Do many US state governors have medical degrees?
By Jacob Alabab-Moser
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NO
One U.S. state governor, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, has a medical degree.
Far more common are law degrees, on the resumes of 17 governors, including 11 Democrats and six Republicans, according to a count in February 2021 by Ballotpedia.
Ballotpedia relies on official biographies for its data, which in two states don’t include the college experiences of their leaders. Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J., and has been a major donor to his alma mater.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson doesn’t disclose his education on the state’s website. He attended the University of Hawaii and the University of Maryland, but did not graduate from a four-year college.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Stevens Institute of Technology President’s leadership award for Greg R. Gianforte ’83
Vote Smart Mike Parson’s biography
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