NCES reports that for 25- to 34-year-olds who worked full time, year round in 2022, "those who had higher educational attainment also had higher median earnings." It states: "the median earnings of those with a bachelor’s degree were 59 percent higher than the earnings of those who completed high school ($41,800) as their highest level of attainment" ($66,600 versus $41,800). It also notes this pattern of higher education correlating with higher median earnings held for each year from 2012 through 2022 (in constant 2022 dollars).

This Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) series reports "Employed full time: Median usual weekly nominal earnings (second quartile): Wage and salary workers: Bachelor's degree and higher: 25 years and over." For Q1 2026, the value is $1,609, with earlier observations including $1,603 in Q1 2025 and $1,559 in Q2 2025. The series documents that, for full‑time workers age 25 and over, those with at least a bachelor’s degree have median usual weekly earnings above $1,500 in recent quarters.

In 1980, a worker with a college degree earned about 39 percent more than a worker with a high school degree. By 2000, that college wage premium had doubled, to 79 percent. For the last 20 years, the gap in wages of college-educated and high school–educated workers hasn’t really budged; it actually declined following the Great Recession, and in 2023 it was slightly lower than its 2000 value. A recent estimate from economists at the Cleveland Fed suggests wages of college-educated workers are still likely to be 76 percent higher than wages of workers with less formal education in 2042. Data from the Center on Education and the Workforce indicate that for workers with a high school or GED diploma, average lifetime earnings were around $1.6 million; for workers with a bachelor’s degree, it was $2.8 million.

Workers with a college degree typically earn substantially more than workers with less education. This so-called college wage premium increased for several decades, but it has been flat to down in recent years and declined notably since the pandemic. Our estimates show that, across all groups, the wage gap peaked in the mid-2010s but later declined a small but notable 4 percentage points to about 75% in 2022. For most people considering college, the implied increase in lifetime earnings outweighs the cost enough to make college a sound financial investment, often with very high returns.

The Women’s Bureau table "Median weekly earnings by educational attainment and sex" states it is "Based on median weekly earnings of full-time, wage and salary workers, 25 years and older." The table shows that, for both women and men, median weekly earnings generally increase at each higher level of education, with the "Bachelor’s degree" and "Advanced degree" categories having higher median weekly earnings than "High school diploma" and "Some college, no degree."

It is well documented that college graduates earn significantly higher wages on average than those with only a high school diploma. Current data indicate that college degree holders enjoy an 84 percent increase in earnings over their high-school-educated counterparts. Even excluding advanced degree holders, the premium for a four-year degree alone remains extremely high at about 60 percent. Over the last three decades, the earnings of four-year degree holders have significantly outpaced the earnings of high school graduates and those with some college but lacking a college degree.

The U.S. college wage premium doubles over the life cycle, from 27 percent at age 25 to 60 percent at age 55. Using a panel survey of workers followed through age 60, I show that growth in the college wage premium is primarily explained by occupational sorting. Shortly after graduating, workers with college degrees shift into professional, nonroutine occupations with much greater returns to tenure. The college wage premium roughly doubles over the life cycle, both in the U.S. and in other developed countries.

Drawing on survey data from 2,698 U.S. adults (61.7% graduates, 38.3% non-graduates), multiple regression and ANOVA analyses revealed that graduates earn substantially more and are more likely to be employed full-time than non-graduates. As shown in Table 1, college graduates earned an average starting salary of $59,773.44 (SD = 16,562.09), while non-graduates earned $34,625.11 (SD = 14,843.20). These findings confirm that a bachelor's degree supports upward mobility, although the economic value of a bachelor's degree is unevenly distributed across social groups.

USAFacts, summarizing BLS data, reports: "According to BLS data, people working full-time whose highest level of education was a bachelor’s degree made a median of $1,543 per week in 2024." It notes that "Both datasets show a similar pattern: people in the prime working age group with bachelor’s degrees earn more on average than people without any post-secondary education, at least when they’re working full-time." A highlighted statistic states: "Earnings are 66% higher with a bachelor's degree vs. a high school diploma" based on median usual weekly earnings by educational level in 2024.

APLU writes: "On an annual basis, median earnings for bachelor's degree holders are $40,500 or 86 percent higher than those whose highest degree is a high school diploma." It also states: "Median lifetime earnings are $1.2 million higher for bachelor’s degree holders" compared with those whose highest education is a high school diploma. The page concludes that "The evidence that a college degree significantly improves one’s employment prospects and earnings potential is overwhelming."

This peer‑reviewed study notes that "Table 4 shows that a college degree is associated with sharply higher lifetime earnings for both men and women." It reports that over a 40‑year work career, "a male HSG [high school graduate] earns $1,425,000..., a male BA earns $2,209,000," while for women, "a female HSG earns $721,000, a female BA earns $1,257,000." After controlling for covariates, 40‑year lifetime earnings are $1,490,000 for HSG vs. $2,149,000 for BA in men and $728,000 for HSG vs. $1,114,000 for BA in women, still leaving large gaps in favor of bachelor’s degree holders.

NCES reports that among full‑time, year‑round workers ages 25–34 in the United States, "In 2022, young adults with a bachelor’s or higher degree had median earnings that were 55 percent higher than the median earnings of young adult high school completers." It also notes that young adults with only a high school diploma earned substantially less than those with some college or associate’s and bachelor’s degrees, illustrating a clear earnings gradient by level of educational attainment.

The New York Fed’s college labor market analysis notes that, on average, workers with a bachelor’s degree earn substantially more than those with only a high school diploma. In its overview, it summarizes that the "college wage premium"—the difference in wages between workers with a bachelor’s degree and those with only a high school diploma—has remained large in recent decades, indicating that college graduates continue to earn significantly higher wages over their careers. The site provides data on unemployment rates and median wages by level of education, showing lower unemployment and higher earnings for college graduates than for high school graduates.

BLS annual averages for 2024 usual weekly earnings of full-time workers age 25 and over show median weekly earnings of roughly $834 for high school graduates with no college, about $935 for those with some college but no degree, about $1,038 for associate degree holders, and about $1,543 for workers whose highest degree is a bachelor’s degree. These figures imply that workers with a bachelor’s degree earn on the order of 80–90% more per week than workers with only a high school diploma, and substantially more than those with some college but no degree or an associate degree.

This career‑focused article summarizes that in the United States "the average salary of a high school graduate" is around $42,590 per year, while "the average salary of a Bachelor’s degree" holder is $59,600 for 25‑ to 34‑year‑olds. It notes that the average salary with no degree is $29,800, highlighting a stepwise increase in earnings as education level rises from no diploma to high school diploma to associate and bachelor’s degrees.