Total Male Female White Black Hispanic

Figure 1.

Highest Degree Earned, by Sex, Race,

and Hispanic Origin: Spring 1993

100

80

60

40

20

0

Advanced degree

Bachelor’s degree

Associate/vocational degree

Some college, no degree

High school graduate

Not high school graduate

1

1Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.

Percent

U.S. Department of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration

Current Household Economic Studies

Population Reports

What’s It Worth?

Field of Training and

Economic Status: 1993

By Rosalind R. Bruno

C E N S U S B U R E A U P70-51

December 1995

Degree Attainment Increases

By 1993, more than 1 out

of 4 adults, 18 years old and

over (27 percent), had obtained a

degree of some type beyond high

school, a substantial increase

over the 21 percent reported in

1984. The proportion of the

adult population without a high

school diploma decreased to less

than 1 in 5 (19 percent in 1993

and 26 percent in 1984).

More than one-half of the adult

population reported a high school

diploma as their highest degree in

1993 (54 percent). Of these,

slightly more than one-third had

also attended, but had not

received a degree from a

post-secondary institution. 

How we differ.....

In 1993, 28 percent of men

and 26 percent of women held degrees above the high school level.

Women were less likely than men

to have an advanced degree, but

more likely to have an associate

or vocational degree.

Educational attainment differences among Whites, Blacks, and

persons of Hispanic origin were

substantial: 28 percent of Whites

held degrees beyond high school,

compared with 16 percent of

Blacks and 13 percent of the Hispanic origin population1 (see figure

1). In addition, the proportion of

Hispanics without a high school

diploma (40 percent) was much

greater than the proportion of

Whites (18 percent) or Blacks

(27 percent). 

1 Persons of Hispanic origin may be of

any race.

The Economic Rewards for degrees, most degrees beyond

Higher Education high school had significantly higher earnings than the next lower Independent of the personal en- degree. Persons with a degree richment and intrinsic value beyond high school had average derived from additional schooling, monthly earnings that were sub- there is a positive economic return stantially larger than those of to higher education. persons with either a high school

For each level of highest post- diploma only or some college and

secondary degree, the mean no degree ($2,339 vs. $1,080 and

monthly earnings2 differ substan- $1,303, respectively). For pertially from all others. Of all sons who did not complete high

persons with degrees beyond high school, mean monthly earnings

school, the mean monthly earn- were $508.

ings ranged from $1,375 for

persons with vocational certificates Field of Degree

to $5,067 for persons with profes- Business degree was

sional degrees. most popular.

Except for the comparison be- Post-secondary degrees are

tween doctorate and professional granted in a wide variety of fields3.

About one-half of all highest 2 “Mean monthly earnings” is computed as degrees were obtained in only four the total of all earnings over the 4-month

period divided by the number of months in 3Survey respondents reported the field of which earnings were actually received. training in which their highest degree was Earnings refer to wages and/or salary, in- earned in 20 general categories. cluding earnings from self-employment.
2 P70-51

fields. Nearly 1 out of 5 individuals reporting post-secondary

degrees (19 percent) had a degree in the field of business/

management. Education was

next at 13 percent, followed by

nursing/pharmacy/technical health

with 9 percent, and engineering

with 8 percent.

Some degrees were

dominated by a few fields.

About 55 percent of all

professional/doctorate degrees

were in law and medicine/

dentistry. About 28 percent of all

master’s degrees were in education, with an additional 17 percent

in business/management; these

same two fields represent a

large proportion of those with

bachelor’s degrees (36 percent),

with engineering adding another

10 percent. Business/management paired with nursing/

pharmacy/technical health

make up about 39 percent of all

associate degrees, and the majority of all vocational degrees were

in nursing/pharmacy/technical

health (24 percent) and vocational/

technical studies (39 percent).

Students complete degrees

at different levels, with

different goals.

Within many fields of study,

such as nursing/pharmacy/ technical health, business/management,

and education, students earned

degrees at several different degree levels. In education, for

example, 55 percent reported the

highest level as a bachelor’s degree, and 38 percent reported

advanced degrees. In business/

management, 55 percent

completed at the bachelor’s degree level, compared with only

15 percent at the advanced degree level, but 30 percent completed with a post-secondary

degree below a bachelor’s

degree. In the nursing/pharmacy/

technical health area, 34 percent

held bachelor’s degrees and

54 percent held associate or

vocational degrees.

In contrast, other fields are

concentrated at one degree level.

