New data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows the value of higher education to young women’s earnings power. Women, ages 25-34 who held a master’s degree in 2010 had median earnings of $49,800. Women in this age group with only a bachelor’s degree had median earnings of $40,000.
For women with only a high school diploma, the meaning earnings were $25,000, about half of the median earnings of women who held a master’s degree. Women who did not complete high school had median earnings of $17,800.
What about the gender gap? The earnings gap between young men and young women actually widens as they move up the educational ladder.
Young women with a master’s degree had a median income that was 77.6 percent of the median income of young men with a master’s degree. For those with a bachelor’s degree only, women had median earnings that were 80.3 percent of similarly educated young men. For high school graduates, young women had median earnings that were 90 percent of the median earnings of young men with only a high school credential.