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- calendar_today November 13, 2026
Postsecondary education offers multiple pathways for U.S. adults, encompassing associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and alternative credentials such as certificates. Understanding how these educational routes relate to attainment and income can help inform students, families, and policymakers about the economic and social benefits associated with different credentials.
Recent data show that educational attainment among adults age 25 and older in the United States varies: 10.5% held an associate degree, 23.5% held a bachelor’s degree, and 14.4% held an advanced degree as of 2021. There has been a steady increase in the proportion of adults holding at least an associate or bachelor’s degree since 2011, reflecting the growing importance of postsecondary education in American society. The share of the population age 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher rose from 30.4% in 2011 to 37.9% in 2021. These trends also vary across race and ethnicity, with significant gains among Black, Asian, and Hispanic populations, as well as among foreign-born residents and their children, who tended to reach higher educational attainment rates in recent years. [Census Bureau, 2021 Educational Attainment Data]
Educational attainment has a substantial impact on income. According to 2024 Census findings, households headed by someone with a bachelor’s degree or higher earned a median income of $132,700, more than double the $58,410 earned by those with only a high school diploma. Median earnings for full-time, year-round workers with a bachelor’s degree or higher were 1.8 times greater than for those with only a high school diploma in 2024. While the income gap between degree holders and non-degree holders widened over the past two decades, those with higher education consistently earned more, with the increase in income being strongest for those at both the highest and lowest ends of the educational attainment spectrum. In contrast, earnings for those with some college but no degree or just a high school diploma saw little change over the same period. [Census Bureau, 2024 Report on Education and Income]
Alternative credentials, such as certificate programs, also relate to labor market outcomes and income, albeit at generally lower levels compared to degree holders. In terms of gender equity, new research finds a persistent gender pay gap at every education level. For graduates between 2005 and 2019, women with a certificate degree earned around 71 cents for every dollar earned by men with similar credentials; this gap was nearly identical (28%) among graduates of the most selective bachelor’s institutions. Field of study, occupation, and labor supply explain significant parts of the gender pay gap, particularly at higher degree levels. Additionally, the presence of children amplifies the pay gap, especially among certificate graduates. [Census Bureau, 2024 Gender Pay Gap and Education]
Collectively, these findings indicate that higher levels of postsecondary attainment are linked with greater earnings and improved household income, while gender disparities and occupational factors continue to shape economic outcomes across educational pathways.