Three-fourths of those reporting

Home economics

Figure 2.

Field of Highest Degree, by Sex: 

Spring 1993

(Persons with bachelor’s degree or higher;

numbers in thousands)

140

17

358

62

251

112

352

1,814

437

107

4,597

Vocational/

technical studies

Police science/

law enforcement

Nursing /pharmacy/

technical health

Agriculture/forestry

Mathematics/statistics

Religion/theology

English/journalism

Biology

Psychology

Economics

Physical/earth sciences

Medicine/dentistry

Law

Social science

Liberal arts/humanities

Education

Other

Engineering

Business/management

477

276

484

93

519

837

525

302

531

811

551

263

650

270

825

294

865

301

1,023

1,318

1,228

1,629

1,482

1,487

1,338

2,986

439

4,524

2,215

Men

Women
P70-51 3

fields of law or medicine/dentistry

had doctorate or professional

degrees. Ninety-four percent of

those with degrees in the vocational/technical field had vocational

certificates or associate degrees.

There were vast

gender differences.

The proportions of men and

women with degrees in some

fields differed substantially (see

figure 2). While 15 percent of

the highest earned degrees held

by men were in the field of engineering, only 2 percent of highest

degrees held by women were in

this field. Conversely, while

19 percent of women reported

their highest degree in education,

only 6 percent of men reported

that same field. Also about

16 percent of women received

their highest degree in the nursing

and technical health field,

compared with 3 percent of men.

The proportions of men and

women holding degrees in some

fields were not very different. 

For example, 22 percent of men

with degrees held them in business/management, compared

with 16 percent of women. However, the distribution by type of

degree differed. For women

nearly one-half of those degrees

were at the associate and vocational levels, compared with 1 in

5 for men. Men were more likely

than women to have bachelor’s

and master’s degrees. 

There were small race and

ethnic differences.

Differences in field of study by

race and ethnicity were not large.

Compared with White degree

holders, Black degree holders

were more likely to have earned

their highest degrees in business/

management (24 percent for

Blacks and 19 percent for

Whites). Yet, for Blacks, a much

larger proportion of those business/management degrees were

at the associate/vocational level

than for Whites, 46 percent

compared with 28 percent. Conversely, a significantly smaller

proportion of Black business degree holders than White business

college students. Economic degree holders held master’s dereward may be one of the grees (5 percent and 16 percent, motivating factors. respectively). Blacks were more

likely than Whites to have earned Degrees in the fields of law and

their highest degrees in the social medicine/dentistry are associated

sciences and less likely to have with the highest average monthly

earned that degree in engineering earnings ($4,353 and $5,049, or the liberal arts/humanities. respectively, and are not statistiFor degree holders among cally significantly different from

each other), while those in home persons of Hispanic origin, the diseconomics are associated with the tribution by field of study was not lowest ($1,165). Earnings are substantially different from that of

associated with level of training the general population. The Hisand relative demand. Clearly, panic origin population was less

there are differences in levels of likely than average to have earned

training between these fields. their highest degree in education;

in most other fields, they were not There were substantial variasignificantly different. tions in earnings within degree

type (see figure 3). Persons with Economic Reward and a bachelor’s degree reported aver- Field of Degree age monthly earnings of $2,269.

The choice of a major is one (Variation by field for those with a

of the most difficult decisions for bachelor’s degree ranged from

Engineering

Figure 3.

Average Monthly Earnings, by Level

and Field of Degree: Spring 1993

(Highest degree: Bachelor’s)

$2,923 ± 595

$3,189 ± 210

$3,119 ± 758

$2,716 ± 338

$2,626 ± 130

$2,331 ± 338

$2,045 ± 293

$2,340 ± 206

$2,080 ± 218

Police science/

law enforcement

Nursing/pharmacy/

technical health

Agriculture/forestry

Mathematics/statistics

Social science

Liberal arts/humanities

Biology

Psychology

$2,032 ± 234

$1,990 ± 325

$1,974 ± 280

$1,922 ± 166

$1,733 ± 146

$1,699 ± 270

$2,269 ± 69

Economics

Business/management

Other, not specified

Physical/earth sciences

English/journalism

Education

All persons

Monthly earnings and 90%

confidence interval
4 P70-51

$1,669 for education majors to Within each field, the type More Information:

