Occupations requiring a bachelor’s degree paid an average of $24,060 more in metro areas
Metro areas had on average higher wages than nonmetro areas, regardless of typical entry-level education requirements. For example, occupations typically requiring a bachelor’s degree for entry had an annual mean wage of $90,160 in metro areas and $66,100 in nonmetro areas, a difference of $24,060 or 36.4 percent. Average wages for the doctoral and professional degree, master’s degree, and associate’s degree categories were each about 15 percent higher in metro areas.
In some education categories, the difference in wages was small. For example, the average wage for occupations typically requiring no formal education credential for entry was slightly higher in metro areas ($29,470) than in nonmetro areas ($27,120).