Bachelor's Degree Holders Earned $1,541/Week in 2024 — But Field and Location Change Everything
In Q2 2024, full-time workers age 25+ with a bachelor's degree earned median weekly earnings of $1,541 ($80,132 annualized), compared to $946 for high school graduates and $1,057 for workers with some college or an associate degree. That $595/week gap between a bachelor's and a high school diploma translates to $30,940 per year — or roughly $619,000 over a 20-year career, before accounting for faster salary growth and lower unemployment rates among degree holders.
But that national median masks enormous variation. A registered nurse in California earns roughly 38% above the national median for the profession, while the same role in Mississippi pays approximately 16% below it. A software developer in Seattle earns differently than one in Tampa. The tool above shows salary data specific to your field and state because the national number alone can mislead your planning.
The Education Premium Varies Dramatically by Career Field
The "education premium" — the salary increase you gain from each additional degree level — is not uniform. In technology and healthcare, each degree level can add $20,000-$45,000 to median earnings. In skilled trades, an associate degree or industry certification often pays more than a bachelor's in a lower-demand field because employers reward hands-on competence over credentials.
| Career Field | HS / Entry | Associate | Bachelor's | Master's+ | BA vs. HS Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioner | — | — | — | $125,900 | Requires MSN/DNP |
| Registered Nursing | $38,000 | $52,000 | $80,100 | $125,900 (NP) | +$42,100 |
| Software Development | $42,000 | $58,000 | $97,400 | $120,000 | +$55,400 |
| IT / Cybersecurity | $40,000 | $55,000 | $90,000 | $112,000 | +$50,000 |
| Business Administration | $35,000 | $45,000 | $68,000 | $85,000 | +$33,000 |
| Healthcare Admin | $32,000 | $42,000 | $65,000 | $82,000 | +$33,000 |
| Criminal Justice | $36,000 | $42,000 | $58,000 | $72,000 | +$22,000 |
| Education (K-12) | — | — | $52,000 | $62,000 | Requires BA minimum |
| Skilled Trades | $35,000 | $48,000 | $58,000 | — | +$23,000 |
Sources: BLS OES May 2024; BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. National medians. State and metro-level variation of 15-40% is common.
A $25,000/year salary premium doesn't just add $25,000 once — it compounds over a career. Over 20 working years, that premium generates $500,000 in additional gross income even with zero raises. Factor in typical 3-4% annual salary growth, and the 20-year difference between a $52,000 and a $80,000 starting salary exceeds $700,000. Use our Degree ROI Calculator to model this with your specific numbers.
Fastest-Growing Careers Through 2034: Where Demand Outpaces Supply
Job growth projections matter for degree planning because high-growth fields typically mean more job openings, faster hiring, stronger negotiating leverage, and upward salary pressure. The BLS 2024-2034 Employment Projections show healthcare and technology dominating growth.
| Career | Projected Growth (2024-2034) | Median Salary | Typical Entry Education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioner | 40.1% (much faster than avg) | $125,900 | Master's (MSN) |
| Information Security Analyst | 29% (much faster than avg) | $120,360 | Bachelor's |
| Healthcare Admin / Manager | 28.4% | $110,680 | Bachelor's |
| Software Developer | 17.1% | $132,270 | Bachelor's |
| Medical / Health Services | 14.1% | $58,000 | Associate / Certificate |
| All Occupations (average) | 3.1% | $48,060 | — |
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034. Computer and mathematical occupations as a group are projected to grow 10.1%, more than three times the overall economy rate.
Know Your Field's Salary — Now Calculate Your Degree ROI
See how quickly your degree investment pays for itself based on the salary projection for your field, minus your actual tuition cost.
Calculate Your Degree ROIWhy Location Shifts Salary by 15-40% in the Same Field
State-level salary variation is driven by three factors: cost of living, local labor market demand, and industry concentration. A registered nurse's median salary ranges from approximately $58,000 in Mississippi to $133,000 in California. A software developer earns a median of $89,000 in Iowa versus $145,000 in Washington state. The tool adjusts national medians using state-level cost-of-living indices, but even within a state, metro areas can differ by 20% or more.
The practical implication for degree planning: if you're choosing between fields and you live in a state where one field pays significantly above the national median, that's a signal of strong local demand — which often translates to faster hiring, more employer-paid education benefits, and more room for salary negotiation after graduation.
When Salary Data Should NOT Drive Your Degree Decision
Salary is the most measurable input in a degree decision, but it's not the only one. Three situations where salary data alone gives an incomplete picture:
Career changers with transferable skills. If you're moving from one field to another, your starting salary in the new field may be below the median shown here — but your prior experience may accelerate advancement past the median faster than a traditional entry-level hire. A project manager transitioning from construction to healthcare administration, for example, brings organizational skills that command a premium even without healthcare-specific experience.
Fields where advancement requires specific credentials. In nursing, the salary jump from ADN to BSN is significant ($52,000 to $80,100), but the real financial leap comes from a master's to become a nurse practitioner ($125,900 median). In education, a bachelor's is the minimum to teach, but a master's unlocks both salary schedule increases (most public school districts pay $5,000-$12,000 more for a master's) and administrative roles.
Personal fit and sustainability. A degree you don't finish has negative ROI regardless of the field's salary data. Completion rates for working adults are highest in fields where the student has genuine interest and prior experience. If the salary data points toward technology but you have 10 years of healthcare experience and a passion for patient care, the nursing degree is likely the better investment — higher completion probability and a field where your experience compounds.
Use Salary Data as One Input in a Three-Part Decision
The salary explorer gives you the earnings picture. Two other tools complete the analysis: the Degree ROI Calculator factors in tuition cost to show your break-even point and 10-year net return, and the EFC Calculator estimates how much financial aid you'd receive — reducing the tuition cost that feeds the ROI calculation. Together, all three tools answer the real question: "Is this specific degree, in this specific field, at this specific cost, worth it for me?"
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