$3,189 for engineering majors.) of occupation varies across de- Detailed data discussed in the

grees. The same field at different brief are available from Population At the advanced degree level, educational levels produces skills Division on paper ($10), floppy monthly earnings averaged $3,331 and training for different types disk ($20), or the Internet

and ranged from $2,145 for of jobs. In the business/ (www.census.gov). Tables may liberal arts majors to $6,125 for management area, for example, be transferred from the Census medicine/dentistry. Persons in the workers who received master’s Bureau FTP area. The data are

areas of business, engineering, consistent with those reported in degrees and Ph.D.’s were most and law earned more than those three Current Population Reports likely to be in executive, adminis- in the academic fields of liberal of the same title for 1984, 1987

arts and the social sciences. trative, and managerial and 1990 in this series (P70-11, occupations (54 percent). For P70-21, and P70-32). Additional those with a bachelor’s degree, Degrees, Fields, and tables on time spent earning a 43 percent were executives and Occupations bachelor’s degree and persons

managers, and 23 percent were in with work-related training Students chose a field of sales. Only 19 percent of those are included.

study in college with at least some with an associate or vocational

anticipation of the type of job they degree were in executive and Contact:

will seek after graduation. The management positions. One-half Rosalind R. Bruno majority of advanced degree hold- occupied sales or administrative 301-457-2464

ers held either an executive or

support positions. rbruno@census.gov administrative position (22.0 percent) or a professional specialty 


!! !  ! ! occupation (62.5 percent). Hold- Source of the Data "!

!#!% ers of bachelor’s degrees also had $

 "#% $ ( sizable proportions in executive, This report presents data !

 !  administrative, or managerial posi- from the Survey of Income and 

!  !  tions and professional specialty Program Participation (SIPP), 


 " "" ! occupations (58.1 percent comsecond wave interview of the bined). Associate and vocational ! 

!& 

1993 panel on the educational at- degree holders were less likely to %!

!!! #

be in executive and professional tainment and associated social, ! !

!!! !!(

occupations (27.8 percent) and economic, and demographic char-  

	$#" 

more likely to be in administrative acteristics of the population of the !

 " 

support and other occupations. United States. These data were "!

$! 

gathered in the 4-month period !

$!!!" 

Within each degree type, there 


!  !! from June through September

are fields of study that are highly  !!

!!"! 1993. Educational attainment is

concentrated in certain occupation 


! based on formal degrees received categories. Among advanced de- #

 !! !! and years of school completed. gree holders, 85 percent of $

"   Table 1 shows numbers of per- persons with degrees in law and 

!!"

sons by their highest attained medicine/dentistry were employed !

!!"% !( degree and the field of the degree, in a professional specialty occupa- ! 

"!" 

tion, and 54 percent of persons by sex, race, and Hispanic origin. "!!

! 

with degrees in business/manage- Table 2 shows mean monthly 

!'""%

ment were in executive/ earnings by degree level and field. !!!

!! !

administrative jobs. !"!


Table 1.

Highest Degree and Field of Study, by Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin for Persons With

Post-Secondary Degrees: Spring 1993

(Numbers in thousands)

Field of degree

All races White

Total

number Percent

Doctorate/

professionalMaster’sBachelor’sAssociateVocationalTotal

number Percent

Doctorate/

professionalMaster’sBachelor’sAssociateVocational

All fields ...............

Percent ..............

Agriculture/forestry ...........

Biology ...................

Business/management ........

Economics .................

Education..................

Engineering ................

English/journalism............

Home economics ............

Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Liberal arts/humanities ........

Mathematics/statistics .........

Medicine/dentistry ............

Nursing/pharmacy/technical

health ...................

Physical/earth sciences ........

Police science/law enforcement . .

Psychology ................

Religion/theology ............

Social science ..............

Vocational/technical studies .....

Other.....................

All fields ...............

Percent ..............

Agriculture/forestry ...........

Biology ...................

Business/management ........

Economics .................

Education..................

Engineering ................

English/journalism............

Home economics ............

Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Liberal arts/humanities ........

Mathematics/statistics .........

Medicine/dentistry ............

Nursing/pharmacy/technical

health ...................

Physical/earth sciences ........

Police science/law enforcement . .

Psychology ................

Religion/theology ............

Social science ..............

Vocational/technical studies .....

Other.....................

All fields ...............

Percent ..............

Agriculture/forestry ...........

Biology ...................

Business/management ........

Economics .................

Education..................

Engineering ................

English/journalism............

Home economics ............

Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Liberal arts/humanities ........

