U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Data Shows College Graduates Have Lowest Unemployment Rate

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that among workers aged 25 and over, people with a bachelor's degree have the lowest unemployment rate of any education group. Those without a high school diploma face the highest risk of being out of work, with jobless rates more than twice those of college grads.

2% for college grads. 8%. The same ordering held in 2019 before the pandemic and before ChatGPT entered the job market.

Bachelor's degree holders earn about 66% more per week than high school graduates. Research from Ladders found that degree requirements have the biggest impact on top-tier salaries, with jobs paying $200,000 or more overwhelmingly requiring advanced degrees.

Companies including Google, Microsoft, and Apple have removed degree requirements from some job postings. Goodwill CEO Steve Preston previously told Fortune that hiring managers often still prefer candidates with degrees despite official policy changes.