Harry S. Truman holds a unique distinction among modern American presidents: he's the last one who never earned a college degree. Every president since Truman left office in 1953—from Eisenhower to Biden—has held at least a bachelor's degree, marking a dramatic shift in educational expectations for the nation's highest office.

Truman's path was shaped by economic necessity, not lack of ambition. After graduating from Independence High School in 1901, he enrolled at Spalding's Commercial College in Kansas City, studying bookkeeping, shorthand, and typing. He dropped out after just one year when his family's finances collapsed. The presidency would have to wait while he worked as a bank clerk, ran the family farm, and served in World War I.

From Farmer to Commander-in-Chief

What Truman lacked in formal credentials, he made up for with relentless self-education. He was an voracious reader who could quote long passages from history books and Shakespeare. He briefly attended law school in the 1920s while serving as a county judge, but dropped out because his political duties consumed all his time.

Truman's presidency proved that degrees aren't everything. He made some of the most consequential decisions in American history: authorizing atomic bombs on Japan, establishing the Marshall Plan, recognizing Israel, desegregating the military, and standing firm during the Berlin Airlift. Not bad for someone without a diploma.

When Did College Become Required?

The shift happened remarkably fast. Before Truman, nine other presidents had no college degree, including Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. But after 1953, higher education became an unwritten prerequisite.

Eisenhower: West Point graduate
Kennedy through Biden: All held bachelor's degrees, many from Ivy League schools
21 presidents total attended graduate school
16 presidents earned degrees from Ivy League institutions

This reflects broader social changes. In Truman's youth, only 2-3% of Americans had college degrees. Today it's over 35%. The presidency simply mirrored this educational revolution.

Ironically, Truman later received multiple honorary doctorates, including a Doctor of Laws from the University of Kansas City. He got his degrees after all—just not the traditional way.

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