Mathematics/statistics .........

Medicine/dentistry ............

Nursing/pharmacy/technical

health ...................

Physical/earth sciences ........

Police science/law enforcement . .

Psychology ................

Religion/theology ............

Social science ..............

Vocational/technical studies .....

Other.....................

50,452

100.0

635

898

9,594

835

6,530

4,205

1,456

435

1,314

3,948

893

1,275

4,732

1,117

641

1,435

634

2,556

3,191

4,130

100.0

(X)

1.3

1.8

19.0

1.7

12.9

8.3

2.9

0.9

2.6

7.8

1.8

2.5

9.4

2.2

1.3

2.8

1.3

5.1

6.3

8.2

3,488

6.9

39

71

40

25

115

154

33

-

977

93

37

954

162

149

5

186

195

79

4

171

8,355

16.6

109

132

1,417

130

2,350

694

186

38

45

574

150

23

378

155

32

341

244

502

17

838

24,943

49.4

395

624

5,282

660

3,613

2,577

1,137

337

145

2,188

567

142

1,626

614

326

815

138

1,760

181

1,816

8,301

16.5

65

57

1,997

20

328

619

83

51

104

975

108

81

1,261

193

220

77

34

201

903

926

5,364

10.6

28

14

859

-

124

161

16

10

43

117

31

75

1,306

5

57

16

22

15

2,086

379

44,267

100.0

609

735

8,275

707

5,902

3,568

1,226

370

1,193

3,599

750

1,030

4,160

1,029

541

1,295

582

2,207

2,858

3,631

100.0

(X)

1.4

1.7

18.7

1.6

13.3

8.1

2.8

0.8

2.7

8.1

1.7

2.3

9.4

2.3

1.2

2.9

1.3

5.0

6.5

8.2

3,062

6.9

39

65

35

25

97

111

33

-

914

84

32

782

157

108

5

167

191

70

4

143

7,454

16.8

104

108

1,308

125

2,107

546

175

32

40

528

123

23

339

155

29

316

215

421

12

746

21,764

49.2

374

501

4,604

545

3,289

2,217

955

297

91

1,958

482

95

1,349

574

275

733

119

1,537

149

1,618

7,236

16.3

65

46

1,609

12

298

549

58

36

104

919

88

68

1,140

187

175

62

34

169

810

808

4,752

10.7

28

14

718

-

112

145

5

5

43

111

25

62

1,175

5

57

16

22

10

1,882

317

Black Hispanic1

3,514

100.0

11

67

843

50

440

219

109

27

53

175

106

49

330

37

70

78

48

259

215

328

100.0

(X)

0.3

1.9

24.0

1.4

12.5

6.2

3.1

0.8

1.5

5.0

3.0

1.4

9.4

1.1

2.0

2.2

1.4

7.4

6.1

9.3

108

3.1

-

-

-

-

13

-

-

-

34

5

-

21

-

16

-

5

-

9

-

5

523

14.9

-

10

39

-

182

60

6

6

-

32

6

-

10

-

3

9

29

70

5

56

1,683

47.9

11

49

419

42

214

104

91

21

19

95

74

6

127

15

27

49

19

153

12

137

759

21.6

-

8

284

8

25

40

5

-

-

37

20

8

97

7

40

15

-

27

51

87

440

12.5

-

-

101

-

6

16

6

-

-

6

7

13

95

-

-

-

-

-

146

44

2,097

100.0

17

36

394

5

205

177

66

24

49

185

56

53

162

31

59

85

29

120

150

196

100.0

(X)

0.8

1.7

18.8

0.2

9.8

8.4

3.1

1.1

2.3

8.8

2.7

2.5

7.7

1.5

2.8

4.1

1.4

5.7

7.2

9.3

125

6.0

-

-

-

-

-

21

-

-

31

11

4

20

13

-

-

5

20

-

-

-

294

14.0

-

6

32

-

75

25

5

-

-

39

-

7

10

13

-

30

-

32

-

21

948

45.2

10

30

228

5

100

82

35

24

7

72

25

10

60

7

24

40

6

89

4

88

488

23.3

-

-

103

-

30

39

21

-

11

57

17

16

31

11

29

4

-

-

49

70

242

11.5

7

-

31

-

-

10

5

-

-

5

10

-

48

-

5

7

-

-

97

17

Male Female

25,009

100.0

517

559

5,556

551

1,574

3,623

551

17

913

1,592

554

847

651

764

497

579

521

1,109

1,907

2,127

100.0

(X)

