In 2022, the average annual income of a high school graduate in the United States was around ****** U.S. dollars. This is an increase from the previous year, when the median income for high school grads was about ****** U.S. dollars, but an overall decline from 1990 when the median earnings of a high school graduate was around ****** U.S. dollars.

In 2023 the mean earnings of Bachelor's degree holders in the United States amounted to 86,970 U.S. dollars. People with higher education degrees tended to earn more than those without. For example, high school graduates, including those with a GED, had mean earnings of 46,720 U.S. dollars.

See notice below about this dataset

This dataset provides the average earnings by student group per district.  Wage records are obtained from the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) using a secure, anonymized matching process with limitations. For details on the process and suppression rules, please visit the Employment and Earnings of High School Graduates dashboard.

This dataset is one of three containing the same data that is also published in the Employment and Earnings of High School Graduates dashboard: Average Earnings by Student Group Average Earnings by Industry College and Career Outcomes

2025 Update on DESE Data on Employment and Earnings 

The data link between high school graduates and future earnings makes it possible to follow students beyond high school and college into the workforce, enabling long-term evaluation of educational programs using workforce outcomes.

While DESE has published these data in the past, as of June 2025 we are temporarily pausing updates due to an issue conducting the link that was brought to our attention in 2023 by a team of researchers. The issue impacts the earnings information for students who never attended a postsecondary institution or who only attended private or out-of-state colleges or universities, beginning with the 2017 high school graduation cohort, with growing impact in each successive high school graduation cohort.

The issue does not impact the earnings information for students who attended a Massachusetts public institution of higher education, and earnings data for those students will continue to be updated.

Once a solution is found, the past cohorts of data with low match rates will be updated. DESE and partner agencies are exploring linking strategies to maximize the utility of the information.

More detailed information can be found in the attached memo provided by the research team from the Annenberg Institute. We thank them for calling this issue to our attention.

Graph and download economic data for Employed full time: Median usual weekly nominal earnings (second quartile): Wage and salary workers: High School graduates, no college: 25 years and over: Black or African American: Women (LEU0252942900A) from 2000 to 2024 about no college, second quartile, secondary schooling, secondary, females, full-time, 25 years +, African-American, salaries, workers, earnings, education, wages, median, employment, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Employed full time: Median usual weekly nominal earnings (second quartile): Wage and salary workers: High School graduates, no college: 25 years and over: White: Women (LEU0252934500A) from 2000 to 2024 about no college, second quartile, secondary schooling, secondary, females, full-time, 25 years +, salaries, workers, earnings, white, education, wages, median, employment, and USA.

The age groups available in the dataset are: 15+, 25+, 25-34, 25-54 and 25-64.

Type of work includes full-time and part-time.

The educational levels include: 0-8 yrs., some high school, high school graduate, some post-secondary, post-secondary certificate diploma and university degree.

Wages include average weekly wage rate.

The immigration statuses include: total landed immigrants (very recent immigrants, recent immigrants, established immigrants), non-landed immigrants and born in Canada.

See notice below about this dataset

This dataset provides the number of graduates who enrolled in each type of postsecondary education per district.

Wage records are obtained from the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) using a secure, anonymized matching process with limitations. For details on the process and suppression rules, please visit the Employment and Earnings of High School Graduates dashboard.

This dataset is one of three containing the same data that is also published in the Employment and Earnings of High School Graduates dashboard: Average Earnings by Student Group Average Earnings by Industry College and Career Outcomes

List of Outcomes

• Total Postsecondary Enrollment
• In-State Public 2-Year
• In-State Public 4-Year
• In-State Private
• Out-of-State
• Total Employed
• Total Missing

The data link between high school graduates and future earnings makes it possible to follow students beyond high school and college into the workforce, enabling long-term evaluation of educational programs using workforce outcomes.

While DESE has published these data in the past, as of June 2025 we are temporarily pausing updates due to an issue conducting the link that was brought to our attention in 2023 by a team of researchers. The issue impacts the earnings information for students who never attended a postsecondary institution or who only attended private or out-of-state colleges or universities, beginning with the 2017 high school graduation cohort, with growing impact in each successive high school graduation cohort.

The issue does not impact the earnings information for students who attended a Massachusetts public institution of higher education, and earnings data for those students will continue to be updated.

Once a solution is found, the past cohorts of data with low match rates will be updated. DESE and partner agencies are exploring linking strategies to maximize the utility of the information.

More detailed information can be found in the attached memo provided by the research team from the Annenberg Institute. We thank them for calling this issue to our attention.

