Does the level of education matter?

Obtaining a postsecondary credential is almost always worth it, as evidenced by higher earnings over a

lifetime. The higher the level of educational attainment, the higher the payoff. What’s more, the gap is

widening. In 2002, a Bachelor’s degree-holder could expect to earn 75 percent more over a lifetime

than someone with only a high school diploma. Today, that premium is 84 percent.

On average:

• A high school dropout can expect to earn $973,000 over a lifetime.

• Someone with a high school diploma can expect to earn $1.3 million over a lifetime.

• A worker with some college but no degree earns $1.5 million over a lifetime.

• An Associate’s degree-holder earns $1.7 million over a lifetime.

• A worker with a Bachelor’s degree will earn $2.3 million over a lifetime.

Graduate degrees confer even higher earnings:

• A Master’s degree-holder earns $2.7 million over a lifetime.

• A Doctoral degree-holder earns $3.3 million over a lifetime.

• A Professional degree-holder earns $3.6 million over a lifetime.
http://cew.georgetown.edu/collegepayoff/