Though the Duggars had a whole gaggle of children who appeared on their reality TV series, times have changed. The majority of the Duggars are now legal adults, and very few are still (unmarried) at home. While most have married and moved away, none have chosen a very conventional path, at least not by modern standards.
Duggar girls generally get married and begin having children almost immediately, and most seem to be following in their parents' footsteps with their lifestyle choices. Some do "rebel" in small ways, including the wife of eldest son Josh (who recently debuted a fashion statement that fans were totally down with). But most focus on their home and kids, not pursuing a career.
Duggar boys, though, generally become breadwinners for their families, but they don't seem to be getting there by going to college (or taking on student loans). Do the Duggars have the choice to go to college, or is the choice already made for them well before they reach age 18?
Every Duggar Has Been Homeschooled
In the early days of the Duggars' reality series, it was made clear to viewers that all the children were homeschooled. One episode featured a tour of the computer room, where the kids could do some of their schoolwork, but there was a clear message about technology use even in the context of education.
The Duggars were often filmed while Michelle or one of the older kids led lessons, everyone sitting at the dining table working on assignments. Bible study was also referenced frequently as part of the family's educational path.
That wholesome image didn't have everyone convinced, though; Redditors picked apart a "reading" the family did on camera, pointing out that the Duggar kids struggled to read their own writing aloud. Concerns about the quality of their homeschooling aside, education at home doesn't necessarily mean a student can't attend college.
But perhaps the Duggars had no intent of attending college, ever.
Why Don't The Duggars Go To College?
In older episodes of their xKids And Counting series (the number of children did change a few times while they were on TLC), Michelle and Jim Bob talked about their life prior to their, for lack of a better term, religious awakening.
Michelle Duggar was a cheerleader in her past life, and neither led the type of lifestyle that they later brought their children up in. Suffice it to say, Michelle and Jim Bob tried conventional society and didn't seem to enjoy it — and neither went to college — so chose a different path for their kids.
Yes, it does seem like a conscious decision on the parents' part to not send their kids to college for the "typical" experience of living in dorms, having group study sessions, and partying. However, that doesn't mean the kids don't receive a college education if they so choose.
Duggar Kids Can Take College Courses, Says Michelle
Though none of the Duggar kids have been snapped on a college campus (or at a college party), some of them have taken college courses — online. In a blog post from 2011, Duggar Family Blog explained that in an interview, Michelle and Jim Bob stated that some of their kids had enrolled in CollegePlus!, a remote program that offers bachelor's degrees.
At the time, Jana was studying nursing and John-David wasn't sure of his path yet. The college program was fully remote, and, as Michelle explained in the interview, coursework was online and degrees were low-cost.
It's unclear whether any of the Duggars finished their college programs, but the kids have all been successful in different ways, with some pursuing trade school and other certifications for their chosen career paths.
Did Any Of The Duggars Get A Degree?
To date, it's unclear whether any of the Duggars have earned a four-year degree; InTouch Weekly noted that in 2021, none of the Duggars had graduated from college. Many of the kids did attempt coursework at the college level, but many turned to alternate career paths than degree-to-job.
Jill Duggar became a certified professional midwife at one point, and Jinger was working on a music degree at one point. Jessa had attempted a business degree, and Joseph Duggar even took classes at a bible college (for a year) before pivoting to real estate and commercial driving instead.
Although none of the Duggars seems to have completed a traditional educational path, they seem quite capable of forging the path that works for them. As viewers of the former reality stars' shows will recall, the family is heavily involved in real estate, and used to work on cleaning up their rental properties on camera.
Josh Duggar, prior to his arrest — which got fans worrying about how Anna would support their family — worked in car sales.
Though their windfall from appearing on TV likely helped each offshoot Duggar family to create a nest egg, they're not averse to hard work, or hitting the books, as needed.
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