The U.S. Constitution’s barriers to entry as a member of Congress are to be at least 30 years of age, a U.S. citizen for nine years, and a resident of the state in which he or she is seeking office; but, what about the education requirements?
If you didn’t already know, the Constitution doesn’t require a college degree for senators, or even a high school diploma. And to think you have to have an impressive educational history to make the laws in the United States…
Well, almost 95 percent of those serving in the 111th Congress (2009-2011) earned at least a bachelor’s degree – and the alma maters won’t let you down.
1. Harvard University – The academic gateway to future success is the name on the bachelor’s degree to 15 members of the current class.
2. Stanford University – Flipping to the west coast, 11 of the current congressmen hold a Stanford degree and more than half of those lawmakers represent a state other than California.
3. Yale University – Home to ten members of Congress. Along with Harvard, Yale makes the list of one of only two Ivy Leagues to make the list.
4. University of California – Los Angeles – Of California’s 53 representatives, nine of them were UCLA Bruins.
5. Georgetown University – Conveniently located just across from their future offices, seven senators and house representatives have a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown.
Provided below is a February 2012 infographic created by Crisp360 Career Development giving us a look at the schools claiming the greatest number of congressional alums from among today’s lawmakers, broken down by the Senate and the House. Also, check out the most popular areas of study:
Though a college degree isn’t always a prerequisite for success, our expectations may be a little different for our representatives in Washington.
How important is the educational background of congressional candidates to you? Do you have higher expectations for our representatives in Washington than other professions?