2.1

2.2

22.2

2.2

6.3

14.5

2.2

0.1

3.7

6.4

2.2

3.4

2.6

3.1

2.0

2.3

2.1

4.4

7.6

8.5

2,576

10.3

39

55

35

20

82

148

33

-

729

48

37

755

37

119

5

102

169

43

4

118

4,222

16.9

88

83

1,062

96

636

598

80

-

34

256

95

18

49

120

12

126

207

249

12

401

12,554

50.2

310

387

3,427

435

764

2,240

406

-

102

924

345

52

266

411

234

303

108

731

124

968

3,598

14.4

58

30

812

-

80

517

26

-

41

318

61

22

173

109

194

43

15

81

570

448

2,059

8.2

23

5

220

-

12

119

6

-

6

47

16

-

126

5

53

5

22

5

1,196

192

25,443

100.0

118

338

4,039

283

4,956

583

905

418

400

2,356

338

428

4,081

353

144

856

113

1,448

1,284

2,003

100.0

(X)

0.5

1.3

15.9

1.1

19.5

2.3

3.6

1.6

1.6

9.3

1.3

1.7

16.0

1.4

0.6

3.4

0.4

5.7

5.0

7.9

912

3.6

-

16

5

5

33

6

-

-

247

46

-

199

125

31

-

85

26

36

-

53

4,134

16.2

21

49

355

34

1,714

96

106

38

11

319

55

5

329

36

20

214

37

253

5

437

12,390

48.7

86

237

1,855

224

2,850

337

731

320

43

1,264

221

90

1,360

203

92

512

30

1,029

57

848

4,703

18.5

7

26

1,185

20

247

102

57

51

62

657

47

59

1,088

84

27

34

19

120

333

478

3,305

13.0

5

10

639

-

112

41

10

10

36

70

15

75

1,179

-

5

11

-

10

890

187

1Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race. - Represents zero or rounds to zero. (X) Not applicable.

P70-51 5
Table 2.

Average Monthly Earnings, by Level and Field of Degree: Spring 1993

(Numbers in thousands)

Field of degree

All degrees Advanced degrees Bachelor’s degrees

Persons

with

earnings

Mean

earnings

Standard

error

Persons

with Mean Standard

earnings earnings error

Persons

with Mean Standard

earnings earnings error

All persons ...................

Agriculture/forestry ................

Biology ..........................

Business/management.............

Economics .......................

Education ........................

Engineering ......................

English/journalism.................

Home economics .................

Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Liberial arts/humanities ............

Mathematics/statistics .............

Medicine/dentistry .................

Nursing/pharmacy/technical health . .

Physical/earth sciences ............

Police science/law enforcement.....

Psychology.......................

Religion/theology..................

Social science ....................

Vocational/technical studies ........

Other............................

39,184

548

692

7,575

630

4,694

3,495

1,108

245

1,075

2,883

683

1,035

3,602

854

548

1,133

517

2,034

2,461

3,373

$2,339

2,973

2,118

2,426

3,330

1,884

3,117

2,331

1,165

4,353

1,733

2,583

5,049

1,889

2,357

2,178

2,236

1,963

1,970

1,713

2,327

$38

391

196

69

496

124

124

372

211

352

88

225

467

80

209

179

172

184

105

107

142

9,505

118

161

1,187

135

1,875

725

169

19

859

510

108

820

420

229

31

431

381

457

14

855

$3,331

(B)

(B)

3,525

(B)

2,388

3,996

(B)

(B)

5,062

2,145

(B)

6,125

2,480

3,234

(B)

2,826

2,285

2,275

(B)

3,294

$80

(B)

(B)

165

(B)

97

263

(B)

(B)

347

199

(B)

469

221

456

(B)

257

186

187

(B)

388

19,435

348

470

4,302

495

2,581

2,160

880

195

95

1,573

460

91

1,272

447

283

642

95

1,386

149

1,511

$2,269

3,119

1,990

2,626

2,923

1,669

3,189

2,032

(B)

(B)

1,733

2,716

(B)

2,080

2,045

2,331

1,974

(B)

1,922

(B)

2,340

$43

474

203

81

372

169

131

146

(B)

(B)

91

211

(B)

136

183

211

175

(B)

104

(B)

129

(B) Base less than 200,000 persons.

Note: All degrees include associate degrees and vocational certificates, not shown separately.

6 P70-51