Can’t I get a good job now? Yes, maybe you could, but a college degree will make your chances even better. Check out the earnings and unemployment rates for people 25 years and older with different levels of education:
|
Level of education completed |
Mean (average) earnings in 2011 |
Unemployment rate in 2011 |
|---|---|---|
|
Less than a high school diploma |
$29,848 |
14.1% |
|
High school graduate, no college |
$41,288 |
9.4% |
|
Some college, no degree |
$46,288 |
8.7% |
|
Occupational program (career school) |
$49,920 |
6.6% |
|
Associate degree (academic program) |
$52,988 |
6.9% |
|
Bachelor’s degree |
$71,552 |
4.9% |
|
Master’s degree |
$84,448 |
3.6% |
|
Doctoral degree (e.g., Ph.D.) |
$102,648 |
2.5% |
|
Professional degree (e.g., M.D., J.D.) |
$121,212 |
2.4% |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, unpublished tables, 2012.
