Clearly, pursuing a traditional four-year degree can add up. However, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that there are benefits to pursuing a degree. For example, people with a bachelor’s degree who were at least 25 years old in 2019 had a total unemployment rate of 2.2%, while those with only a high school diploma had a rate of 3.7%. The data shows that people with a bachelor’s degree had median weekly earnings of $1,248, versus $746 for a high school diploma. Additionally, employers are willing to pay a starting salary that’s between 11% and 30% higher for people with a bachelor’s degree.
