Whether it’s your dream job or a well-paying career change, a high school diploma could be all you need to land a rewarding position. Given its ease of entry, many may wonder how much do people with a high school diploma earn. Let’s take a look at usual salaries for various professions, as well as some tips for getting the most of your earnings with a general education diploma (GED).
The median salary of jobs that require a high school diploma is $28,420. That’s nearly $1,000 less than the median starting salary for college graduates. Digging deeper into high-paying industries that hire people with a high school diploma reveals a few surprises.
Average salary with high school diploma
After years of studying, it would be disappointing if you didn’t have a fair idea of how much money you can make straight out of high school. But remember, a salary is not the only measure of success; education is meant to help you in many different ways, including finding your ideal career. For some, a high school diploma will be enough for their intended path forward (or even a university degree), but for others more learning will come in handy. Plus, the skills you acquire in school can ultimately lead to a more interesting job down the road. Even if financial wealth isn’t your ultimate goal—and it doesn’t have to be—education can still help point you in the right direction later on down the line.
If you were looking for a job and were thinking about getting a high school diploma, you might want to reconsider. According to the most recent numbers on this subject, high school dropouts are making way more than people with degrees, and you can see that below in the table.
If you want to save money and have enough time to travel the world, check out this list of the highest paying jobs that do not require a college degree.
As it turns out, the salary of a college graduate is in fact much higher when compared to that of a high school graduate. This difference amounts to over $1 million between the two careers. It’s no wonder colleges have become more and more sought after over the years.
Think about it, college is a four year long struggle. So if you want to get the degree, not just any major will do. Choose wisely, because you’ll be spending your time and money on something that could be mistake.