U.S. citizens with a professional degree had the highest median household income in 2023, at 172,100 U.S. dollars. In comparison, those with less than a 9th grade education made significantly less money, at 35,690 U.S. dollars. Household income The median household income in the United States has fluctuated since 1990, but rose to around 70,000 U.S. dollars in 2021. Maryland had the highest median household income in the United States in 2021. Maryland’s high levels of wealth is due to several reasons, and includes the state's proximity to the nation's capital. Household income and ethnicity The median income of white non-Hispanic households in the United States had been on the rise since 1990, but declining since 2019. While income has also been on the rise, the median income of Hispanic households was much lower than those of white, non-Hispanic private households. However, the median income of Black households is even lower than Hispanic households. Income inequality is a problem without an easy solution in the United States, especially since ethnicity is a contributing factor. Systemic racism contributes to the non-White population suffering from income inequality, which causes the opportunity for growth to stagnate.

Average earnings, by age group and highest level of education, from the 2016 Census of Population.

In 2023, the mean income of women with a doctorate degree in the United States stood at 139,100 U.S. dollars. For men with the same degree, mean earnings stood at 175,500 U.S. dollars. On average in 2023, American men earned 91,590 U.S. dollars, while American women earned 65,987 U.S. dollars.

Explore the progression of average salaries for graduates in High School Equivalency (Ged) from 2020 to 2023 through this detailed chart. It compares these figures against the national average for all graduates, offering a comprehensive look at the earning potential of High School Equivalency (Ged) relative to other fields. This data is essential for students assessing the return on investment of their education in High School Equivalency (Ged), providing a clear picture of financial prospects post-graduation.

Explore the progression of average salaries for graduates in Highschool Courses Completed from 2020 to 2023 through this detailed chart. It compares these figures against the national average for all graduates, offering a comprehensive look at the earning potential of Highschool Courses Completed relative to other fields. This data is essential for students assessing the return on investment of their education in Highschool Courses Completed, providing a clear picture of financial prospects post-graduation.

Explore the progression of average salaries for graduates in Secondary Education For High School Diploma from 2020 to 2023 through this detailed chart. It compares these figures against the national average for all graduates, offering a comprehensive look at the earning potential of Secondary Education For High School Diploma relative to other fields. This data is essential for students assessing the return on investment of their education in Secondary Education For High School Diploma, providing a clear picture of financial prospects post-graduation.

Explore the progression of average salaries for graduates in High School Equivalent from 2020 to 2023 through this detailed chart. It compares these figures against the national average for all graduates, offering a comprehensive look at the earning potential of High School Equivalent relative to other fields. This data is essential for students assessing the return on investment of their education in High School Equivalent, providing a clear picture of financial prospects post-graduation.

This dashboard displays longitudinal wage outcomes of Massachusetts students by district, including College and Career Outcomes, Average Annual Earnings by Student Group, and Average Annual Earnings by Industry.

Wage records are obtained from the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) using a secure, anonymized matching process with limitations. For details on the process and suppression rules, please refer to the Employment and Earnings of High School Graduates dashboard itself.

The data in the dashboard is also published across three datasets in the E2C Hub: Average Earnings by Student Group Average Earnings by Industry College and Career Outcomes

What are the median earnings of high school graduates in the years following high school graduation in each industry group (6 Digit NAICS)?

This statistic shows expected life time earnings of full-time year-round workers at age from 25 to 64 relative to education level. The difference is shown as a ratio of the earnings of someone whose highest level of education is as a high school graduate. On average, a person with a master's degree is expected to earn almost twice as much in their lifetime as someone who has only completed their high school degree.

United States - Employed full time: Median usual weekly nominal earnings (second quartile): Wage and salary workers: High School graduates, no college: 25 years and over: Black or African American was 808.00000 $ in January of 2024, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Employed full time: Median usual weekly nominal earnings (second quartile): Wage and salary workers: High School graduates, no college: 25 years and over: Black or African American reached a record high of 808.00000 in January of 2024 and a record low of 427.00000 in January of 2000. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Employed full time: Median usual weekly nominal earnings (second quartile): Wage and salary workers: High School graduates, no college: 25 years and over: Black or African American - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

Characteristics and median employment income of postsecondary graduates five years after graduation, by educational qualification (Classification of programs and credentials - professional degree variant), field of study (Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) Canada 2016 - STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics and computer sciences) and BHASE (business, humanities, health, arts, social science and education) groupings), gender, age group and status of student in Canada (cross-sectional analysis).

Analysis of ‘High School Graduate Outcomes - Earnings’ provided by Analyst-2 (analyst-2.ai), based on source dataset retrieved from https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/b025fad1-4bac-4b92-bd11-d6da0d5b125c on 28 January 2022.

--- Dataset description provided by original source is as follows ---

What are the median earnings of high school graduates in the years following high school graduation?

--- Original source retains full ownership of the source dataset ---