A high school graduate who earns a bachelor’s degree from Valdosta State University will earn nearly $1.4 million more during their lifetime, bringing their average work-life earnings to a little more than $3 million. Advanced degrees boost those earnings even more, as work-life earnings increase dramatically with education level. 

According to the Lifetime Earnings for University System of Georgia Class of 2023 study conducted by the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia, high school graduates who obtain a bachelor’s degree will boost their work-life earnings by 82 percent in Georgia, or 80 percent across the United States.

“With our new strategic plan — VSU2030 — we renew our commitment to creating career-ready graduates by aligning our degree program options with student and employer demand and ensuring our students leave VSU with the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to succeed in their professional and personal lives,” said Dr. Richard A. Carvajal, president of VSU. “We truly believe in the transformative power of higher education, and we genuinely want every VSU graduate to have the opportunity to pursue the future of their choosing.

“This study provides the clearest evidence yet that pursuing higher education is one of the best decisions any person can ever make. It shows that a VSU degree is a transformative investment that not only opens doors to a lifetime of earning potential but also changes lives, strengthens families, and uplifts entire communities in ways that might not be possible otherwise.”

In the report, Dr. Jeffrey M. Humphreys, director of the Selig Center for Economic Growth, noted that the most relevant measure of the economic “worth” of a college education is increased earnings over a working lifetime. His team prepared estimates of work-life earnings by level of educational attainment for Georgia and the U.S. based on median personal earned income data from the Census Bureau’s most recent five-year American Community Survey.

Humphreys explained that the increase in earnings associated with a degree varies from one person to another, over time, geographically, and by field of study. However, according to the report, it is possible to provide a rough approximation of the aggregate benefits to VSU’s Class of 2023 graduates, as well as benefits accruing to the average degree holder.

These estimates are important, he added, because they show to what extent higher education pays off, which may motivate students, employers, workers, and policymakers to pursue and support postsecondary education.