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Digest of Education Statistics
2022 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: 2021
[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
Selected employment or occupational characteristic Total1 Sex Race/ethnicity
Male Female American Indian/Alaska Native Asian Black Hispanic Pacific Islander White 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
17,458   (60.8) 7,782   (34.2) 9,676   (36.9) 37   (1.8) 2,065   (12.8) 1,507   (17.4) 2,229   (23.7) 17   (1.5) 10,718   (40.4) 779   (13.9)
  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 87.8   (0.10) 90.6   (0.14) 85.6   (0.14) 85.4   (2.00) 82.0   (0.31) 86.7   (0.41) 85.4   (0.37) 90.4   (2.76) 89.8   (0.12) 86.5   (0.49)
Full-time 78.1   (0.15) 83.3   (0.19) 73.8   (0.19) 71.5   (3.01) 72.7   (0.39) 76.0   (0.56) 74.5   (0.42) 77.9   (3.49) 80.4   (0.17) 75.1   (0.71)
Part-time 9.8   (0.11) 7.3   (0.13) 11.7   (0.16) 13.9   (2.31) 9.3   (0.28) 10.7   (0.37) 10.9   (0.27) 12.5   (2.72) 9.3   (0.12) 11.4   (0.53)
Less than 20 hours per week 2.7   (0.06) 1.8   (0.07) 3.4   (0.08) 3.1 ! (1.04) 2.9   (0.16) 3.2   (0.24) 2.7   (0.16) 2.9 ! (1.28) 2.6   (0.07) 2.9   (0.21)
20 to 29 hours per week 3.8   (0.07) 3.0   (0.07) 4.6   (0.10) 4.6   (1.06) 4.2   (0.17) 3.9   (0.23) 4.5   (0.20) 8.9 ! (2.71) 3.6   (0.08) 4.6   (0.37)
30 to 34 hours per week 3.2   (0.05) 2.5   (0.08) 3.8   (0.08) 6.2   (1.74) 2.2   (0.12) 3.6   (0.22) 3.6   (0.18)   (†) 3.2   (0.06) 3.9   (0.29)
Unemployed 3.3   (0.07) 3.6   (0.10) 3.0   (0.07) 5.3   (1.21) 3.6   (0.17) 5.0   (0.29) 4.4   (0.18) 3.7 ! (1.51) 2.6   (0.06) 4.4   (0.33)
Not in labor force 8.9   (0.08) 5.7   (0.12) 11.5   (0.12) 9.3   (1.63) 14.4   (0.28) 8.3   (0.34) 10.2   (0.32) 5.9 ! (2.43) 7.6   (0.10) 9.1   (0.41)
Enrolled in graduate school 2.3   (0.05) 2.2   (0.08) 2.4   (0.07) 1.3 ! (0.60) 4.4   (0.22) 2.5   (0.19) 2.5   (0.16)   (†) 1.8   (0.06) 2.7   (0.22)
Not enrolled in graduate school 6.6   (0.07) 3.6   (0.09) 9.1   (0.10) 8.0   (1.42) 10.0   (0.26) 5.8   (0.26) 7.7   (0.26) 2.7 ! (1.14) 5.8   (0.09) 6.4   (0.37)
Major occupation group2 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†) 100.0   (†)
Management 12.7   (0.12) 13.3   (0.17) 12.1   (0.16) 12.5   (3.02) 9.4   (0.26) 11.5   (0.49) 11.7   (0.26) 9.2 ! (2.99) 13.5   (0.14) 13.2   (0.53)
Business and financial operations 12.0   (0.12) 12.2   (0.18) 11.7   (0.16) 9.2   (1.92) 12.3   (0.32) 11.3   (0.52) 10.6   (0.31) 5.9 ! (1.89) 12.3   (0.15) 11.6   (0.45)
Computer and mathematical 8.3   (0.09) 13.2   (0.16) 4.2   (0.08) 4.5   (1.12) 21.1   (0.40) 6.1   (0.35) 6.4   (0.25)   (†) 6.8   (0.10) 8.1   (0.42)
