Is it acceptable to give preference to higher education over marriage?

When I was in my last year of high school my cousin has asked me to marry him. However, he let me know that if I marry him I should not go to university and continue my studies. I understand that any kind of pre-marital relationship is prohibited in Islam. I was not in any such relationship with this cousin and infact I have not spoken to him alot. When he said this to me, I let him know that I want to continue my education and go to university and he told me he would not want to marry any woman who gets a high education and has a job after marriage. I did not find it necessary to follow his orders since he was not my husband, and I joined university. Now my relatives think that it was an act of pride to reject a marriage offer and choose education and they also tell me that I will not find a better husband than him since I might have hurt his feelings. Is my decision to choose education over marriage an act of pride and have I made a right decision? Please advice me. I only want to follow what is acceptable in islam. Jazakallah Khair