Median Annual Income, by Level of Education, 1990–2010

Updated February 21, 2017 | Factmonster Staff
Sex & Year Elementary/Secondary College
Less than
9th grade
9th to 12th
grade, no
completion1
High school
completion (includes
equivalency)2
Some college,
no degree3
Associate
degree4
Bachelor's
Degree5
Master's
Degree4
Professional
Degree4
Doctorate4
Men                  
1990 $17,394 $20,902 $26,653 $31,734 $39,328
1991 17,623 21,402 26,779 31,663 $33,817 40,906 $49,734 $73,996 $57,187
1992 17,294 21,274 27,280 32,103 $33,433 41,355 $49,973 $76,220 $57,418
1993 16,863 21,752 27,370 32,077 33,690 42,757 51,867 80,549 63,149
1994 17,532 22,048 28,037 32,279 35,794 43,663 53,500 75,009 61,921
1995 18,354 22,185 29,510 33,883 35,201 45,266 55,216 79,667 65,336
1996 17,962 22,717 30,709 34,845 37,131 45,846 60,508 85,963 71,227
1997 19,291 24,726 31,215 35,945 38,022 48,616 61,690 85,011 76,234
1998 19,380 23,958 31,477 36,934 40,274 51,405 62,244 94,737 75,078
1999 20,429 25,035 33,184 39,221 41,638 52,985 66,243 100,000 81,687
2000 20,789 25,095 34,303 40,337 41,952 56,334 68,322 99,411 80,250
2001 21,361 26,209 34,723 41,045 42,776 55,929 70,899 100,000 86,965
2002 20,919 25,903 33,206 40,851 42,856 56,077 67,281 100,000 83,305
2003 21,217 26,468 35,412 41,348 42,871 56,502 70,640 100,000 87,131
2004 21,659 26,277 35,725 41,895 44,404 57,220 71,530 100,000 82,401
2006 22,710 27,650 37,030 43,830 47,070 60,910 75,430 100,000* 100,000*
2008 27,964 33,435 43,165 50,359 54,861 82,197 99,516 166,065 129,773
2009 23,000 32,900 39,000 42,000 51,000 70,000
2010 24,000 29,000 40,000 46,000 50,000 64,000 81,000 115,000 101,000
Women                  
1990 $12,251 $14,429 $18,319 $22,227 $28,017
1991 12,066 14,455 18,836 22,143 $25,000 28,079 $34,949 $46,742 $43,303
1992 12,958 14,559 19,427 23,157 $25,624 30,326 $36,037 $46,257 $45,790
1993 12,415 15,386 19,963 23,056 25,883 31,197 38,612 50,211 47,248
1994 12,430 15,133 20,373 23,514 25,940 31,741 39,457 50,615 51,119
1995 13,577 15,825 20,463 23,997 27,311 32,051 40,263 50,000 48,141
1996 14,414 16,953 21,175 25,167 28,083 33,525 41,901 57,624 56,267
1997 14,161 16,697 22,067 26,335 28,812 35,379 44,949 61,051 53,037
1998 14,467 16,482 22,780 27,420 29,924 36,559 45,283 57,565 57,796
1999 15,098 17,015 23,061 27,757 30,919 37,993 48,097 59,904 60,079
2000 15,978 17,919 24,970 28,697 31,071 40,415 50,139 58,957 57,081
2001 16,691 19,156 25,303 30,418 32,153 40,994 50,669 61,748 62,123
2002 16,510 19,307 25,182 29,400 31,625 40,853 48,890 57,018 65,715
2003 16,907 18,938 26,074 30,142 32,253 41,327 50,163 66,491 67,214
2004 17,023 19,162 26,029 30,816 33,481 41,681 51,316 75,036 68,875
2006 18,130 20,130 26,740 31,950 35,160 45,410 52,440 76,240 70,520
2008 21,346 21,937 31,533 35,888 39,948 54,204 65,039 100,167 83,762
2009 19,000 25,000 29,300 31,000 40,100 54,000
2010 18,000 21,000 30,000 33,000 38,000 47,000 59,000 77,000 77,000
NOTE: Year-round, full-time workers 25 years and older. (—) = not available.
1. Includes 1 to 3 years high school for 1990.
2. Includes 4 years of high school for 1990, and equivalency certificates for the other years.
3. Includes 1 to 3 years of college and associate degrees for 1990.
4. Not reported separately for 1990. "or higher" for 2009.
5. Includes 4 years of college for 1990.
* Data not available
Source: U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Current Population Reports, Series P-60, “Money Income of Households, Families, and Persons in the United States,” “Income, Poverty, and Valuation of Noncash Benefits,” various years; and Series P-60, “Money Income in the United States,” various years. From Digest of Education Statistics 2005. For 2009: nces.ed.gov.

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