The earnings of bachelor's degree recipients have increased by 8 percent in real terms over the past 20 years, while wages for high school graduates have declined relative to inflation, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Census. Earnings for individuals with advanced degrees also have risen. However, individuals who did not complete high school and those with only a high school diploma earned less in 1997 than they did in 1977, when earnings were adjusted for inflation. Earnings for degree recipients, however, have fluctuated over time.
Data also show that men continue to earn more than women with similar educational attainment.
Information contained in the fact sheet is from the U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey.