In the last six years, American higher education institutions conferred nearly 3.5 million more degrees than they had over the previous six years. By last year, 29.8 percent of men and 37.2 percent of women ages 25 to 29 possessed four-year college degrees.In time, it is likely that these young college graduates will find work and earn pay that is significantly higher than they would have earned had they not gone to college.
In 2012, two-year-degree holders earned close to $7,000 more per year than their high-school-diploma-only counterparts. Someone with a four-year degree earned roughly $15,000 more than that same someone with an associate degree. And a professional degree reaped nearly $35,000 more than a four-year college degree, according to the Department of Labor.
