College Graduates Keep 2.8% Unemployment Edge, Earning 66% More Than High School Workers
Updated
Updated · The News International · May 17
College Graduates Keep 2.8% Unemployment Edge, Earning 66% More Than High School Workers
3 articles · Updated · The News International · May 17
U.S. labor data for early 2026 put unemployment for bachelor’s degree holders aged 25 and over at 2.8%, the lowest rate across education levels.
That gap remains wide: workers without a high school diploma faced 6.4% unemployment, and the pattern has held for roughly two decades, from 2.2% versus 6.9% in 2006.
Pay data reinforce the advantage, with college graduates earning about 66% more per week than high school graduates; Ladders said degree requirements have the biggest effect on salaries.
The figures push back on growing skepticism from younger workers, about one-third of whom say college no longer looks economically worthwhile because of debt, weak entry-level hiring and slower promotion paths.
Why do graduates feel financially trapped when data proves a degree leads to significantly higher lifetime earnings?
If employers prefer degrees but new hires lack skills, who is responsible for bridging this experience gap?
As AI automates entry-level jobs, which 'durable skills' from college will actually secure a future career?