Earnings rise and unemployment falls at almost every step up the education ladder. Bureau of Labor Statistics data for 2025 shows median weekly earnings of $770 for workers without a high school diploma, $966 with a diploma, $1,578 with a bachelor's degree and $2,307 with a doctoral degree, as of October 2026. Unemployment ran from 6.1 without a diploma to 1.8 with a doctorate.
The link between education and career outcomes is one of the most consistent patterns in US labor data. It's also easy to misread, because a national median can't tell you what your own degree, field or trade will pay.
Here's what the official numbers show, what they leave out, and how to use them when you're deciding what to study next.
Median weekly earnings and unemployment by education, 2025
| Highest level of education | Median usual weekly earnings | Unemployment rate (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | $2,307 | 1.8 |
| Professional degree | $2,294 | 1.9 |
| Master's degree | $1,876 | 2.6 |
| Bachelor's degree | $1,578 | 2.8 |
| Associate's degree | $1,135 | 3.0 |
| Some college, no degree | $1,062 | 3.8 |
| High school diploma | $966 | 4.3 |
| Less than a high school diploma | $770 | 6.1 |
| All workers | $1,268 | 3.4 |
Source: BLS, Current Population Survey data for people 25 and over; earnings are for full-time wage and salary workers. Dollar figures are as of October 2026.
The pattern in plain terms
Each step up adds pay and lowers the risk of being out of work. A bachelor's degree holder's median of $1,578 a week compares with $966 for someone whose highest qualification is a high school diploma. At the top, doctoral and professional degree holders earn roughly three times the median for workers without a diploma.
The unemployment column matters just as much. Workers with a bachelor's degree had an unemployment rate of 2.8, against 4.3 for those with only a high school diploma and 6.1 for those without one. More education doesn't guarantee a job, but it's associated with steadier work.
Where the biggest jumps are
Not every step pays the same. The largest single jump in the table is from an associate's degree, at $1,135 a week, to a bachelor's degree, at $1,578. The step from a master's to a doctoral degree is almost as big.
The smallest gap is the one that should worry people most. Workers with some college but no degree had median earnings of $1,062, only a little above the $966 for a high school diploma, and their unemployment rate of 3.8 was closer to the diploma group than to graduates. Starting a course and not finishing it captures little of the payoff, so if you begin, plan to complete.
At the top, a professional degree, such as law or medicine, and a doctoral degree pay almost the same median, at $2,294 and $2,307. The choice between them is about the career you want, not the pay gap.
What the BLS figures don't show
BLS is careful about the limits, and so should you be. Its categories reflect only the highest level of education completed. They don't take account of apprenticeships or on-the-job training, which BLS notes may also affect earnings and unemployment.
That's a big gap. Skilled trades often train through paid apprenticeships, so an electrician or plumber can appear in the high school diploma row while earning far more than that row's median. The table describes groups, not paths.
The earnings column also covers only full-time wage and salary workers aged 25 and over. Self-employed people, part-timers and younger workers aren't in it, so if you plan to freelance or run a business, your own numbers could sit well above or below these medians. Field of study matters too: two people with the same bachelor's degree level can earn very different amounts depending on what they studied and where they work.
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The 2025 data quirk worth knowing
Here's a detail almost every article quoting these figures skips. BLS says the 2025 annual estimates are 11-month averages that exclude October, because October 2025 data weren't collected during the federal government shutdown. As a result, it warns that the 2025 figures aren't strictly comparable with annual averages for other years. If you see a claim that a gap widened or narrowed sharply in 2025, treat it with care.
How to use this when choosing a course or degree
- Look up the specific occupation you want, not just the education level, because pay varies widely within each row.
- Weigh the cost and time of the qualification against the likely pay difference for that occupation.
- Consider apprenticeship and training routes, which the education rows don't capture.
- Check whether the job needs a license or certification on top of the degree.
- Talk to people already doing the work about how they got in.
If you're weighing a postgraduate step, these guides on whether an online MBA is worth it and whether a master's in finance pays off go deeper. And when it's time to apply, this list of skills to put on a resume helps you show what your education taught you.
Verdict
The BLS data makes the general case clearly: more education usually means higher earnings and lower unemployment. But it's a map of averages, not a promise for your career. Use the table to understand the odds, then look at the occupation, the cost of getting there and the training routes the statistics leave out. That's where the real decision is made.
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Frequently asked questions
How much more do college graduates earn?
BLS 2025 data shows median weekly earnings of $1,578 for bachelor's degree holders versus $966 for workers whose highest level is a high school diploma, as of October 2026.
Which education level has the highest earnings?
Doctoral degree holders, with median weekly earnings of $2,307 in 2025, followed closely by professional degree holders at $2,294, according to BLS.
Does more education lower unemployment?
Generally, yes. In 2025 BLS data, unemployment ran from 6.1 for workers without a high school diploma to 1.8 for those with a doctoral degree.
Do the BLS figures include apprenticeships?
No. BLS says its categories reflect only the highest level of education and don't account for apprenticeships or on-the-job training, which may also influence earnings.
Why are the 2025 education earnings figures different?
BLS says 2025 annual estimates are 11-month averages that exclude October, because October 2025 data weren't collected during the federal government shutdown, so they aren't strictly comparable with other years.
