Earnings and Unemployment Rates by Educational Attainment, 2024

College graduates don't just earn more, they earn significantly more.

College graduates don't just earn more, they earn significantly more. The median weekly earnings of a bachelor’s degree holder is over 60% higher than that of a high school graduate. Unemployment rates are lower for college grads. As of 2024, the unemployment rate for bachelor’s degree holders was just 2.5%, compared to 4.2% for high school graduates.