Skip Navigation
Digest of Education Statistics
2020 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 505.15. Number, percentage distribution, and median annual earnings of 25- to 34-year-olds with a bachelor's or higher degree, by sex, race/ethnicity, and selected employment and occupational characteristics: 2019
[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
Selected employment or occupational characteristic Total/1/ Sex Race/ethnicity
Male Female White Black Hispanic Asian Pacific Islander American Indian/Alaska Native Two or more races
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
  Number (in thousands)
All 25- to 34-year-olds with a
    bachelor's or higher degree
16,712   (66.1) 7,495   (35.3) 9,217   (40.7) 10,623   (40.5) 1,468   (19.0) 1,927   (22.5) 2,110   (15.4) 16   (1.6) 44   (2.6) 476   (11.4)
  Percentage distribution
All 25- to 34-year-olds with a
    bachelor's or higher degree
100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†)

Employment status
                                                           
Employed 88.7   (0.10) 91.8   (0.16) 86.2   (0.14) 90.6   (0.12) 88.8   (0.38) 87.5   (0.33) 80.8   (0.31) 86.8   (3.29) 86.5   (1.96) 87.5   (0.67)
Full-time 78.7   (0.15) 84.5   (0.21) 73.9   (0.18) 80.8   (0.14) 78.5   (0.51) 76.3   (0.43) 71.2   (0.37) 76.8   (4.25) 73.7   (3.20) 75.9   (0.92)
Part-time 10.1   (0.11) 7.3   (0.14) 12.3   (0.14) 9.8   (0.12) 10.4   (0.43) 11.2   (0.32) 9.7   (0.27) 10.0 ! (3.18) 12.7   (2.55) 11.6   (0.63)
Less than 20 hours per week 2.7   (0.05) 1.7   (0.07) 3.5   (0.07) 2.6   (0.06) 2.9   (0.22) 2.7   (0.16) 3.0   (0.12)   (†) 2.6 ! (0.78) 3.1   (0.32)
20 to 29 hours per week 4.1   (0.08) 3.1   (0.10) 4.9   (0.10) 3.9   (0.09) 4.2   (0.26) 4.7   (0.20) 4.6   (0.21) 5.1 ! (2.20) 5.4   (1.59) 4.4   (0.34)
30 to 34 hours per week 3.3   (0.06) 2.5   (0.08) 3.9   (0.09) 3.4   (0.07) 3.3   (0.22) 3.8   (0.20) 2.1   (0.14)   (†) 4.8 ! (1.75) 4.1   (0.45)
Unemployed 2.2   (0.05) 2.5   (0.08) 2.0   (0.06) 1.9   (0.05) 3.5   (0.25) 2.8   (0.18) 2.3   (0.14)   (†) 2.0 ! (0.69) 2.8   (0.29)
Not in labor force 9.0   (0.09) 5.7   (0.13) 11.7   (0.14) 7.5   (0.11) 7.7   (0.37) 9.7   (0.31) 16.8   (0.30) 11.4   (3.04) 11.5   (1.84) 9.7   (0.56)
Enrolled in graduate school 2.4   (0.05) 2.4   (0.08) 2.4   (0.06) 1.8   (0.06) 2.5   (0.20) 2.4   (0.14) 5.1   (0.21)   (†) 3.0 ! (0.98) 3.7   (0.37)
Not enrolled in graduate school 6.6   (0.08) 3.2   (0.10) 9.3   (0.12) 5.6   (0.09) 5.3   (0.31) 7.3   (0.27) 11.7   (0.25) 8.2 ! (2.51) 8.5   (1.60) 6.0   (0.41)

