiness.

Since Truman, every president has had a college degree, with many earning advanced degrees. For instance, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama attended prestigious schools like Yale and Harvard. Today, higher education is viewed as a way to develop the knowledge and critical thinking needed to handle complex national and international issues.

U.S. Presidents without College Degrees

If you look back at former heads of state, fewer than half of the country’s first 24 presidents held college degrees. That’s because they didn’t need to. Here are some well-known presidents you might be surprised to learn never finished college:

1. George Washington

America’s first president and Founding Father never went to college. Unlike his older half-brothers, who attended Appleby Grammar School in England, Washington’s formal education ended when he was 11 years old after his father died, leaving limited funds for schooling. Instead, he helped his mother on the farm and likely had some private tutoring.

Despite his limited formal education, Washington was passionate about learning. He taught himself about politics through self-guided study and was an avid reader. Along with reading, writing, and basic legal forms, he studied geometry and trigonometry to prepare for his first career as a surveyor. He also learned about manners and etiquette, which shaped his character and leadership style throughout his life.

Even though he didn’t attend college, Washington really believed in education. In his will, he left money to support three schools, including what’s now George Washington University. 

2. James Monroe

James Monroe, another Founding Father, had a more formal education than others on this list but never earned a college degree.

He started his education in Virginia, where his mother, Elizabeth, taught him at home. In 1774, he enrolled at the College of William and Mary. There, he got involved in revolutionary activities and dropped out the following year to join the Continental Army as an officer. He never finished his degree, but his involvement in the revolution continued.

Monroe eventually began studying law under Thomas Jefferson, hoping it would help his political career. Turns out, it did. Monroe became the fifth President of the United States without ever attending law school.

3. Andrew Jackson

College wasn’t really an option for Andrew Jackson. By the time he was 15, he had already lost both his parents and his two brothers and was a veteran of the American Revolutionary War. He was even held as a prisoner by the British as a teenager!

With all that going on, school wasn’t exactly a priority. But after the war ended, Jackson decided to continue his education. He moved to Salisbury, North Carolina, to study law and eventually passed the bar exam. That same year, he became a country lawyer.

Jackson then moved to the frontier town of Nashville, where he practiced law and got involved in local politics. He eventually became the state’s first congressman and later served as a senator. Before his presidency, he also gained fame as a general in the Army and became a national hero after his victory in the War of 1812.

4. Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln is one of the most iconic presidents in U.S. history. He served as president from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. 

Born into poverty in Kentucky, Lincoln grew up on the frontier, mainly in Indiana. He was largely self-taught and once said he had only about a year of formal schooling in his entire life. But despite little academic training, Lincoln could “read, write and cipher” by the time he was 18 years old.

He was an ambitious learner who devoured any book he could find, especially those on law. Even though he never earned a bachelor’s degree or attended law school, Lincoln’s self-study and dedication made him a successful lawyer.

His long-time law partner William Henry Herndon described Lincoln as someone who’s always planning and whose ambition is “a little engine that knew no rest.” It was this drive that ultimately led him to the presidency.

5. Andrew Johnson

Andrew Johnson came from an uneducated family, and his parents were illiterate. Most of his learning came from work and friends. At 10 years old, he started working as a tailor’s apprentice, where a coworker taught him basic reading and writing.

Johnson eventually opened his own tailor shop in Greenville, Tennessee, where he met his wife, Eliza McCardle, who helped him develop his reading and mathematical skills. He eventually became mayor and was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives.

Johnson rose to serve in the nation’s highest offices, becoming vice president during Lincoln’s second term. After Lincoln’s assassination, he became the 17th president of the United States.

Unlike most U.S. presidents, Johnson never earned a law or college degree. He never attended school, making him the only president with no formal education.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Which president never went to school?

While many early U.S. presidents had limited formal education, Andrew Johnson never attended school at all. He taught himself how to read and spell, studied diligently under his wife, Eliza McCardle, and even paid people to read to him while he worked.

2. How many U.S. presidents didn’t have college degrees?

Twelve U.S. presidents never earned a college degree, including well-known leaders like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Harry S. Truman. Back then, higher education wasn’t as important as it is now—voters often cared more about military experience or personal accomplishments.

3. How many U.S. presidents attended Ivy League schools?

Sixteen former U.S. presidents attended Ivy League schools, with Harvard producing the most presidents with eight alumni. Yale has five alumni, followed by Princeton and Columbia, with three alumni presidents each.

Takeaways

• Harry S. Truman, the 33rd president who served from 1945 to 1953, is the most recent president without a college degree.
• Truman attended business college and law school but left due to financial issues. He later became a senator and vice president before succeeding Roosevelt as president.
• Other former U.S. presidents who don’t have a college degree include George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Andrew Johnson.
• A college degree isn’t required to be president. However, most modern presidents have earned degrees from top schools like the Ivies, making it almost an unwritten rule.
• These days, higher education is more accessible and seen as a sign of success and readiness. If you’re aiming for a top school, consider hiring a private admissions consultant to strengthen your application and improve your chances.