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.

(Michael Kearney, the youngest person to graduate college, during the "Gold Rush" game show. Photo: L. Cohen (modified by author) Source: Getty Images)

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

(Top-5 facts about Michael Kearney. Photo: Photo by L. Cohen/Getty Images (modified by author) 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?

(Michael Kearney, Gold Rush Winner during Celebrities Unveil AOL's Entertainment Programming Slate for 2007-2008 at Time Warner Center in New York City. Photo: M. Von Holden (modified by author. 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.

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