Major occupation group2
100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†)
Management 12.6   (0.10) 13.4   (0.18) 11.9   (0.14) 13.6   (0.15) 10.5   (0.37) 11.4   (0.41) 9.7   (0.31) 13.9   (3.81) 13.7   (2.80) 13.5   (0.73)
Business and financial operations 11.3   (0.11) 11.6   (0.17) 11.1   (0.16) 11.5   (0.14) 10.5   (0.45) 10.5   (0.39) 11.9   (0.31) 5.1 ! (2.41) 9.7   (2.34) 10.6   (0.62)
Computer and mathematical 7.9   (0.09) 12.4   (0.16) 4.1   (0.11) 6.3   (0.11) 5.6   (0.33) 5.1   (0.20) 21.5   (0.43) 8.6 ! (4.09) 2.5 ! (1.08) 8.3   (0.49)
Architecture and engineering 4.6   (0.08) 7.9   (0.15) 1.8   (0.06) 4.6   (0.09) 2.5   (0.23) 4.0   (0.21) 6.9   (0.26) 5.9 ! (2.78) 2.7 ! (1.05) 5.3   (0.43)
Life, physical, and social sciences 2.8   (0.06) 2.8   (0.08) 2.8   (0.08) 2.7   (0.07) 1.9   (0.19) 2.4   (0.16) 4.6   (0.22)   (†) 2.7 ! (1.09) 2.2   (0.29)
Community and social services 3.8   (0.07) 2.2   (0.08) 5.1   (0.10) 3.5   (0.07) 6.8   (0.40) 5.2   (0.25) 1.3   (0.11)   (†) 7.8   (1.79) 3.6   (0.46)
Legal 2.2   (0.05) 2.2   (0.07) 2.2   (0.07) 2.3   (0.06) 2.1   (0.21) 2.2   (0.16) 1.6   (0.12)   (†)   (†) 2.5   (0.32)
Education, training, and library 12.0   (0.11) 7.5   (0.15) 16.0   (0.15) 12.8   (0.13) 11.4   (0.44) 12.3   (0.38) 7.9   (0.31) 7.9 ! (2.50) 15.7   (2.42) 12.0   (0.61)
Arts, design, entertainment, sports,
    and media
4.2   (0.06) 4.2   (0.10) 4.1   (0.08) 4.5   (0.08) 3.2   (0.26) 4.0   (0.17) 2.9   (0.17) 6.7 ! (3.36) 2.2 ! (0.76) 5.2   (0.49)
Healthcare practitioners and technicians 11.5   (0.10) 6.3   (0.12) 16.1   (0.14) 12.1   (0.10) 9.9   (0.44) 8.7   (0.33) 13.1   (0.35) 7.1 ! (2.59) 8.2   (1.52) 10.5   (0.58)
Healthcare support 1.3   (0.05) 0.8   (0.05) 1.7   (0.07) 1.0   (0.04) 2.7   (0.24) 1.8   (0.17) 1.4   (0.10)   (†) 1.9 ! (0.84) 1.4   (0.26)
Protective service 1.7   (0.04) 2.8   (0.08) 0.8   (0.04) 1.6   (0.04) 3.1   (0.26) 2.3   (0.16) 0.5   (0.08)   (†) 3.4 ! (1.36) 1.9   (0.30)
Food preparation and serving 2.0   (0.05) 1.9   (0.08) 2.1   (0.06) 2.0   (0.06) 2.1   (0.23) 2.7   (0.18) 1.5   (0.11)   (†) 3.0 ! (1.32) 1.9   (0.29)
Building and grounds cleaning and
    maintenance
0.5   (0.03) 0.8   (0.04) 0.3   (0.03) 0.5   (0.03) 0.4   (0.10) 1.1   (0.11) 0.1 ! (0.03)   (†)   (†) 0.2 ! (0.10)
Personal care and service 1.6   (0.05) 1.0   (0.05) 2.1   (0.08) 1.6   (0.05) 1.9   (0.19) 1.8   (0.16) 1.1   (0.12)   (†) 1.9 ! (0.80) 1.8   (0.26)
Sales and related 7.3   (0.10) 8.9   (0.16) 5.9   (0.12) 7.6   (0.11) 7.5   (0.41) 7.5   (0.26) 4.9   (0.24) 9.5 ! (3.15) 4.8 ! (1.81) 6.8   (0.51)
Office and administrative support 7.9   (0.09) 5.5   (0.14) 9.9   (0.14) 7.4   (0.10) 11.7   (0.47) 9.9   (0.30) 5.9   (0.24) 10.1 ! (3.12) 9.4   (2.02) 7.9   (0.58)
Farming, fishing, and forestry 0.2   (0.01) 0.2   (0.02) 0.1   (0.02) 0.2   (0.01)   (†) 0.4   (0.06) 0.1 ! (0.02)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Construction and extraction 0.8   (0.03) 1.7   (0.07) 0.1   (0.02) 0.9   (0.04) 0.5   (0.12) 1.5   (0.15) 0.2   (0.04)   (†)   (†) 0.5   (0.16)
Installation, maintenance, and repair 0.6   (0.03) 1.1   (0.05) 0.1   (0.02) 0.6   (0.03) 0.5   (0.08) 0.7   (0.09) 0.4   (0.06)   (†)   (†) 0.6 ! (0.19)
Production 1.4   (0.04) 2.0   (0.08) 0.9   (0.04) 1.3   (0.05) 2.0   (0.20) 2.0   (0.16) 1.2   (0.13)   (†) 1.5 ! (0.69) 1.4   (0.24)
Transportation and material moving 1.7   (0.05) 2.8   (0.08) 0.7   (0.04) 1.4   (0.04) 3.3   (0.24) 2.2   (0.14) 1.3   (0.12) 8.2 ! (3.43) 3.0 ! (1.45) 1.6   (0.29)