Architecture and engineering 5.1   (0.07) 8.5   (0.13) 2.1   (0.06) 2.4 ! (0.90) 7.6   (0.27) 2.6   (0.24) 4.4   (0.21) 8.3 ! (3.51) 5.1   (0.09) 4.8   (0.28)
Life, physical, and social sciences 3.2   (0.05) 3.3   (0.10) 3.1   (0.07) 3.3 ! (1.23) 5.1   (0.24) 2.3   (0.22) 2.7   (0.13)   (†) 3.0   (0.06) 2.8   (0.21)
Community and social services 3.7   (0.06) 2.1   (0.08) 5.0   (0.09) 5.6   (1.66) 1.2   (0.10) 6.1   (0.35) 5.4   (0.21)   (†) 3.5   (0.07) 3.3   (0.28)
Legal 2.1   (0.04) 2.1   (0.07) 2.1   (0.06) 1.9 ! (0.68) 1.4   (0.10) 1.9   (0.21) 2.0   (0.13)   (†) 2.2   (0.06) 2.1   (0.21)
Education, training, and library 11.7   (0.12) 7.6   (0.14) 15.3   (0.17) 12.2   (2.00) 7.6   (0.29) 11.7   (0.44) 11.9   (0.27) 7.6 ! (2.80) 12.5   (0.15) 10.4   (0.47)
Arts, design, entertainment, sports,
     and media
4.0   (0.08) 3.8   (0.09) 4.2   (0.10)   (†) 3.0   (0.18) 3.4   (0.24) 4.0   (0.20)   (†) 4.3   (0.10) 4.5   (0.31)
Healthcare practitioners and technicians 11.8   (0.11) 6.3   (0.12) 16.5   (0.16) 10.7   (2.20) 13.6   (0.31) 9.7   (0.47) 9.7   (0.24) 7.8 ! (2.85) 12.2   (0.14) 12.0   (0.53)
Healthcare support 1.3   (0.04) 0.7   (0.04) 1.8   (0.06) 3.4   (0.95) 1.6   (0.12) 2.4   (0.23) 1.5   (0.12)   (†) 1.0   (0.04) 1.7   (0.21)
Protective service 1.6   (0.05) 2.6   (0.09) 0.8   (0.05) 3.0 ! (1.31) 0.5   (0.07) 3.4   (0.32) 2.0   (0.14)   (†) 1.5   (0.05) 1.7   (0.21)
Food preparation and serving 1.4   (0.04) 1.3   (0.06) 1.5   (0.06) 2.0 ! (0.88) 1.2   (0.12) 1.3   (0.14) 2.1   (0.14)   (†) 1.3   (0.05) 1.6   (0.22)
Building and grounds cleaning and
     maintenance
0.5   (0.02) 0.6   (0.04) 0.3   (0.03)   (†) 0.1   (0.03) 0.6   (0.12) 0.7   (0.08)   (†) 0.5   (0.03) 0.6   (0.13)
Personal care and service 1.3   (0.04) 0.8   (0.05) 1.7   (0.06) 2.1 ! (0.92) 0.9   (0.09) 1.3   (0.16) 1.6   (0.10)   (†) 1.3   (0.05) 1.8   (0.17)
Sales and related 6.6   (0.08) 8.1   (0.14) 5.2   (0.11) 2.8 ! (0.94) 4.2   (0.22) 6.1   (0.30) 6.5   (0.26) 6.4 ! (2.15) 7.1   (0.11) 6.1   (0.36)
Office and administrative support 8.0   (0.11) 5.6   (0.12) 10.0   (0.17) 9.0   (2.13) 6.0   (0.22) 12.2   (0.53) 9.9   (0.26) 18.1   (3.68) 7.3   (0.12) 9.0   (0.42)
Farming, fishing, and forestry 0.2   (0.02) 0.3   (0.03) 0.1   (0.01)   (†) #   (†) 0.1 ! (0.04) 0.4   (0.06)   (†) 0.2   (0.02) 0.2 ! (0.06)
Construction and extraction 0.8   (0.03) 1.6   (0.06) 0.1   (0.02) 0.9 ! (0.43) 0.3   (0.06) 0.5   (0.10) 1.4   (0.12)   (†) 0.8   (0.03) 0.6   (0.15)
Installation, maintenance, and repair 0.6   (0.03) 1.1   (0.05) 0.1   (0.02)   (†) 0.4   (0.06) 0.5   (0.09) 0.8   (0.08)   (†) 0.6   (0.03) 0.6   (0.15)
Production 1.4   (0.03) 1.9   (0.06) 1.0   (0.04) 2.6 ! (0.97) 1.3   (0.11) 1.5   (0.16) 1.7   (0.12)   (†) 1.3   (0.04) 1.6   (0.20)
