Digest of Education Statistics
2018 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 502.40. Annual earnings of persons 25 years old and over, by highest level of educational attainment and sex: 2017
[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
Sex and earnings Total Elementary/secondary College
Less than 9th
grade
Some high
school, no
completion
High school
completion
(includes
equivalency)
Some college,
no degree
Associate's
degree
Bachelor's or higher degree
Total Bachelor's degree Master's degree Professional
degree (e.g.,
M.D., D.D.S., or
J.D.)
Doctor's degree
(e.g., Ph.D. or
Ed.D.)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Number of persons (in thousands) 219,820 (306.3) 8,722   (113.7) 13,682   (141.2) 62,668 (275.7) 35,457 (218.7) 22,372 (177.9) 76,919 (296.3) 48,218 (248.9) 21,053   (172.9) 3,179   (69.3) 4,471   (82.0)
With earnings 144,454 (340.7) 3,779   (75.5) 6,523   (98.7) 36,558 (221.6) 22,883 (179.7) 15,977 (152.0) 58,734 (269.0) 36,626 (221.8) 16,050   (152.3) 2,502   (61.5) 3,557   (73.2)
                                                       
For persons with earnings                                                      
Percentage distribution,                                                      
by total annual earnings1 100.0 (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0 (†) 100.0 (†) 100.0 (†) 100.0 (†) 100.0 (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†)
$1 to $4,999 or loss2 3.9 (0.06) 6.0   (0.48) 6.9   (0.39) 4.1 (0.13) 5.1 (0.18) 4.2 (0.20) 2.7 (0.08) 2.9 (0.11) 2.3   (0.15) 2.1   (0.36) 1.9   (0.28)
$5,000 to $9,999 3.7 (0.06) 5.9   (0.47) 7.3   (0.40) 4.9 (0.14) 4.2 (0.16) 3.3 (0.17) 2.4 (0.08) 2.6 (0.10) 2.4   (0.15) 1.0   (0.25) 2.1   (0.30)
$10,000 to $14,999 5.0 (0.07) 11.8   (0.65) 9.4   (0.45) 6.8 (0.16) 5.1 (0.18) 4.8 (0.21) 2.9 (0.09) 3.2 (0.11) 2.7   (0.16) 2.4   (0.38) 1.7   (0.27)
$15,000 to $19,999 5.5 (0.07) 12.8   (0.67) 10.5   (0.47) 7.6 (0.17) 6.6 (0.20) 5.5 (0.22) 2.6 (0.08) 3.1 (0.11) 2.0   (0.14) 0.9   (0.23) 2.3   (0.31)
$20,000 to $24,999 7.2 (0.08) 16.2   (0.74) 15.2   (0.55) 10.0 (0.19) 8.0 (0.22) 7.2 (0.25) 3.6 (0.09) 4.2 (0.13) 3.0   (0.17) 1.4   (0.29) 1.3   (0.24)
$25,000 to $29,999 6.8 (0.08) 11.5   (0.64) 9.8   (0.46) 9.6 (0.19) 8.2 (0.22) 7.6 (0.26) 3.6 (0.10) 4.5 (0.13) 2.4   (0.15) 1.6   (0.31) 1.5   (0.26)
$30,000 to $34,999 7.3 (0.08) 9.8   (0.60) 9.7   (0.45) 9.4 (0.19) 9.4 (0.24) 8.7 (0.28) 4.3 (0.10) 5.1 (0.14) 3.2   (0.17) 1.9   (0.34) 2.1   (0.30)
$35,000 to $39,999 6.3 (0.08) 6.2   (0.49) 6.5   (0.38) 7.9 (0.17) 7.5 (0.21) 7.8 (0.26) 4.4 (0.10) 5.4 (0.15) 3.1   (0.17) 1.9   (0.34) 1.8   (0.28)
$40,000 to $49,999 11.3 (0.10) 8.0   (0.55) 9.2   (0.44) 12.3 (0.21) 11.9 (0.26) 13.1 (0.33) 10.3 (0.15) 12.1 (0.21) 8.3   (0.27) 4.2   (0.50) 4.5   (0.43)
$50,000 to $74,999 20.5 (0.13) 8.4   (0.56) 10.3   (0.47) 17.9 (0.25) 20.3 (0.33) 21.9 (0.40) 23.6 (0.22) 24.2 (0.28) 24.9   (0.42) 16.8   (0.92) 16.8   (0.77)
$75,000 to $99,999 9.4 (0.09) 2.3   (0.30) 3.0   (0.26) 5.2 (0.14) 7.0 (0.21) 8.8 (0.28) 14.3 (0.18) 12.8 (0.22) 17.5   (0.37) 13.3   (0.84) 16.3   (0.76)
$100,000 or more 13.3 (0.11) 1.0   (0.20) 2.1   (0.22) 4.2 (0.13) 6.6 (0.20) 7.1 (0.25) 25.2 (0.22) 19.9 (0.26) 28.2   (0.44) 52.3   (1.23) 47.6   (1.03)
                                                       
