That’s the average gap in earnings between adults with bachelor’s degrees and those with high school diplomas, according to data from the Census Bureau.
College graduates made an average of $51,554 in 2004, the most recent figures available, compared with $28,645 for adults with a high school diploma. High school dropouts earned an average of $19,169 and those with advanced college degrees made an average of $78,093.
Among the other findings in the report:
Minnesota, Utah, Montana, New Hampshire and Alaska had the highest proportions of adults with at least a high school diploma — all at about 92 percent.
Texas had the lowest proportion of adults with at least a high school diploma, about 78 percent. It was followed closely by Kentucky and Mississippi.
Connecticut was the state with the highest proportion of adults with at least a bachelor’s degree, nearly 37 percent. It was followed closely by Massachusetts, Maryland and New Jersey.
Nearly 47 percent of adults in Washington, D.C., had at least a bachelor’s degree.
West Virginia had the lowest proportion of college graduates, at 15 percent. It was followed at the bottom by Arkansas, Kentucky and Louisiana.
