Who is the youngest person to graduate college, and where is he now?
Michael Kearney is the youngest person to graduate college at over 10 years. He earned a bachelor's degree in anthropology from the University of South Alabama in 1994. Today, he has pursued careers in teaching, improv theatre, and even game show competitions, winning over a million dollars.
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Key takeaways
- Michael Kearney is the youngest college graduate in history, earning a bachelor's degree in anthropology at 10 years and 4 months.
- He displayed exceptional intelligence from infancy, speaking at four months and reading by 10 months. Kearney earned multiple degrees, including a Ph.D. in chemistry at age 22.
- Kearney's education was fast-tracked through homeschooling, where his parents nurtured his talents instead of medicating his ADHD, helping him graduate high school by age six.
- He later pursued careers in teaching, improv, and game shows, winning over $1 million across programs like Gold Rush, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, and Entertainment Tonight.
- As of 2025, Kearney keeps a low profile, with his last known location being Nashville, Tennessee, where he was involved in an improv theatre group.
Michael Kearney's profile summary
| Full name | Michael Kevin Kearney |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | January 18, 1984 |
| Age | 41 (as of 2025) |
| Zodiac sign | Capricorn |
| Place of birth | Honolulu, Hawaii, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Mixed |
| Hair colour | Dark brown |
| Eye colour | Hazel |
| Mother | Cassidy Kearney |
| Father | Kevin Kearney |
| Siblings | One |
| School | San Marin High School |
| College/University | Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC), The University of South Alabama |
| Profession | College teaching assistant, game show contestant |
Who is the youngest person to graduate college?
According to Guinness World Records, Michael Kearney from the USA is the youngest-ever college graduate. At just 10 years and 4 months old, he earned a bachelor's degree in anthropology from the University of South Alabama in 1994, setting an unmatched academic milestone.
Unveiling Michael Kearney's academic milestones
Source: Original
Kearney exhibited extraordinary cognitive abilities from infancy. He spoke his first words at just four months old, and by six months, he astonished medical professionals by referencing his infected ear. By ten months old, he had already learned to read, setting the stage for his rapid intellectual development.
His parents, particularly his Japanese American mother, homeschooled him, providing an environment tailored to his exceptional abilities. Despite being diagnosed with ADHD, his parents rejected medicine and instead focused on fostering his talents.
At four years old, Kearney passed the multiple-choice diagnostic tests for the Johns Hopkins precocious maths programme. In 1990, he enrolled and graduated from San Marin High School in Novato, California, at age 6.
Inside Michael Kearney's college education
Michael first enrolled at Santa Rosa Junior College, aged six, earning an Associate of Science in Geology. Two years later, he enrolled at the University of South Alabama and earned a bachelor's degree in anthropology in 1994.
At age 14, he obtained a master's degree in chemistry at Middle Tennessee State University, making him the youngest person to get a master's degree. However, Tathagat Avatar Tulsi broke the record in 1999.
At age 18, he obtained his second master's degree in computer science at Vanderbilt University. By twenty-two, he had completed a Ph.D. in chemistry at Middle Tennessee State University.
Where is Michael Kearney today?
Source: Getty Images
As of this writing, Michael's whereabouts are unknown publicly as he leads a private life. He is currently 41 years old (as of April 2025). According to BBC, who last tracked him in 2019, Kearney's last known whereabouts were in Nashville, Tennessee, where he worked for an improv theatre group.
Previously, Kearney had pursued a career as a game show host, but it was unsuccessful. In 2006, he won $100,000 on Gold Rush and later secured $1 million on Entertainment Tonight.
Kearney earned $25,000 on the 2008 Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Show. In 2009, he competed on Million Dollar Password but was eliminated in a tiebreaker.
What is Michael Kearney's IQ?
Michael Kearney's IQ is estimated to be in the 190s, which cites a 1995 Los Angeles Times report describing his score as "nearly 200." His extraordinary intelligence places him among the top 50 highest IQs in the world, solidifying his reputation as one of history's most remarkable prodigies.
FAQs
- Who is the youngest college graduate ever? Michael Kearney, at 10 years and 4 months, is the youngest graduate ever.
- What is Michael Kearney doing now? Michael Kearney keeps his current activities private. His last known whereabouts were in Nashville, Tennessee, where he worked for an improv theatre group.
- What is the age of the youngest person to go to college? Michael Kevin Kearney is the youngest student to attend college at six years old.
- Who was the youngest person to graduate from Harvard? Eugenie Carys de Silva is the youngest Harvard graduate, who earned her master's degree at age 13.
- Who graduated from Harvard at 13? Eugenie Carys de Silva was a 13-year-old Harvard student who completed her master's in Intelligence Studies at Harvard University.
- Who is the youngest PhD? The youngest PhD holder was Johann Heinrich Friedrich Karl Witte, who received his doctorate from the University of Giessen, Germany, at 13 years and 283 days.
- Who is the youngest MIT student? As of this writing, there isn't a single record for the youngest student ever admitted to MIT.
Wrapping up
The youngest person to graduate college was Michael Kearney, in 1994. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of South Alabama at 10 years and 4 months. Kearney later pursued multiple advanced degrees, including a Ph.D. in chemistry, and ventured into teaching. Despite his academic success, Kearney was featured in game-show competitions and improv theatre.
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