One of Hiring Labs’ key findings is straightforwardly financial. Workers with only a high school diploma are more likely to fall into the lowest income ranges: 31% earn under $15,000, compared with just 17% of those who have a bachelor’s degree. And nearly 75% of workers who only completed high school earn under $50,000, versus 45% of bachelor’s-degree holders.
The report also reveals that workers with more schooling are far more likely to receive employer-provided training – a critical pathway for advancement. Among those with only a high school diploma, 57% say they receive no employer-provided training, compared with 33% of bachelor’s degree holders. This creates a cycle: those with more education tend to gain even more opportunities to learn.On the numbers alone, higher education seems as advantageous as ever.
But while the answer seems clear, the choice rarely is. Behind every data point is someone making a difficult, deeply personal decision: Is going back to school right for me? Will it actually change anything? And for many adults, the most meaningful benefits aren’t purely monetary. They can include changes in confidence, capability and direction that come from learning again.