Class of worker2
100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†)
Private for-profit wage and salary 65.8   (0.17) 73.0   (0.21) 59.6   (0.23) 64.9   (0.19) 61.4   (0.81) 65.2   (0.52) 75.5   (0.42) 70.4   (4.73) 51.6   (3.51) 64.5   (0.99)
Employee of private company 64.2   (0.18) 70.9   (0.22) 58.3   (0.23) 63.1   (0.19) 60.2   (0.82) 63.9   (0.53) 73.7   (0.42) 69.4   (4.91) 50.7   (3.42) 62.5   (0.99)
Self-employed in own
    incorporated business
1.7   (0.05) 2.1   (0.07) 1.3   (0.05) 1.8   (0.05) 1.2   (0.15) 1.3   (0.13) 1.7   (0.15)   (†)   (†) 2.0   (0.31)
Private nonprofit wage and salary 13.1   (0.11) 9.1   (0.14) 16.5   (0.15) 13.6   (0.13) 13.6   (0.56) 11.9   (0.27) 10.9   (0.26) 9.3 ! (3.83) 9.5   (1.77) 13.6   (0.63)
Government 18.2   (0.13) 14.8   (0.15) 21.1   (0.19) 18.5   (0.16) 22.7   (0.70) 19.6   (0.41) 11.6   (0.30) 14.6   (3.77) 34.3   (3.31) 18.5   (0.82)
Local 9.6   (0.09) 6.6   (0.10) 12.2   (0.13) 10.3   (0.11) 10.3   (0.41) 11.1   (0.34) 3.7   (0.17) 4.9 ! (2.23) 18.6   (2.95) 10.3   (0.68)
State 6.1   (0.08) 5.5   (0.12) 6.6   (0.11) 5.8   (0.09) 8.1   (0.39) 6.1   (0.26) 6.2   (0.27) 5.5 ! (2.51) 7.9   (1.73) 5.9   (0.46)
Federal 2.5   (0.05) 2.7   (0.08) 2.3   (0.07) 2.3   (0.06) 4.3   (0.28) 2.5   (0.15) 1.8   (0.11)   (†) 7.9   (1.57) 2.3   (0.30)
Self-employed in own
    nonincorporated business
2.8   (0.05) 2.9   (0.08) 2.6   (0.07) 2.9   (0.06) 2.2   (0.21) 3.1   (0.21) 2.0   (0.13) 5.7 ! (2.83) 4.6   (1.17) 3.1   (0.41)
Unpaid family 0.1   (0.01) 0.2   (0.02) 0.1   (0.01) 0.1   (0.01) 0.1 ! (0.05) 0.1   (0.03) 0.1   (0.03)   (†)   (†) 0.2 ! (0.12)
  Median annual earnings (in current dollars)
All 25- to 34-year-old bachelor's
    degree holders who were full-
    time year-round workers3
$58,500   (316) $64,630   (538) $52,500   (315) $60,490   (357) $47,420   (548) $50,450   (733) $72,250   (1,200) $50,410   (3,939) $43,390   (3,159) $59,610   (707)

