The education → pay gradient

8 entry-level education tiers · BLS

BLS assigns every occupation a typical entry-level education — the credential most workers have when they start. Sorted from least to most schooling, the eight tiers trace a clear gradient: roughly 154,186,300 workers, and median pay that climbs from $38,950 to $95,800. Each tier links to the occupations it covers and what they pay.

No formal educational credential $38,950 108 occupations · 34,505,890 workers · Low AI exposure High school diploma or equivalent $48,910 327 occupations · 57,261,360 workers · Low AI exposure Some college, no degree $45,760 7 occupations · 3,898,170 workers · Moderate AI exposure Postsecondary nondegree award $58,410 51 occupations · 9,470,170 workers · Low AI exposure Associate's degree $64,915 48 occupations · 3,231,090 workers · Moderate AI exposure Bachelor's degree $81,475 178 occupations · 38,438,040 workers · High AI exposure Master's degree $83,850 40 occupations · 3,434,640 workers · High AI exposure Doctoral or professional degree $95,800 73 occupations · 3,946,940 workers · High AI exposure

"Typical entry-level education" is the credential BLS reports for most workers entering an occupation — a description of the common path, not a rule, and many people enter by other routes. Median pay is aggregated from BLS OEWS (national, cross-industry, May 2024) across the occupations at each level, and describes the level rather than any one job or person.