• The rising costs of higher education are prompting some people to reconsider four-year degrees.
• Higher educational attainment is associated with higher earnings across all 50 US states.
• Adults with some college or an associate degree earn the most in Maryland, with a median of $55,301.

The cost of higher education across the US continues to rise, and for many Americans, the decision to pursue a four-year degree is as much a financial calculation as an academic one.

Some of the benefits of a college education are intangible, such as the development of character, independence, and critical thinking that come from four years of organized instruction.

But going to college can also lead to an earnings premium. Across the US, bachelor's degree-holders earn an average of 38.6% more than adults with an associate degree or those who attended some college but did not complete a four-year degree.

That translates to an average earnings gap of about $18,539 a year across states.

Business Insider analyzed earnings data from the US Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey and ranked states by the median earnings for adults 25 and older with some college or an associate degree, to account for people who may have pursued careers in more technical trades after graduating from high school. We also identified the median earnings for high school graduates in each state.

Across all states, higher levels of education were largely associated with higher median earnings.

The ranking does not adjust for differences in cost of living across states, which often overlap with educational attainment levels and can affect how far those earnings go. States with large professional labor markets are often ranked among the highest-cost-of-living states.

Still, for people who decide to forgo a four-year education, these are the states ranked by median earnings, from lowest to highest.

50. Arkansas

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $41,732

Median earnings for high school graduates: $38,020

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $57,152

49. Mississippi

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $41,781

Median earnings for high school graduates: $35,287

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $55,481

48. New Mexico

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $42,468

Median earnings for high school graduates: $37,038

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $56,159

47. Louisiana

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $43,459

Median earnings for high school graduates: $35,973

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $59,917

46. West Virginia

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $43,674

Median earnings for high school graduates: $37,207

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $56,967

45. Oklahoma

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $43,787

Median earnings for high school graduates: $37,015

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $60,006

44. Montana

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $43,921

Median earnings for high school graduates: $38,322

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $56,457

43. Wyoming

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $44,339

Median earnings for high school graduates: $46,543

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $54,213

42. North Carolina

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $44,474

Median earnings for high school graduates: $38,689

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $65,170

41. Florida

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $45,172

Median earnings for high school graduates: $37,044

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $60,618

40. Alabama

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $45,321

Median earnings for high school graduates: $39,147

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $61,183

39. Kentucky

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $45,352

Median earnings for high school graduates: $38,137

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $60,854

38. Missouri

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $45,360

Median earnings for high school graduates: $39,568

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $62,091

37. Tennessee

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $45,492

Median earnings for high school graduates: $39,835

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $62,654

36. Michigan

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $45,580

Median earnings for high school graduates: $38,399

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $66,497

35. Idaho

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $45,707

Median earnings for high school graduates: $41,114

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $60,198

34. Kansas

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $45,825

Median earnings for high school graduates: $40,694

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $65,534

33. South Carolina

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $45,860

Median earnings for high school graduates: $38,043

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $63,731

32. Georgia

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $45,919

Median earnings for high school graduates: $38,311

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $70,582

31. Nevada

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $46,278

Median earnings for high school graduates: $40,969

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $62,782

30. Ohio

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $46,601

Median earnings for high school graduates: $40,810

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $67,591

29. Vermont

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $46,998

Median earnings for high school graduates: $44,859

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $61,949

28. Nebraska

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $47,163

Median earnings for high school graduates: $41,356

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $62,021

26. (tie) Texas

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $47,269

Median earnings for high school graduates: $38,098

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $69,494

26. (tie) Maine

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $47,269

Median earnings for high school graduates: $41,689

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $62,442

25. Oregon

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $47,544

Median earnings for high school graduates: $42,165

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $69,562

24. Illinois

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $47,598

Median earnings for high school graduates: $41,132

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $72,625

23. Arizona

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $47,923

Median earnings for high school graduates: $41,518

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $67,466

22. Indiana

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $47,929

Median earnings for high school graduates: $40,985

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $63,367

21. Iowa

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $48,062

Median earnings for high school graduates: $41,765

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $62,244

20. Pennsylvania

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $48,250

Median earnings for high school graduates: $40,765

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $70,261

19. Delaware

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $49,094

Median earnings for high school graduates: $39,495

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $65,673

18. New York

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $49,538

Median earnings for high school graduates: $40,608

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $76,760

17. Utah

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $49,669

Median earnings for high school graduates: $44,405

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $65,299

16. South Dakota

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $49,698

Median earnings for high school graduates: $40,822

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $58,207

15. Rhode Island

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $50,264

Median earnings for high school graduates: $42,251

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $69,496

14. Wisconsin

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $50,315

Median earnings for high school graduates: $42,333

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $65,697

13. Virginia

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $50,450

Median earnings for high school graduates: $41,012

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $75,575

12. Hawaii

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $50,549

Median earnings for high school graduates: $42,373

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $62,969

11. California

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $51,031

Median earnings for high school graduates: $41,535

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $80,874

10. Colorado

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $51,247

Median earnings for high school graduates: $46,010

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $75,637

8. (tie) North Dakota

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $51,644

Median earnings for high school graduates: $47,787

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $60,560

8. (tie) New Jersey

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $51,644

Median earnings for high school graduates: $46,624

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $81,107

7. Connecticut

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $51,686

Median earnings for high school graduates: $44,573

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $77,879

6. Minnesota

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $52,185

Median earnings for high school graduates: $42,121

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $72,538

5. Massachusetts

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $52,218

Median earnings for high school graduates: $46,742

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $81,784

4. New Hampshire

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $52,513

Median earnings for high school graduates: $47,609

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $71,669

3. Washington

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $53,857

Median earnings for high school graduates: $47,996

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $81,640

2. Alaska

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $54,950

Median earnings for high school graduates: $45,904

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $69,031

1. Maryland

Median earnings for adults with some college or associate degree: $55,301

Median earnings for high school graduates: $45,273

Median earnings for adults with a bachelor's degree: $79,242

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