According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the percentage of the U.S. adult population with a bachelor’s degree or higher rose to 33.4% in 2016, a significant milestone since data began to be collected in 1940 in the Current Population Survey. In that year, only 4.6% had reached that level of education. Average earnings in 2016 for those ages 25 and older whose highest educational attainment was high school were $35,615, with a bachelor’s degree $65,482, and $92,525 with an advanced degree.
The report can be obtained at https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2016/demo/education-attainment/cps-detailed-tables.html.