Find a Job You Really Want In
So, you’re a realist — you recognize that becoming president might be a long shot. Instead, you’re aiming for the governor’s mansion. That’s a commendable goal!
Get ready to hit the campaign trail, because we’ve analyzed the educational backgrounds of governors across the United States. This will help you assess how your own qualifications stack up in the political arena.
We’ll guide you on your journey to potentially residing in that governor’s mansion — without any scandals, of course! And if you ever reconsider or find yourself in a predicament, don’t worry, we have alternative career paths for you.
Key Insights
While there’s no guaranteed formula for political success, several interesting trends and surprising data points stand out.
1. A Degree Isn’t Always Necessary
Interestingly, some governors, such as Gary Herbert of Utah and Scott Walker of Wisconsin, hold no degrees at all. This highlights that there are multiple pathways to political leadership.
2. Public Schools Dominate
Among the governors, 27 graduated from public universities, compared to 21 from private institutions, and only six from Ivy League schools:
- Dartmouth — 3
- Harvard — 2
- Yale — 1
Notably, there’s no special program for aspiring governors at these institutions, with Dartmouth and Harvard being the only ones boasting more than one alumnus in this role.
3. Limited STEM Representation
Despite the ongoing emphasis on STEM fields, only three governors hold engineering degrees, and just one has a biology degree.
Commonly Seen Majors
The predominant majors among governors are:
- Political Science — 10
- Business — 7
- Economics — 5
- English — 4
It’s logical that political science is the leading major, as many students seek careers that align with their studies. Additionally, given that a governor essentially serves as a state’s CEO, the prevalence of business-oriented degrees makes perfect sense.
As the former governor of California demonstrates, strong communication skills, often rooted in an English background, are invaluable in politics.
Prevalence of Law Degrees
It seems that many politicians have legal backgrounds, and this trend is evident among governors, with 24 holding law degrees. This is particularly relevant since majors like Political Science and English remain popular choices for aspiring lawyers.
Uncommon Majors
Interestingly, a few outliers remind us that diverse educational backgrounds can lead to political success:
Oregon Governor Kate Brown — Women’s Studies
Oregon’s population is 50.5% female, and she won her election with 50.62% of the vote — coincidence or strategy?
Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin — East Asian Studies
This major may not have directly benefited him, given Kentucky’s Asian population is around 1%.
North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum — University Studies
This degree is akin to “undecided,” but he later pursued an MBA at Stanford and founded a successful venture capital firm.
Kansas Governor Sam Brownback — Agricultural Economics
Given that agriculture constitutes over 40% of Kansas’s economy, it’s fitting that he holds a degree in agricultural economics, complemented by a law degree.
| St | Governor | Major | College | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AK | Bill Walker | Business | Lewis and Clark College | Independent |
| AL | Kay Ivey | Education | Auburn University | Republican |
| AR | Asa Hutchinson | Accounting | Bob Jones University | Republican |
| AZ | Doug Ducey | Finance | Arizona State University | Republican |
| CA | Jerry Brown | Classics | University of California at Berkeley | Democratic |
| CO | John Hickenlooper | English | Wesleyan University | Democratic |
| CT | Dannel Malloy | Political Science | Boston College | Democratic |
| De | John Carney | English | Dartmouth College | Democratic |
| FL | Rick Scott | Business | University of Missouri at Kansas City | Republican |
| GA | Nathan Deal | Liberal Arts | Mercer University | Republican |
| HI | David Ige | Engineering | University of Hawaii Manoa | Democratic |
| IA | Terry Branstad | Political Science | University of Iowa | Republican |
| ID | Butch Otter | Political Science | College of Idaho | Republican |
| IL | Bruce Rauner | Economics | Dartmouth College | Republican |
| IN | Eric Holcomb | History | Hanover College | Republican |
| KS | Sam Brownback | Agricultural Economics | University of Kansas | Republican |
| KY | Matt Bevin | East Asian Studies | Washington and Lee University | Republican |
| LA | John Bel Edwards | Engineering | United States Military Academy | Democratic |
| MA | Charlie Baker | English | Harvard College | Republican |
| MD | Larry Hogan | Political Science | Florida State University | Republican |
| ME | Paul LePage | Business | University of Maine | Republican |
| MI | Rick Snyder | General Studies | University of Michigan | Republican |
| MN | Mark Dayton | Psychology | Yale University | Democratic-Farmer-Labor |
| MO | Eric Greitens | Philosophy, Politics and Economics | Duke University | Republican |
| MS | Phil Bryant | Criminal Justice | University of Southern Mississippi | Republican |
| MT | Steve Bullock | Philosophy, Politics and Economics | Claremont McKenna College | Democratic |
| NC | Roy Cooper | Political Science, Psychology | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Democratic |
| ND | Doug Burgum | University Studies | North Dakota State University | Republican |
| NE | Pete Ricketts | Biology | University of Chicago | Republican |
| NH | Chris Sununu | Engineering | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Republican |
| NJ | Chris Christie | Political Science | University of Delaware | Republican |
| NM | Susana Martinez | Criminal Justice | University of Texas at El Paso | Republican |
| NV | Brian Sandoval | English, Economics | University of Nevada at Reno | Republican |
| NY | Andrew Cuomo | Liberal Arts | Fordham University | Democratic |
| OH | John Kasich | Political Science | Ohio State University | Republican |
| OK | Mary Fallin | Human and Environmental Science | Oklahoma State University | Republican |
| OR | Kate Brown | Women’s Studies | University of Colorado at Boulder | Democratic |
| PA | Tom Wolf | Political Science | Dartmouth College | Democratic |
| RI | Gina Raimondo | Economics | Harvard College | Democratic |
| SC | Henry McMaster | History | University of South Carolina | Republican |
| SD | Dennis Daugaard | Political Science | University of South Dakota | Republican |
| TN | Bill Haslam | History | Emory University | Republican |
| TX | Greg Abbott | Business | University of Texas at Austin | Republican |
| VA | Terry McAuliffe | Political Science | Catholic University of America | Democratic |
| VT | Phil Scott | Industrial Education | University of Vermont | Republican |
| WA | Jay Inslee | Economics | University of Washington | Democratic |
| WV | Jim Justice | Marketing | Marshall University | Democratic |
| WY | Matt Mead | Broadcasting | Trinity University | Republican |
As you can see, the educational backgrounds of governors are as diverse as their political ideologies. Whether you’re pursuing a traditional path or considering a unique major, there’s always a route to public service. Understanding these trends can help you shape your own career trajectory in politics.
Author
David Luther was the Content Marketing Editor for the Zippia Advice blog. He developed partnerships with external reporting agencies in addition to generating original research and reporting for the Zippia Career Advice blog. David obtained his BA from UNC Chapel Hill.
