The Earnings Boost From a College Degree Benefits Men More Than Women

A new study by researchers at the University of Kansas provides further evidence of the economic value of obtaining a higher education. Researchers used income data from the Social Security Administration for a large group of individuals over a 20-year period. They found a huge economic benefit for obtaining a college degree but also a large gender gap in the benefit.

Researchers found that lifetime earnings for men with a college degree, including those with a graduate degree, were $1,130,000 more than for men who only graduated from high school. Women also received an income boost from a college education but not as great. Women with a college degree, including those with a graduate degree, earned $792,000 more over their lifetime than women who only graduated from high school.

The article, “Education and Lifetime Earnings in the United States,” was published in the journal Demography. It may be accessed here.