Median annual earnings1 $42,230 (127) $23,760   (564) $25,200   (308) $32,350 (163) $36,540 (242) $40,360 (274) $61,260 (215) $54,600 (760) $70,330   (628) $101,250   (903) $95,700   (3,238)
                                                       
Number of males (in thousands) 105,851 (222.5) 4,264   (79.5) 6,956   (100.7) 31,297 (194.8) 16,981 (151.8) 9,652 (117.5) 36,701 (206.2) 23,079 (172.9) 9,240   (115.1) 1,785   (51.9) 2,598   (62.4)
With earnings 76,850 (241.3) 2,442   (60.6) 4,104   (78.1) 21,350 (167.4) 12,154 (130.7) 7,378 (103.5) 29,422 (190.4) 18,606 (157.9) 7,355   (103.4) 1,425   (46.4) 2,036   (55.4)
                                                       
For males with earnings                                                      
Percentage distribution,                                                      
by total annual earnings1 100.0 (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0 (†) 100.0 (†) 100.0 (†) 100.0 (†) 100.0 (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†)
$1 to $4,999 or loss2 2.7 (0.07) 3.9   (0.48) 4.8   (0.41) 2.9 (0.14) 3.6 (0.21) 3.1 (0.25) 1.7 (0.09) 1.9 (0.12) 1.4   (0.17) 2.0   (0.45) 1.4   (0.32)
$5,000 to $9,999 2.8 (0.07) 3.6   (0.47) 5.6   (0.44) 3.5 (0.15) 3.2 (0.20) 2.2 (0.21) 1.8 (0.10) 1.8 (0.12) 2.1   (0.21)   (†) 1.8   (0.36)
$10,000 to $14,999 3.6 (0.08) 9.0   (0.72) 5.8   (0.45) 4.8 (0.18) 3.6 (0.21) 3.1 (0.25) 2.1 (0.10) 2.3 (0.13) 1.8   (0.19) 1.5   (0.40) 1.8   (0.36)
$15,000 to $19,999 4.1 (0.09) 10.1   (0.75) 7.8   (0.52) 5.1 (0.19) 4.6 (0.23) 3.8 (0.27) 2.2 (0.11) 2.7 (0.15) 1.4   (0.17) 1.3   (0.37) 1.4   (0.32)
$20,000 to $24,999 6.2 (0.11) 16.9   (0.94) 14.6   (0.68) 8.2 (0.23) 6.6 (0.28) 5.3 (0.32) 2.7 (0.12) 3.0 (0.16) 2.6   (0.23) 1.0 ! (0.32) 1.3   (0.31)
$25,000 to $29,999 6.0 (0.11) 11.9   (0.81) 10.8   (0.60) 8.8 (0.24) 6.4 (0.27) 5.6 (0.33) 2.8 (0.12) 3.4 (0.16) 2.0   (0.20) 1.5   (0.39) 1.3   (0.31)
$30,000 to $34,999 6.5 (0.11) 10.8   (0.77) 10.5   (0.59) 9.2 (0.24) 7.8 (0.30) 6.5 (0.36) 3.2 (0.13) 3.7 (0.17) 2.6   (0.23) 1.2   (0.36) 2.0   (0.38)
$35,000 to $39,999 6.0 (0.11) 7.1   (0.64) 7.7   (0.51) 8.0 (0.23) 7.2 (0.29) 6.8 (0.36) 3.6 (0.13) 4.3 (0.18) 2.8   (0.24) 1.5   (0.39) 1.8   (0.37)
$40,000 to $49,999 11.2 (0.14) 11.0   (0.78) 11.9   (0.62) 13.4 (0.29) 12.5 (0.37) 13.7 (0.49) 8.3 (0.20) 10.4 (0.28) 5.3   (0.32) 3.3   (0.58) 3.2   (0.48)
$50,000 to $74,999 21.9 (0.18) 11.2   (0.79) 13.4   (0.66) 22.4 (0.35) 24.7 (0.48) 25.9 (0.63) 21.5 (0.30) 23.4 (0.38) 19.7   (0.57) 15.2   (1.18) 14.6   (0.97)
$75,000 to $99,999 11.0 (0.14) 3.2   (0.44) 4.4   (0.39) 7.5 (0.22) 9.9 (0.33) 12.7 (0.48) 15.2 (0.26) 14.6 (0.32) 18.0   (0.55) 11.4   (1.04) 13.3   (0.93)
$100,000 or more 17.9 (0.17) 1.3   (0.28) 2.9   (0.32) 6.0 (0.20) 10.0 (0.34) 11.4 (0.46) 34.9 (0.34) 28.5 (0.41) 40.3   (0.71) 59.6   (1.61) 56.1   (1.36)
                                                       
Median annual earnings1 $50,370 (145) $26,700   (417) $30,210   605 $39,240 (672) $45,020 (1052) $49,920 (907) $75,080 (1,499) $65,690 (538) $82,450   (2,392) $120,200   (8,359) $105,290   (4,507)
                                                       
Number of females (in thousands) 113,969 (238.8) 4,458   (81.4) 6,726   (99.3) 31,371 (197.5) 18,476 (158.5) 12,720 (134.0) 40,218 (216.4) 25,139 (180.8) 11,813   (129.5) 1,394   (45.9) 1,873   (53.2)
With earnings 67,604 (249.1) 1,337   (45.0) 2,419   (60.3) 15,208 (145.3) 10,729 (123.8) 8,599 (111.6) 29,312 (192.3) 18,020 (156.8) 8,695   (112.2) 1,077   (40.4) 1,521   (48.0)
                                                       
For females with earnings                                                      
Percentage distribution,                                                      
by total annual earnings1 100.0 (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0 (†) 100.0 (†) 100.0 (†) 100.0 (†) 100.0 (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†)
$1 to $4,999 or loss2 5.2 (0.11) 9.9   (1.01) 10.5   (0.77) 5.8 (0.23) 6.8 (0.30) 5.2 (0.30) 3.6 (0.14) 4.1 (0.18) 3.1   (0.23) 2.2   (0.56) 2.7   (0.51)
$5,000 to $9,999 4.8 (0.10) 9.9   (1.01) 10.1   (0.76) 6.8 (0.25) 5.4 (0.27) 4.3 (0.27) 3.1 (0.12) 3.4 (0.17) 2.7   (0.21) 1.9   (0.51) 2.5   (0.49)
$10,000 to $14,999 6.5 (0.12) 16.9   (1.27) 15.6   (0.91) 9.5 (0.29) 6.8 (0.30) 6.3 (0.32) 3.7 (0.14) 4.1 (0.18) 3.3   (0.24) 3.6   (0.70) 1.6   (0.40)
$15,000 to $19,999 7.0 (0.12) 17.9   (1.29) 15.2   (0.90) 11.1 (0.32) 8.9 (0.34) 7.0 (0.34) 3.1 (0.12) 3.4 (0.17) 2.5   (0.21)   (†) 3.4   (0.57)
$20,000 to $24,999 8.3 (0.13) 14.9   (1.20) 16.2   (0.93) 12.4 (0.33) 9.6 (0.35) 8.8 (0.38) 4.5 (0.15) 5.5 (0.21) 3.3   (0.24) 1.9   (0.52) 1.4   (0.37)
$25,000 to $29,999 7.7 (0.13) 10.8   (1.05) 8.3   (0.69) 10.7 (0.31) 10.4 (0.36) 9.4 (0.39) 4.4 (0.15) 5.6 (0.21) 2.7   (0.21)   (†) 1.8   (0.43)
$30,000 to $34,999 8.1 (0.13) 8.2   (0.92) 8.3   (0.69) 9.6 (0.30) 11.2 (0.38) 10.6 (0.41) 5.4 (0.16) 6.6 (0.23) 3.8   (0.25) 2.9   (0.63) 2.3   (0.47)
$35,000 to $39,999 6.6 (0.12) 4.6   (0.71) 4.4   (0.52) 7.9 (0.27) 7.8 (0.32) 8.6 (0.37) 5.2 (0.16) 6.5 (0.23) 3.4   (0.24) 2.5   (0.59) 1.8   (0.43)
$40,000 to $49,999 11.4 (0.15) 2.5   (0.53) 4.8   (0.54) 10.8 (0.31) 11.2 (0.38) 12.5 (0.44) 12.3 (0.24) 13.9 (0.32) 10.9   (0.41) 5.4   (0.85) 6.4   (0.77)
$50,000 to $74,999 18.8 (0.19) 3.3   (0.60) 5.1   (0.55) 11.6 (0.32) 15.3 (0.43) 18.4 (0.52) 25.8 (0.32) 25.0 (0.40) 29.2   (0.60) 19.0   (1.48) 19.7   (1.26)
$75,000 to $99,999 7.6 (0.13) 0.7 ! (0.28) 0.6 ! (0.20) 2.1 (0.14) 3.8 (0.23) 5.4 (0.30) 13.3 (0.25) 10.8 (0.29) 17.1   (0.50) 15.7   (1.37) 20.2   (1.27)
$100,000 or more 8.0 (0.13) 0.5 ! (0.24) 0.8   (0.22) 1.6 (0.13) 2.8 (0.20) 3.5 (0.24) 15.5 (0.26) 11.0 (0.29) 18.0   (0.51) 42.7   (1.86) 36.2   (1.52)
                                                       
Median annual earnings1 $36,270 (162) $18,510   (554) $19,410   (596) $26,390 (198) $30,610 (218) $33,510 (730) $51,890 (196) $46,880 (341) $60,520   (402) $85,650   (4,132) $80,580   (1,621)
†Not applicable.
!Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent.
‡Reporting standards not met. Either there are too few cases for a reliable estimate or the coefficient of variation (CV) is 50 percent or greater.
1 Excludes persons without earnings.
2 A negative amount (a net loss) may be reported by self-employed persons.
NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding and suppression of data that do not meet reporting standards.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), Annual Social and Economic Supplement, 2017; retrieved May 19, 2019, from https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/income-poverty/cps-pinc/pinc-03.html. (This table was prepared June 2019.)

2018 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest