General Income Information
Income by Educational Attainment and Sex

General Income Information

Income Measure Income ($/yr) Year
Median Household 34,100+-300¹ 1995
Median Household - CA (from Census Bureau) 37,000+-700² 1995
Median Household - San Diego (from Labor Dept.) 34,000 1996
Median Family - CA (from FTB) 40,706 1995
Median Family - LA County (from FTB) 36,541 1995

Median Male Fulltime Worker 31,500+-200¹ 1995
Median Female Fulltime Worker 22,500+-200¹ 1995
Average Annual Pay - US 27,900³ 1996?
Average Annual Pay - US 26,363 1993
Average Annual Pay - CA 29,468 1993

Per Capita - US 24,231 1996
Per Capita - CA 25,144 1996
Per Capita - Washington, D.C. 34,932 1996
Per Capita - CT (top state) 33,189 1996
Per Capita - MI (bottom state) 17,471 1996

Income Measure	Income ($/yr)	Year
Median Household	34,100+-300¹	1995
Median Household - CA (from Census Bureau)	37,000+-700²	1995
Median Household - San Diego (from Labor Dept.)	34,000	1996
Median Family - CA (from FTB)	40,706	1995
Median Family - LA County (from FTB)	36,541	1995

Median Male Fulltime Worker	31,500+-200¹	1995
Median Female Fulltime Worker	22,500+-200¹	1995
Average Annual Pay - US	27,900³	1996?
Average Annual Pay - US	26,363	1993
Average Annual Pay - CA	29,468	1993

Per Capita - US	24,231	1996
Per Capita - CA	25,144	1996
Per Capita - Washington, D.C.	34,932	1996
Per Capita - CT (top state)	33,189	1996
Per Capita - MI (bottom state)	17,471	1996

¹ The uncertainties are 90% confidence intervals.
² The uncertainties are "standard errors".
³ Source: Business Software Alliance, as reported in Computerlink, SDUT 6/10/97, 22.

Sources: Census Bureau; AP, in NCT, 4/29/97, D2; California Almanac 1995, 108, 109.

1995 Income Information by Educational Attainment and Sex for Fulltime Workers Age 18 and Over

Before taking these figures too seriously, note that there are several factors which reduce, but do not eliminate, the actual increased income due to education:

In general, people with higher degrees are smarter people than those without any degrees, and would be expected to have a higher income than others even in the absence of additional education. Bill Gates, a college dropout, is a notable example.
There are extremely few 18-year-olds with a doctorate or professional degree. Most 18-year-olds are paid much less than older workers. Hence there is a sizable bias introduced by using workers under the age of 25-30 in the following statistics.

In support of the following figures, it is almost impossible to work as, and earn the incomes of, a doctor or a lawyer without a professional degree.

The following earnings are mean earnings, not medians, so are higher than the median worker earns.

Mean Income ($/yr)
Education Both sexes Males Females
Not high school graduate 20,442 22,454 16,049
High School graduate 27,038 31,063 21,298
Some college, no degree 31,128 36,546 23,298
Associate's degree 33,425 37,628 28,510
Bachelor's degree 44,523 51,998 33,665
Master's degree 55,384 64,544 41,676
Doctorate 72,099 77,815 55,041
Professional Degree 98,197 111,654 59,793

	Mean Income ($/yr)
Education	Both sexes	Males	Females
Not high school graduate	20,442	22,454	16,049
High School graduate	27,038	31,063	21,298
Some college, no degree	31,128	36,546	23,298
Associate's degree	33,425	37,628	28,510
Bachelor's degree	44,523	51,998	33,665
Master's degree	55,384	64,544	41,676
Doctorate	72,099	77,815	55,041
Professional Degree	98,197	111,654	59,793

Source: Census Bureau, in LAT, 8/27/97, B2.

Go To:

Angeles Mountains Hiking Information
Facts
Fallbrook Information
Financial Advice
Grand Canyon Hiking Information
Statistics on these Webpages
T. Chester's page

Copyright © 1997 by Tom Chester.
Permission is freely granted to reproduce any or all of this page as long as credit is given to me at this source:
http://la.znet.com/~schester/facts/income.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester
Last update: 31 August 1997.