Median weekly earnings $721 for workers without high school diploma, $1,864 for advanced degree

In the third quarter of 2023, full-time workers age 25 and over, across all levels of education, had median weekly earnings of $1,172. Those without a high school diploma had median weekly earnings of $721, compared with $905 for high school graduates with no college, and $1,012 for workers with some college or an associate degree. Workers with a bachelor's degree (and no additional degree) had median weekly earnings of $1,499. Workers with an advanced degree had median weekly earnings of $1,864 in the third quarter of 2023.

From the third quarter of 2013 to the third quarter of 2023, median weekly earnings for workers without a high school diploma increased by 51 percent, compared to a 43-percent increase for all workers age 25 and older.

Over the decade, median weekly earnings increased 37 percent for high school graduates with no college, 35 percent for those with some college or an associate degree, 36 percent for those with only a bachelor’s degree, and 37 percent for workers with an advanced degree.

These data from the Current Population Survey and are not seasonally adjusted, nor are they adjusted for inflation. For more information, see “Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers: Third Quarter 2023.” Also see more charts of usual weekly earnings data. Full-time workers usually work 35 hours or more per week at their sole or main job. The median is the midpoint in the earnings distribution; half of workers earn more than the median and half earn less than the median. Advanced degrees include master’s, doctoral, and professional degrees such as those in law or medicine.