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In 2022, for example, workers age 25 and over without a high school diploma had median weekly earnings of $682. Workers whose highest level of education was a diploma made $853 per week, or just over 25 percent more than those who didn’t finish high school—and earnings improved with every level of education completed.
- Measuring The Value of Education
As the chart shows, the more you learn, the more you earn....
- Measuring The Value of Education
Curious about the average salary by education level? The returns on higher education have increased in recent years and a college degree pays off more.
For example, workers with a bachelor’s degree had median weekly earnings of $1,305 in 2020, compared with $781 for workers with a high school diploma. And the unemployment rate for bachelor’s-level workers was 5.5 percent, compared with 9.0 percent for those whose highest level of education was a high school diploma.
As the chart shows, the more you learn, the more you earn. Median weekly earnings in 2017 for those with the highest levels of educational attainment—doctoral and professional degrees—were more than triple those with the lowest level, less than a high school diploma.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, individuals without a high school diploma or an equivalent (such as a GED) earn the lowest salary compared to all other education levels: $626 per week, or roughly $32,565 per year. They also have the greatest risk for unemployment, with an average unemployment rate of 8.3 percent. Median Weekly Earnings: $626.
3 sty 2023 · Studies show that high school graduates earn, on average, $11,000 more per year than high school dropouts, and GED recipients earn, on average, $9,000 more. That’s a lot of money! If you do the math, you can see that high school graduates earn, on average, $2,000 more than GED recipients.
23 sie 2024 · The decision between earning a high school diploma and obtaining a GED is a personal one, and there is no one-size-fits-all answer. A high school diploma generally offers more advantages in terms of job prospects, college admissions, and personal development.
