Median Annual Earnings

In 2006, the median earnings for young adult full-time, full-year wage and salary workers ages 25–34 was $34,800. The median earnings of Asian ($45,700) and White ($36,600) young adults were greater than the median earnings of their American Indian/Alaska Native peers ($28,400).

There were no measurable differences in earnings among American Indian/Alaska Native young adults with lower levels of educational attainment—those who were not high school completers ($25,400), who were high school completers ($26,400), who had some college experience ($27,400), and who had an associate's degree ($26,400). However, among American Indian/Alaska Native young adults, those who had a bachelor's ($35,500) or graduate degree ($44,700) had higher median earnings than American Indian/ Alaska Native young adults who had completed high school or who had an associate's degree. For example, American Indians/Alaska Natives with a bachelor's degree as their highest level of education earned 26 percent more than those whose highest level of education was high school completion.

Median earnings by educational attainment varied between American Indian/Alaska Native young adults and those of other races/ethnicities. For those with less than a high school education, there were no measurable differences between the median earnings of American Indian/Alaska Native young adults and young adults from other race/ethnicities. Among those who have completed high school as their highest level of education, White young adults had higher median earnings ($30,500) than American Indian/ Alaska Native young adults ($26,400), but there were no measurable differences between American Indian/ Alaska Native young adults who had completed high school and those of other races/ethnicities. Among those with a bachelor's degree as the highest level of education, Asian ($50,800) and White ($44,700) young adults earned more than their American Indian/Alaska Native peers ($35,500). In addition, American Indian/Alaska Native young adults with a graduate degree earned 15 percent less than their White peers and 28 percent less than their Asian peers who had graduate degrees.

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