Major occupation group2
                                                           
Management 68,200   (584) 75,600   (877) 60,420   (537) 70,410   (619) 55,560   (1,682) 57,500   (1,119) 79,990   (1,452)   (†) 49,340   (8,643) 65,630   (3,266)
Business and financial operations 64,850   (432) 69,800   (674) 60,440   (578) 65,210   (406) 54,780   (1,851) 59,640   (894) 72,630   (618)   (†)   (†) 65,070   (2,526)
Computer and mathematical 80,430   (624) 83,490   (1,061) 75,100   (914) 78,220   (922) 60,500   (3,526) 72,090   (1,850) 94,570   (1,028)   (†)   (†) 79,890   (2,818)
Architecture and engineering 79,250   (549) 79,860   (522) 75,360   (1,283) 78,690   (974) 76,170   (3,231) 70,460   (1,056) 85,390   (1,759)   (†)   (†) 79,180   (2,925)
Life, physical, and social sciences 54,940   (594) 56,520   (1,272) 53,320   (1,021) 55,040   (709) 46,630   (3,527) 50,870   (2,346) 59,940   (1,708)   (†)   (†) 53,680   (2,374)
Community and social services 44,380   (460) 44,280   (758) 44,510   (451) 45,370   (595) 41,140   (780) 44,190   (618) 49,260   (3,397)   (†)   (†) 49,780   (2,782)
Legal 79,850   (1,039) 90,660   (3,419) 70,450   (2,226) 80,450   (2,311) 64,500   (4,553) 65,540   (3,305) 92,560   (4,403)   (†)   (†) 86,630   (12,211)
Education, training, and library 45,400   (278) 45,420   (508) 45,380   (305) 45,400   (279) 45,360   (735) 45,450   (703) 45,360   (1,598)   (†) 38,180   (2,417) 45,000   (1,617)
Arts, design, entertainment, sports,
    and media
51,710   (1,225) 50,500   (719) 52,180   (868) 52,200   (1,051) 45,430   (3,525) 48,430   (1,379) 63,580   (2,386)   (†)   (†) 53,240   (3,766)
Healthcare practitioners and technicians 65,520   (684) 67,520   (919) 65,470   (608) 65,530   (623) 59,950   (1,821) 60,570   (1,963) 70,400   (1,532)   (†)   (†) 65,870   (2,861)
Healthcare support 33,190   (695) 34,440   (1,301) 32,320   (827) 34,300   (752) 30,190   (1,510) 32,690   (914) 35,290   (2,148)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Protective service 55,550   (1,541) 59,820   (1,119) 48,650   (1,059) 59,640   (843) 42,720   (2,963) 55,620   (2,310) 54,570   (6,210)   (†)   (†) 52,210   (5,729)
Food preparation and serving 30,200   (621) 32,250   (955) 29,890   (642) 30,080   (645) 30,130   (1,070) 29,490   (1,627) 34,130   (2,234)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Building and grounds cleaning and
    maintenance
32,160   (1,226) 35,660   (1,979) 24,390   (912) 36,290   (2,015)   (†) 24,710   (1,679)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Personal care and service 35,180   (1,450) 40,110   (740) 32,740   (1,350) 35,760   (1,413) 36,120   (2,063) 30,140   (2,798) 36,410   (3,530)   (†)   (†) 29,080   (4,667)
Sales and related 56,590   (941) 62,380   (1,797) 50,150   (929) 61,030   (984) 44,880   (2,141) 44,360   (922) 54,780   (2,490)   (†)   (†) 50,430   (5,054)
Office and administrative support 40,390   (713) 45,300   (925) 40,340   (414) 42,610   (1,027) 37,310   (795) 38,290   (903) 42,340   (1,667)   (†)   (†) 42,440   (2,303)
Farming, fishing, and forestry 33,960   (2,198) 35,250   (1,771) 26,730   (5,402) 35,100   (2,188)   (†) 31,720   (2,501)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Construction and extraction 45,320   (2,325) 46,170   (2,366) 39,570   (3,925) 48,030   (1,399)   (†) 44,940   (2,623)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Installation, maintenance, and repair 46,640   (2,186) 47,330   (1,827) 45,220   (4,250) 48,260   (1,210) 38,060   (3,427) 44,450   (3,464) 54,300   (8,297)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Production 43,810   (865) 48,470   (726) 35,600   (1,889) 46,360   (2,298) 37,130   (2,503) 38,930   (1,431) 49,150   (4,431)   (†)   (†) 49,510   (3,734)
Transportation and material moving 37,310   (1,030) 39,910   (916) 30,220   (1,834) 40,390   (1,650) 29,970   (1,883) 29,790   (1,894) 39,730   (3,919)   (†)   (†) 43,690   (7,182)

