Canada
+14%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025)
Graduate jobs and salaries in United States
Updated Data years: 2024, 2025 How we use data
Quick answer
In United States, employees with tertiary education earned a median of $6,067 a month in 2025 (PPP$ 6,067) — +35% compared with all employees. Their unemployment rate was 2.7%, against 3.4% for all adults aged 25 and over (2025).
Sources: ILOSTAT (ILO) · OECD
- +35%degree premium: tertiary-educated vs all employees (2025)
- $6,067median monthly pay with tertiary education (2025)
- 2.7%unemployment, tertiary-educated adults 25+ (all adults: 3.4%, 2025)
- 6.7%unemployment, tertiary-educated 15–24 year olds (2025)
Do graduates earn more in United States?
| Education level | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | $2,921 | 2,921 | -35% |
| Basic education | $2,947 | 2,947 | -34% |
| Intermediate education | $3,467 | 3,467 | -23% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | $6,067 | 6,067 | +35% |
| Short-cycle tertiary | $4,333 | 4,333 | -3% |
| Bachelor's or equivalent | $6,067 | 6,067 | +35% |
| Master's or equivalent | $7,497 | 7,497 | +67% |
| Doctoral or equivalent | $9,533 | 9,533 | +113% |
| All levels | $4,481 | 4,481 | — |
The degree premium ranks 82 of 128 countries with data. That is above the North America median of +25%.
Earnings over time (PPP$ a month)
Advanced (tertiary) educationAll levels
PPP$ values are in current international dollars, so part of the rise reflects inflation.
Earnings compared with upper secondary education (OECD)
The OECD compares the earnings of adults aged 25–64 with each level of education to those who finished upper secondary school (= 100). Latest year: 2024.
| Education level | Index (upper secondary = 100) |
|---|---|
| Short-cycle tertiary | 111 |
| Bachelor's or equivalent | 165 |
| Master's, doctoral or equivalent | 214 |
| All tertiary | 170 |
| Below upper secondary | 76 |
Source: OECD, Education at a Glance. Full-time, full-year earners.
Which occupations pay the most in United States?
Median monthly earnings by occupation group in 2025, from highest to lowest. Examples link to our career profiles.
| Occupation group | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Managers Construction manager, Marketing manager, Project manager, Supply chain manager | $7,583 | 7,583 | +69% |
| Professionals Software developer, Web developer, Data scientist, Data analyst | $6,673 | 6,673 | +49% |
| Technicians and associate professionals IT support technician, Paramedic, Biomedical scientist, Paralegal | $4,585 | 4,585 | +2% |
| Craft and related trades workers | $4,333 | 4,333 | -3% |
| Plant and machine operators and assemblers | $3,987 | 3,987 | -11% |
| Clerical support workers | $3,805 | 3,805 | -15% |
| Elementary occupations | $3,120 | 3,120 | -30% |
| Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers | $3,033 | 3,033 | -32% |
| Service and sales workers Police officer | $2,773 | 2,773 | -38% |
| All occupations | $4,481 | 4,481 | — |
Are graduates less likely to be unemployed in United States?
| Education level | Adults 25+ | Young people 15–24 |
|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | 7.5% | — |
| Basic education | 5.6% | 15.2% |
| Intermediate education | 4.3% | 10.8% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | 2.7% | 6.7% |
| All levels | 3.4% | 10.0% |
Unemployment among tertiary-educated adults is the 32 lowest of 130 countries with data. The North America median is 3.9%.
Unemployment over time, adults 25+
Advanced (tertiary) educationAll levels
Graduate employment by field of study in United States
Employment rate of adults aged 25–64 with tertiary education, by field of study (OECD, 2017).
| Field of study | Employment rate |
|---|---|
| Engineering, manufacturing and construction Aerospace engineering, Architecture, Chemical engineering, Civil engineering | 87.7% |
| Information and communication technologies Computer science | 87.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary Agriculture, Veterinary science | 85.6% |
| Business, administration and law Accounting and finance, Business management, Law, Marketing | 85.5% |
| Health and welfare Biomedical science, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing | 85.4% |
| Services Hospitality and tourism, Sports science | 84.9% |
| Natural sciences, mathematics and statistics Biology, Chemistry, Data science, Environmental science | 84.8% |
| Humanities (except languages) History, Philosophy | 84.1% |
| Social sciences, journalism and information Criminology, Economics, Geography, International relations | 83.7% |
| Arts and humanities Design, English literature, History, Modern languages | 81.7% |
| Arts Design, Music | 80.8% |
| Education Education | 80.1% |
| All fields | 84.3% |
Studying and working in United States
Rules on student visas, work after graduation and recognition of qualifications change often. Use the official sources below and check the date on any advice you read.
- Official study portal
- Student visa and residence information
- Working after graduation (official)
- Public job portal
Guide: how to choose a country to study in · Guide: getting your degree recognised abroad
Country context
- Population
- 341.8M (2025)
- GDP per person (PPP)
- $90,027 (2025)
- Tertiary enrolment (gross)
- 79.4% (2022)
Questions about graduate jobs in United States
Do graduates earn more than non-graduates in United States?
According to the International Labour Organization, employees in United States with tertiary education earned a median of $6,067 a month in 2025, compared with $4,481 for all employees — +35%. The degree premium ranks 82 of 128 countries with data.
What is the unemployment rate for graduates in United States?
In 2025, the unemployment rate for adults aged 25 and over with tertiary education in United States was 2.7%, compared with 3.4% for all adults. Among young people aged 15–24 with tertiary education it was 6.7%.
Which jobs pay the most in United States?
The best-paid occupation group in United States in 2025 was “Managers”, with median monthly earnings of $7,583 (PPP$ 7,583). Professionals, the group that includes most graduate careers, earned a median of $6,673.
Where can I find official information about studying in United States?
Start with the official study portal and immigration pages linked on this page. They set out entry requirements, student visas and any rights to work after graduating, which change more often than most guides are updated.
Compare with other countries in North America
Compare United States side by side
Sources
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by education — LFS - Current Population Survey, 2025
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation — LFS - Current Population Survey, 2025
- ILOSTAT — Unemployment rate by age and education — LFS - Current Population Survey, 2025
- OECD — Education at a Glance, labour-market outcomes — Relative earnings and employment by field of study
- World Bank — World Development Indicators — Population, GDP per person (PPP) and tertiary enrolment
How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). United States: graduate salaries, jobs and unemployment. https://coursetojob.com/countries/united-states/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
Notes from the data source
- Break in series: Methodology revised
- Repository: Annual estimates for 2025 are 11-month averages that exclude October. Data for October 2025 were not collected due to the federal government shutdown
- Age coverage - minimum age: 16 years old
- The source reports a break in the series, so compare with earlier years carefully.