Earnings by Educational Attainment Dashboard

The Earnings by Educational Attainment tool is an interactive Tableau workbook designed to explore the financial return on higher education and to support conversations around education investment, workforce readiness, and student decision-making. Users can compare the median earnings of high school graduates to those of postsecondary graduates using a variety of filters.

How to Use

Intended Audience 

This dashboard serves multiple stakeholders, including: 

• State Higher Education Officials and Policymakers: Assess the economic benefits of postsecondary education and inform policy and resource allocation decisions.
• Institutional Leaders: Communicate the value of degree programs to prospective students and justify investment in academic offerings.
• Students and Families: Understand the potential financial advantage of earning a college degree versus entering the workforce with only a high school diploma.

Key Questions This Tool Can Help Answer 

• How much more do postsecondary graduates in my state earn compared to high school graduates?
• What is the percentage increase in earnings associated with a bachelor’s degree or other higher education credentials?
• Does the economic return of college vary significantly across states?
• How might this information influence college-going decisions for students or funding strategies for state agencies? 

Data Sources 

• Postsecondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO): A dataset from the U.S. Census Bureau and participating colleges and universities, compiled with the Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) program. It links graduate records to employment and earnings data to provide detailed insights into post-graduation outcomes.
• American Community Survey (ACS): Produced by the U.S. Census Bureau, the ACS provides comprehensive national and state-level statistics. Median earnings for high school graduates are based on self-reported income from adult workers (typically aged 25 and older) and reflect general earnings levels across all experience levels, not specific timeframes after graduation.

Important Caveats 

• Different Timeframes: PSEO data is based on earnings 1, 5, and 10 years after graduation, while high school graduate earnings from ACS represent all adult earnings and are not tied to specific years post-high school.
• Contextual Differences: High school earnings data may include individuals at different stages in their careers, while PSEO data reflects earnings closer to graduation, potentially understating the long-term advantage of higher education.
• State-Specific Comparisons: The analysis is state-based and does not account for interstate migration or cost-of-living differences between regions.
• Institution Participation: Only institutions participating in the PSEO Coalition are included in the analysis of postsecondary employment outcomes

Support

For questions about this tool or assistance using it, please contact the PSEO Project Student Intern Supervisor, at internsupervisor@pseocoalition.org