Fast Facts

Income of young adults

Question:
What is the average income for young adults?

Response:

In 2014, some 67 percent of young adults ages 25–34 who were in the labor force worked full time, year round (i.e., worked 35 or more hours per week for 50 or more weeks per year). The percentage of young adults working full time, year round was generally higher for those with higher levels of educational attainment. For example, 73 percent of young adults with a bachelor's degree worked full time, year round in 2014, compared with 65 percent of young adult high school completers (those with only a high school diploma or its equivalent).

Changes over time in the percentage of young adults in the labor force who worked full time, year round varied by level of educational attainment. From 2000 to 2014, the percentage of young adults without a high school credential (i.e., without a high school diploma or its equivalent) who worked full time, year round decreased from 59 to 55 percent. The corresponding percentage for young adults with an associate's degree decreased from 71 to 66 percent. In contrast, the percentage of young adults with a master's or higher degree who worked full time, year round increased from 70 to 74 percent during the same period. However, from 2000 to 2014 the percentages of young adult high school completers and young adults with a bachelor's degree who worked full time, year round did not change measurably. Between 2013 and 2014, the percentages of young adults working full time, year round did not change measurably for most levels of educational attainment. The one exception was the percentage of young adult high school completers who worked full time, year round, which was higher in 2014 (65 percent) than in 2013 (62 percent).

For young adults ages 25–34 who worked full time, year round, higher educational attainment was associated with higher median earnings; this pattern was consistent from 2000 through 2014. For example, in 2014 the median earnings of young adults with a bachelor's degree ($49,900) were 66 percent higher than the median earnings of young adult high school completers ($30,000). The median earnings of young adult high school completers were 20 percent higher than the median earnings of those without a high school credential ($25,000). In addition, median earnings of young adults with a master's or higher degree were $59,100 in 2014, some 18 percent higher than the median earnings of young adults with a bachelor's degree. This pattern of higher earnings associated with higher levels of educational attainment also held for both male and female young adults as well as for White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian young adults.

Percentage of the labor force ages 25–34 who worked full time, year round, by educational attainment: 2000–2014

The data in this figure is described in the surrounding text. /

¹ Includes equivalency credentials, such as the General Educational Development (GED) credential.

NOTE: Full-time, year-round workers are those who worked 35 or more hours per week for 50 or more weeks per year.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2016). The Condition of Education 2016 (NCES 2016-144), Annual Earnings of Young Adults.

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