College Graduate Earnings
BY THE NUMBERS
College Graduate Earnings
BY THE NUMBERS
The Value of Associate Degrees and Certificates
Associate degrees provide a significant boost to earnings on average. Women earn $7,160 more per year (or 26 percent more), and men earn $4,640 more per year (or 18 percent more).
Certificates boost earnings on average by $2,960 per year for women and $2,120 for men.
Earnings gains vary by state, sometimes substantially, as shown in the figures below. CAPSEE studied six states in depth and reviewed the research on eight states for its capstone report.
Earnings Gains From Completing an Associate Degree: Women
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Annual earnings gains for associate degree holders compared with people who enrolled in college but did not earn a degree, 5–9 years after entering college (2014 dollars)
*State results not disaggregated by gender
Earnings Gains From Completing a Certificate: Women
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Annual earnings gains for certificate holders compared with people who enrolled in college but did not earn a certificate, 5–9 years after entering college (2014 dollars)
*State results not disaggregated by gender
Further Reading
The Labor Market Returns to Sub-Baccalaureate College: A Review
Clive Belfield & Thomas Bailey (March 2017)