US education levels correlate with higher earnings and lower unemployment

Bureau of Labor Statistics data for 2025 indicates a consistent correlation between higher education levels, increased median weekly earnings, and lower unemployment rates in the United States. As of October 2026, workers with doctoral degrees reported median weekly earnings of $2,307 and an unemployment rate of 1.8%, while those without a high school diploma earned a median of $770 with a 6.1% unemployment rate.

Additionally, a new dashboard released by the HEA Group analyzes these earnings premiums by state to assess the impact of the federal ‘Do No Harm’ earnings test. This federal requirement mandates that certificate and degree programs demonstrate their graduates earn more on average than high school diploma earners to maintain access to federal student loans. The data reveals regional variations in the value of a degree; for example, Delaware undergraduates earned double the median of high school graduates four years post-graduation, whereas Colorado undergraduates earned only 55% more.