College, Career & Earnings Resources
These resources were referenced by Deacon John Wilson to help students and families better understand earnings, employment outcomes and return on investment when evaluating college, career and education options.
The statistics below are the data points referenced in the presentation. Some source organizations update their data regularly, so visit the original sources for the latest information.
Income and Unemployment
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics compares earnings and unemployment by education level. The data helps show how educational attainment can affect both income and job stability.
Education Pays — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Key takeaways
Median weekly earnings: $1,578 for workers with a bachelor’s degree
Median weekly earnings: $966 for workers with a high school diploma
Annualized income varies significantly by education level
Unemployment rates generally decrease as educational attainment increases
Lifetime Earnings & College Majors
Research from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce shows that earning a degree can increase lifetime income, but the payoff can vary widely depending on the field of study and career path.
Key takeaways
Bachelor’s degree holders earn about $2.8 million over a lifetime, compared with about $1.6 million for high school graduates
That represents an estimated $1.2 million lifetime earnings difference
Earnings can vary significantly by college major
Some majors show much stronger salary growth between early and mid-career
Fields such as STEM can have very different earnings trajectories from areas such as early childhood education
Early-Career Outcomes
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York tracks wages, unemployment and underemployment for recent college graduates, generally ages 22–27. The data helps families understand what the early years after graduation may actually look like.
The Labor Market for Recent College Graduates
Key takeaways
Recent college graduates earn approximately $52,000–$56,000
High school graduates ages 22–27 earn approximately $30,000–$34,000
Earnings can grow at different rates depending on the college major
Recent graduates can also experience unemployment and underemployment early in their careers
Outcomes vary considerably by field of study
Underemployment & Career Entry
Research from Strada Education Foundation and the Burning Glass Institute looks at what happens when college graduates begin their careers in jobs that typically do not require a bachelor’s degree.
Talent Disrupted: College Graduates, Underemployment, and the Way Forward
Key takeaways
About 52% of graduates initially experience underemployment
Underemployment can exceed 57% in some broad, non-technical majors
Among graduates who begin their careers underemployed, the presentation references a 73% persistence rate after 10 years
Paid internships can significantly improve the likelihood of entering college-level employment
The presentation references a 48.5% impact associated with paid internships
A graduate’s first job can have a long-term effect on career trajectory
Sources
1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2025). Education Pays: Data on Display. U.S. Department of Labor, Career Outlook.
2. Carnevale, A. P., Cheah, B., & Wenzinger, E. (2021). The College Payoff: More Education Doesn't Always Mean More Money. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.
3. Morris, C., Cheah, B., & Strohl, J. (2025). The Major Payoff: Evaluating Earnings and Employment Outcomes Across Bachelor's Degrees. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.
4. Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The Labor Market for Recent College Graduates. Economic Research Division.
5. Hanson, A., Salerno, C., Sigelman, M., de Zeeuw, M., & Moret, S. (2024). Talent Disrupted: College Graduates, Underemployment, and the Way Forward. Burning Glass Institute and Strada Institute for the Future of Work.