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States where a bachelor's degree pays off the most and least, ranked
In South Dakota, the median earnings difference between having a bachelor's degree and having some college or an associate degree is $8,509 a year.Sanghwan Kim/Getty ImagesHaving a bachelor's degree often translates to higher earnings.In some states, the earnings gap between four-year degree holders and adults with some college experience is wider.California has a 58.5% earnings gap, while South Dakota's is 17.1%.Getting a four-year college education isn't always worth it for everybody — whether it comes down to avoiding the rising cost of a degree or pursuing careers outside a traditional college setting — but in some state economies, not having a bachelor's degree sets you further behind than in others.Business Insider looked at the median annual earnings of adults aged 25 and over across the country, as reported in the Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey data, and compared the median earnings of adults with a bachelor's degree with those of adults with some college or an associate degree.We then ranked all 50 states by the percentage difference in median earnings between those two groups, from highest to lowest, to compare extra earnings associated with completing a four-year degree with stopping short of earning a bachelor's degree, while accounting for differences in overall wage levels from state to state.Across all states, one thing remained constant: having a bachelor's degree is almost always associated with higher earnings.On average, bachelor's degree-holders earned 38.yüzde 6 more than adults with some college or an associate degree, but that ranged across state lines, with the largest gap at 58.yüzde 5 and the smallest at 17.yüzde 1.States with major cities and large professional job markets, such as California, New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, Georgia, and Washington, all ranked among the widest earnings gaps between bachelor's degree holders and those with only some college or an associate degree.On the other hand, states with more rural economies and greater reliance on industries such as agriculture, energy, manufacturing, and skilled trades, such as Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas, had the smallest earnings gaps.For some, even a slim advantage can be significant in an uncertain labor market. Others might look at the financial payoff of a college investment and decide to pursue a different career path.The list below ranks states from those with the largest earnings gap between bachelor's degree holders and people with some college education to those with the smallest gap, helping illustrate how the financial payoff of a bachelor's degree can vary across state lines.See where your state ranked.50. Californiaf11photo/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 58.5%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $80,874Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $51,031Earnings gap: $29,84349. New JerseyWirestock/Getty Images/iStockphotoDegree premium: 57.yüzde 1Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $81,107Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $51,644Earnings gap: $29,46348. MassachusettsVadym Terelyuk/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 56.yüzde 6Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $81,784Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $52,218Earnings gap: $29,56647. New Yorkwilliam87/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 55.0%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $76,760Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $49,538Earnings gap: $27,22246. GeorgiaSean Pavone/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 53.yüzde 7Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $70,582Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $45,919Earnings gap: $24,66345. IllinoisIryna Olkhova/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 52.6%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $72,625Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $47,598Earnings gap: $25,02744. WashingtonGummyBone/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 51.yüzde 6Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $81,640Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $53,857Earnings gap: $27,78343. ConnecticutAshley RK Smith/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 50.yüzde 7Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $77,879Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $51,686Earnings gap: $26,19342. VirginiaSeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images/iStockphotoDegree premium: 49.yüzde 8Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $75,575Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $50,450Earnings gap: $25,12541. ColoradoUltima_Gaina/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 47.6%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $75,637Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $51,247Earnings gap: $24,39040. Texastravelview/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 47.0%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $69,494Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $47,269Earnings gap: $22,22539. North CarolinaDavid Sweatman/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 46.5%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $65,170Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $44,474Earnings gap: $20,69638. OregonNicholas Klein/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 46.3%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $69,562Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $47,544Earnings gap: $22,01837. MichiganVadym Terelyuk/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 45.9%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $66,497Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $45,580Earnings gap: $20,91736. PennsylvaniaSean Pavone/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 45.yüzde 6Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $70,261Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $48,250Earnings gap: $22,01135. OhioRudyBalasko/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 45.0%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $67,591Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $46,601Earnings gap: $20,99034. MarylandSean Pavone/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 43.3%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $79,242Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $55,301Earnings gap: $23,94133. KansasUltima_Gaina/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 43.yüzde 0Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $65,534Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $45,825Earnings gap: $19,70932. ArizonaSean Pavone/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 