Transportation and material moving 1.8   (0.05) 2.9   (0.08) 0.9   (0.05) 7.7   (2.08) 1.3   (0.13) 3.7   (0.27) 2.6   (0.18) 3.7 ! (1.55) 1.5   (0.06) 1.8   (0.28)
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 65.2   (0.16) 72.6   (0.21) 58.9   (0.22) 55.8   (3.60) 73.6   (0.45) 59.3   (0.68) 63.7   (0.48) 72.6   (4.48) 64.8   (0.20) 65.0   (0.79)
Employee of private company 63.3   (0.17) 70.4   (0.21) 57.4   (0.23) 54.7   (3.68) 71.9   (0.44) 57.4   (0.70) 61.9   (0.47) 69.3   (4.59) 62.9   (0.20) 62.8   (0.79)
Self-employed in own incorporated
      business
1.8   (0.05) 2.2   (0.08) 1.5   (0.06) 1.1 ! (0.51) 1.7   (0.12) 2.0   (0.25) 1.8   (0.13) 3.3 ! (1.51) 1.8   (0.06) 2.2   (0.30)
Private nonprofit wage and salary 13.2   (0.10) 9.1   (0.12) 16.8   (0.15) 11.9   (2.28) 12.0   (0.30) 12.8   (0.40) 12.8   (0.31) 6.9 ! (2.47) 13.6   (0.13) 14.2   (0.61)
Government 18.5   (0.14) 15.3   (0.21) 21.3   (0.16) 25.8   (2.50) 12.2   (0.33) 25.0   (0.57) 20.3   (0.42) 15.9   (3.26) 18.6   (0.16) 17.1   (0.61)
Local 9.8   (0.11) 6.8   (0.14) 12.4   (0.14) 10.2   (1.68) 3.8   (0.18) 12.5   (0.43) 11.5   (0.30) 6.4 ! (2.54) 10.3   (0.15) 8.4   (0.45)
State 6.1   (0.09) 5.5   (0.11) 6.6   (0.11) 9.4   (1.66) 6.4   (0.26) 8.2   (0.38) 6.2   (0.27) 2.5 ! (1.22) 5.7   (0.09) 5.8   (0.34)
Federal 2.7   (0.06) 3.0   (0.09) 2.3   (0.07) 6.1   (1.32) 2.0   (0.12) 4.3   (0.28) 2.6   (0.15) 6.9 ! (2.59) 2.5   (0.06) 2.8   (0.25)
Self-employed in own nonincorporated
     business
3.0   (0.07) 3.0   (0.10) 3.0   (0.08) 6.6 ! (2.42) 2.0   (0.19) 2.6   (0.24) 3.1   (0.18) 4.6 ! (2.15) 3.1   (0.07) 3.6   (0.29)
Unpaid family 0.1   (0.01) 0.1   (0.02) 0.1   (0.02)   (†) 0.2   (0.05) 0.2 ! (0.07) 0.1 ! (0.02)   (†) 0.1   (0.01) 0.1 ! (0.03)
  Median annual earnings (in current dollars)
All 25- to 34-year-old bachelor's
      degree holders who were full-time
      year-round workers3
$61,790   (311) $71,050   (446) $57,650   (283) $50,910   (2,417) $79,720   (900) $51,450   (698) $56,420   (469) $52,010   (4,075) $63,690   (402) $61,540   (864)
Major occupation group2                                                            
Management 73,250   (568) 82,210   (1,271) 66,740   (581) 51,020 ! (17,069) 92,120   (2,348) 59,360   (779) 66,910   (2,464)   (†) 76,740   (538) 71,900   (3,782)
Business and financial operations 70,780   (836) 74,130   (752) 66,130   (492)   (†) 78,770   (1,703) 61,420   (1,457) 66,180   (1,268)   (†) 71,130   (463) 69,560   (1,653)
Computer and mathematical 87,460   (712) 90,780   (626) 82,120   (1,036)   (†) 102,530   (1,307) 71,920   (3,235) 77,850   (1,697)   (†) 85,410   (673) 82,150   (2,984)
