Getting a four-year college education isn’t always worth it for everybody — whether it comes down to avoiding the rising cost of a degree or pursuing careers outside a traditional college setting — but in some state economies, not having a bachelor’s degree sets you further behind than in others.
Business Insider looked at the median annual earnings of adults aged 25 and over across the country, as reported in the Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey data, and compared the median earnings of adults with a bachelor’s degree with those of adults with some college or an associate degree.
We then ranked all 50 states by the percentage difference in median earnings between those two groups, from highest to lowest, to compare extra earnings associated with completing a four-year degree with stopping short of earning a bachelor’s degree, while accounting for differences in overall wage levels from state to state.
Across all states, one thing remained constant: having a bachelor’s degree is almost always associated with higher earnings.
On average, bachelor’s degree-holders earned 38.6% more than adults with some college or an associate degree, but that ranged across state lines, with the largest gap at 58.5% and the smallest at 17.1%.
States with major cities and large professional job markets, such as California, New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, Georgia, and Washington, all ranked among the widest earnings gaps between bachelor’s degree holders and those with only some college or an associate degree.
On the other hand, states with more rural economies and greater reliance on industries such as agriculture, energy, manufacturing, and skilled trades, such as Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas, had the smallest earnings gaps.
For some, even a slim advantage can be significant in an uncertain labor market. Others might look at the financial payoff of a college investment and decide to pursue a different career path.
The list below ranks states from those with the largest earnings gap between bachelor’s degree holders and people with some college education to those with the smallest gap, helping illustrate how the financial payoff of a bachelor’s degree can vary across state lines.
See where your state ranked.
50. California
Degree premium: 58.5%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $80,874
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $51,031
Earnings gap: $29,843
49. New Jersey
Degree premium: 57.1%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $81,107
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $51,644
Earnings gap: $29,463
48. Massachusetts
Degree premium: 56.6%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $81,784
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $52,218
Earnings gap: $29,566
47. New York
Degree premium: 55.0%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $76,760
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $49,538
Earnings gap: $27,222
46. Georgia
Degree premium: 53.7%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $70,582
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $45,919
Earnings gap: $24,663
45. Illinois
Degree premium: 52.6%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $72,625
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $47,598
Earnings gap: $25,027
44. Washington
Degree premium: 51.6%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $81,640
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $53,857
Earnings gap: $27,783
43. Connecticut
Degree premium: 50.7%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $77,879
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $51,686
Earnings gap: $26,193
42. Virginia
Degree premium: 49.8%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $75,575
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $50,450
Earnings gap: $25,125
41. Colorado
Degree premium: 47.6%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $75,637
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $51,247
Earnings gap: $24,390
40. Texas
Degree premium: 47.0%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $69,494
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $47,269
Earnings gap: $22,225
39. North Carolina
Degree premium: 46.5%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $65,170
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $44,474
Earnings gap: $20,696
38. Oregon
Degree premium: 46.3%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $69,562
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $47,544
Earnings gap: $22,018
37. Michigan
Degree premium: 45.9%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $66,497
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $45,580
Earnings gap: $20,917
36. Pennsylvania
Degree premium: 45.6%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $70,261
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $48,250
Earnings gap: $22,011
35. Ohio
Degree premium: 45.0%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $67,591
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $46,601
Earnings gap: $20,990
34. Maryland
Degree premium: 43.3%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $79,242
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $55,301
Earnings gap: $23,941
33. Kansas
Degree premium: 43.0%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $65,534
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $45,825
Earnings gap: $19,709
32. Arizona
Degree premium: 40.8%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $67,466
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $47,923
Earnings gap: $19,543
31. Minnesota
Degree premium: 39.0%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $72,538
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $52,185
Earnings gap: $20,353
30. South Carolina
Degree premium: 39.0%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $63,731
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $45,860
Earnings gap: $17,871
29. Rhode Island
Degree premium: 38.3%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $69,496
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $50,264
Earnings gap: $19,232
28. Louisiana
Degree premium: 37.9%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $59,917
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $43,459
Earnings gap: $16,458
27. Tennessee
Degree premium: 37.7%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $62,654
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $45,492
Earnings gap: $17,162
26. Oklahoma
Degree premium: 37.0%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $60,006
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $43,787
Earnings gap: $16,219
25. Arkansas
Degree premium: 37.0%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $57,152
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $41,732
Earnings gap: $15,420
24. Missouri
Degree premium: 36.9%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $62,091
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $45,360
Earnings gap: $16,731
23. New Hampshire
Degree premium: 36.5%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $71,669
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $52,513
Earnings gap: $19,156
22. Nevada
Degree premium: 35.7%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $62,782
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $46,278
Earnings gap: $16,504
21. Alabama
Degree premium: 35.0%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $61,183
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $45,321
Earnings gap: $15,862
20. Florida
Degree premium: 34.2%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $60,618
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $45,172
Earnings gap: $15,446
19. Kentucky
Degree premium: 34.2%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $60,854
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $45,352
Earnings gap: $15,502
18. Delaware
Degree premium: 33.8%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $65,673
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $49,094
Earnings gap: $16,579
17. Mississippi
Degree premium: 32.8%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $55,481
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $41,781
Earnings gap: $13,700
15. (tie) New Mexico
Degree premium: 32.2%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $56,159
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $42,468
Earnings gap: $13,691
15. (tie) Indiana
Degree premium: 32.2%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $63,367
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $47,929
Earnings gap: $15,438
14. Maine
Degree premium: 32.1%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $62,442
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $47,269
Earnings gap: $15,173
13. Vermont
Degree premium: 31.8%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $61,949
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $46,998
Earnings gap: $14,951
12. Idaho
Degree premium: 31.7%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $60,198
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $45,707
Earnings gap: $14,491
10. (tie) Nebraska
Degree premium: 31.5%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $62,021
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $47,163
Earnings gap: $14,858
10. (tie) Utah
Degree premium: 31.5%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $65,299
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $49,669
Earnings gap: $15,630
9. Wisconsin
Degree premium: 30.6%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $65,697
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $50,315
Earnings gap: $15,382
8. West Virginia
Degree premium: 30.4%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $56,967
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $43,674
Earnings gap: $13,293
7. Iowa
Degree premium: 29.5%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $62,244
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $48,062
Earnings gap: $14,182
6. Montana
Degree premium: 28.5%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $56,457
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $43,921
Earnings gap: $12,536
5. Alaska
Degree premium: 25.6%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $69,031
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $54,950
Earnings gap: $14,081
4. Hawaii
Degree premium: 24.6%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $62,969
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $50,549
Earnings gap: $12,420
3. Wyoming
Degree premium: 22.3%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $54,213
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $44,339
Earnings gap: $9,874
2. North Dakota
Degree premium: 17.3%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $60,560
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $51,644
Earnings gap: $8,916
1. South Dakota
Degree premium: 17.1%
Median earnings with a bachelor’s degree: $58,207
Median earnings with some college or an associate degree: $49,698
Earnings gap: $8,509
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