40.8%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $67,466Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $47,923Earnings gap: $19,54331. MinnesotaSean Pavone/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 39.0%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $72,538Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $52,185Earnings gap: $20,35330. South CarolinaSean Pavone/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 39.0%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $63,731Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $45,860Earnings gap: $17,87129. Rhode IslandUltima_Gaina/Getty Images/iStockphotoDegree premium: 38.3%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $69,496Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $50,264Earnings gap: $19,23228. LouisianaCRobertson/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 37.9%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $59,917Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $43,459Earnings gap: $16,45827. TennesseeSean Pavone/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 37.7%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $62,654Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $45,492Earnings gap: $17,16226. Oklahomafelixmizioznikov/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 37.0%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $60,006Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $43,787Earnings gap: $16,21925. ArkansasRdlamkin/Getty Images/iStockphotoDegree premium: 37.0%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $57,152Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $41,732Earnings gap: $15,42024. MissouriSean Pavone/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 36.9%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $62,091Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $45,360Earnings gap: $16,73123. New HampshireGeorge Carmichael/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 36.yüzde 5Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $71,669Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $52,513Earnings gap: $19,15622. Nevadamiroslav_1/Getty Images/iStockphotoDegree premium: 35.7%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $62,782Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $46,278Earnings gap: $16,50421. AlabamaGeorge Dodd/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 35.yüzde 0Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $61,183Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $45,321Earnings gap: $15,86220. FloridaWanderDrone/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 34.iki%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $60,618Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $45,172Earnings gap: $15,44619. KentuckySean Pavone/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 34.iki%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $60,854Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $45,352Earnings gap: $15,50218. DelawareBo Shen/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 33.yüzde 8Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $65,673Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $49,094Earnings gap: $16,57917. MississippiSeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images/iStockphotoDegree premium: 32.8%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $55,481Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $41,781Earnings gap: $13,70015. (tie) New MexicoMonaMakela/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 32.iki%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $56,159Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $42,468Earnings gap: $13,69115. (tie) IndianaNicholas Klein/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 32.iki%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $63,367Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $47,929Earnings gap: $15,43814. MaineAlbertPego/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 32.1%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $62,442Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $47,269Earnings gap: $15,17313. Vermontjenifoto/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 31.8%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $61,949Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $46,998Earnings gap: $14,95112. Idahoknowlesgallery/Getty Images/iStockphotoDegree premium: 31.7%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $60,198Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $45,707Earnings gap: $14,49110. (tie) NebraskaSean Pavone/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 31.yüzde 5Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $62,021Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $47,163Earnings gap: $14,85810. (tie) UtahVadym Terelyuk/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 31.yüzde 5Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $65,299Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $49,669Earnings gap: $15,6309. Wisconsinmarchello74/Getty Images/iStockphotoDegree premium: 30.6%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $65,697Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $50,315Earnings gap: $15,3828. West VirginiaLeonid Andronov/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 30.4%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $56,967Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $43,674Earnings gap: $13,2937. IowaUltima_Gaina/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 29.5%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $62,244Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $48,062Earnings gap: $14,1826. MontanaGummyBone/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 28.yüzde 5Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $56,457Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $43,921Earnings gap: $12,5365. AlaskaJacob Boomsma/Getty Images/iStockphotoDegree premium: 25.yüzde 6Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $69,031Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $54,950Earnings gap: $14,0814. HawaiiIryna Olkhova/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 24.yüzde 6Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $62,969Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $50,549Earnings gap: $12,4203. WyomingCheri Alguire/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 22.3%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $54,213Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $44,339Earnings gap: $9,8742. North DakotaJacob Boomsma/Getty Images/iStockphotoDegree premium: 17.3%Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $60,560Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $51,644Earnings gap: $8,9161. South DakotaUltima_Gaina/Getty ImagesDegree premium: 17.yüzde 1Median earnings with a bachelor's degree: $58,207Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $49,698Earnings gap: $8,509Read the original article on Business Insider