Architecture and engineering 82,310   (697) 82,360   (746) 79,740   (808)   (†) 88,610   (2,004) 76,940   (2,709) 77,030   (2,202)   (†) 82,280   (724) 83,350   (2,211)
Life, physical, and social sciences 59,830   (528) 61,140   (999) 58,290   (1,014)   (†) 60,960   (1,127) 56,160   (3,153) 56,410   (2,626)   (†) 60,930   (787) 54,540   (2,762)
Community and social services 48,230   (518) 47,260   (746) 48,370   (574)   (†) 50,870   (1,760) 45,290   (900) 50,830   (786)   (†) 48,280   (624) 46,190   (1,804)
Legal 82,110   (2,265) 91,830   (2,365) 76,660   (2,281)   (†) 88,520   (5,473) 77,340   (8,515) 74,940   (5,934)   (†) 82,360   (2,958) 85,620   (8,071)
Education, training, and library 49,360   (310) 51,400   (461) 48,640   (589)   (†) 50,750   (1,329) 46,090   (1,133) 51,200   (924)   (†) 49,360   (299) 49,220   (991)
Arts, design, entertainment, sports,
     and media
57,200   (1,267) 58,280   (991) 56,490   (1,516)   (†) 66,720   (1,487) 53,190   (2,672) 55,720   (1,719)   (†) 56,510   (1,072) 55,010   (1,740)
Healthcare practitioners and technicians 70,190   (575) 73,300   (1,001) 68,440   (613) 59,270   (5,013) 77,140   (2,173) 61,430   (1,984) 65,310   (851)   (†) 69,810   (649) 71,490   (2,500)
Healthcare support 36,680   (288) 36,840   (2,400) 36,370   (249)   (†) 41,430   (2,980) 36,010   (1,649) 31,850   (2,449)   (†) 38,960   (1,490) 30,860   (3,261)
Protective service 60,580   (756) 63,140   (1,540) 51,030   (1,213)   (†) 44,890   (4,476) 51,450   (3,102) 61,690   (2,570)   (†) 61,670   (1,442) 56,640   (5,905)
Food preparation and serving 31,090   (647) 32,490   (1,193) 30,650   (1,630)   (†) 36,090   (2,568) 28,130   (4,183) 30,730   (1,465)   (†) 32,530   (1,258) 39,290   (6,935)
Building and grounds cleaning and
     maintenance
36,490   (1,740) 37,430   (1,482) 31,090   (2,750)   (†)   (†) 27,600   (5,952) 32,820   (3,082)   (†) 39,070   (748)   (†)
Personal care and service 36,210   (1,380) 40,610   (1,331) 34,970   (1,035)   (†) 37,090   (4,899) 33,880   (3,182) 30,460   (2,751)   (†) 40,690   (850) 37,720   (6,152)
Sales and related 63,420   (2,608) 66,410   (1,407) 61,480   (1,482)   (†) 61,290   (2,456) 49,770   (1,925) 55,690   (2,539)   (†) 67,880   (953) 61,180   (4,005)
Office and administrative support 46,260   (418) 49,290   (1,147) 43,900   (833)   (†) 48,250   (1,059) 41,050   (1,226) 41,950   (791)   (†) 46,330   (621) 43,430   (1,100)
Farming, fishing, and forestry 39,120   (1,378) 40,880   (2,081) 34,030   (2,155)   (†)   (†)   (†) 37,690   (1,266)   (†) 39,170   (1,731)   (†)
Construction and extraction 49,090   (1,110) 49,060   (1,175) 50,580   (3,916)   (†) 47,360   (12,345) 49,150   (11,457) 42,610   (2,718)   (†) 49,840   (1,756) 50,440   (9,463)