Class of worker2
                                                           
Private for-profit wage and salary 62,540   (544) 70,370   (484) 55,550   (954) 65,560   (547) 48,320   (1,561) 50,480   (689) 78,630   (729) 50,410   (6,431) 51,330   (2,183) 64,700   (822)
Employee of private company 62,560   (628) 70,370   (529) 55,820   (1,121) 65,560   (542) 48,310   (1,558) 50,480   (698) 79,470   (577) 50,410   (6,431) 51,330   (2,183) 64,900   (1,147)
Self-employed in own
    incorporated business
60,020   (1,711) 65,490   (2,407) 49,780   (1,461) 60,530   (1,653) 49,620   (7,793) 48,520   (6,406) 50,220   (5,057)   (†)   (†) 39,830   (4,047)
Private nonprofit wage and salary 52,370   (590) 54,110   (537) 51,420   (916) 53,370   (424) 45,330   (1,189) 49,350   (774) 59,930   (976)   (†)   (†) 52,110   (2,032)
Government 50,480   (272) 55,470   (444) 49,440   (390) 50,490   (306) 47,400   (768) 50,450   (643) 55,300   (1,731)   (†) 41,030   (3,419) 53,070   (1,300)
Local 50,440   (291) 53,420   (779) 48,470   (262) 50,430   (328) 48,570   (645) 50,460   (795) 56,540   (1,347)   (†) 39,310   (4,644) 50,950   (1,351)
State 48,450   (370) 50,240   (647) 47,060   (540) 49,450   (428) 40,360   (648) 48,360   (1,026) 50,390   (1,461)   (†)   (†) 51,710   (2,066)
Federal 69,470   (693) 70,650   (1,300) 64,970   (1,337) 70,310   (624) 60,310   (3,993) 60,560   (3,731) 70,410   (4,038)   (†)   (†) 70,280   (3,061)
Self-employed in own
    nonincorporated business
42,610   (496) 47,330   (1,555) 39,760   (1,102) 45,350   (2,843) 38,520   (5,903) 29,950   (3,206) 48,970   (3,177)   (†)   (†) 40,030   (4,861)
Unpaid family 49,880   (4,742) 49,410   (7,056) 51,450   (4,354) 52,210   (5,416)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)
†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 Total includes other racial/ethnic groups not shown separately.
2 Estimates by major occupation group and class of worker are restricted to individuals currently employed.
3 Estimates of median annual earnings are restricted to individuals working full time (35 or more hours per week) and year round.
NOTE: Data are for the entire civilian population in the given age range residing within the United States, including persons living in households and persons living in group quarters (e.g., college residence halls, residential treatment centers, or correctional facilities). Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Totals include other racial/ethnic groups not separately shown. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), 2019. (This table was prepared July 2021.)

2020 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest