Education Brief
College grads still earn nearly twice as much in Richmond
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The boost college graduates get in pay over those who don't go to college is massive — but it's been declining a bit in recent years, Axios' Emily Peck reports.
Why it matters: College is a big financial investment, and a lot of graduates are banking on it paying off.
By the numbers: Last year, the average college graduate earned 55.2% more than the typical high school grad, per Labor Department data analyzed by the progressive Economic Policy Institute.
- That's down from a peak of more than 60% a decade ago.
Zoom in: The payoff is striking in metro Richmond, where bachelor's degree-holders earn nearly twice as much as high school grads— around $69,000 a year vs. $40,000, according to 2024 Census data previously analyzed by Axios.
The bottom line: The college pay premium may be shrinking nationally, but in Richmond, a degree still comes with a pretty hefty paycheck boost.