Installation, maintenance, and repair 51,470   (1,978) 51,420   (2,307) 46,420   (3,366)   (†) 64,270   (3,779) 38,690   (7,364) 46,640   (5,671)   (†) 51,190   (1,983)   (†)
Production 51,210   (1,046) 51,410   (1,416) 46,000   (1,556)   (†) 50,510   (3,567) 39,650   (4,215) 43,050   (1,611)   (†) 53,570   (803) 45,880   (2,959)
Transportation and material moving 40,820   (905) 41,050   (1,465) 35,690   (1,846)   (†) 35,820   (2,375) 34,700   (3,490) 33,870   (1,751)   (†) 43,140   (1,273) 43,690   (6,823)
Class of worker2                                                            
Private for-profit wage and salary 69,970   (363) 76,140   (536) 61,780   (676) 50,710   (5,525) 85,270   (640) 54,340   (739) 59,700   (686) 52,260   (6,997) 71,050   (636) 69,390   (1,304)
Employee of private company 69,920   (344) 76,140   (541) 61,780   (1,370) 50,760   (5,552) 86,300   (678) 54,570   (725) 59,670   (723) 51,590   (7,259) 71,040   (646) 69,550   (1,020)
Self-employed in own incorporated
      business
61,770   (2,011) 75,190   (3,156) 51,240   (1,714)   (†) 58,800   (5,915) 50,720   (3,606) 60,790   (3,846)   (†) 71,200   (2,063) 52,590   (8,495)
Private nonprofit wage and salary 57,530   (287) 61,040   (447) 56,560   (313) 52,750   (5,647) 66,300   (1,310) 51,350   (1,016) 53,250   (1,071)   (†) 58,300   (800) 56,500   (1,559)
Government 54,490   (339) 59,360   (449) 51,470   (305) 47,080   (1,609) 60,250   (963) 51,220   (574) 54,950   (659)   (†) 54,540   (350) 51,510   (1,325)
Local 52,520   (662) 56,870   (731) 51,450   (296) 41,930   (5,653) 61,360   (1,432) 51,250   (1,156) 54,280   (853)   (†) 52,470   (711) 51,840   (1,543)
State 51,440   (506) 52,930   (701) 50,380   (486)   (†) 52,160   (1,840) 46,040   (1,809) 51,470   (866)   (†) 51,470   (664) 48,630   (1,374)
Federal 73,060   (975) 76,300   (1,039) 71,550   (1,009) 50,550   (11,007) 81,600   (3,719) 61,670   (3,186) 68,740   (1,796)   (†) 76,410   (905) 72,220   (3,049)
Self-employed in own nonincorporated
     business
47,390   (2,208) 51,210   (1,466) 41,110   (1,145)   (†) 38,630   (4,893) 42,670   (3,033) 29,510   (2,789)   (†) 51,000   (1,612) 48,030   (4,053)
Unpaid family 28,520   (8,507)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†) 28,830   (7,071)   (†)
†Not applicable.
#Rounds to zero.
!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.
1Total includes other racial/ethnic groups not shown separately.
2Estimates by major occupation group and class of worker are restricted to individuals currently employed.
3Estimates 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. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), 2021. (This table was prepared March 2023.)

2022 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest