VALDOSTA – Valdosta State University bachelor’s degree graduates are projected to earn more than $1.4 million in additional income over their working lifetimes.
Release:
VALDOSTA — Class of 2025 bachelor’s degree graduates from a University System of Georgia institution like Valdosta State University are projected to earn, on average, $1.4-plus million more during their lifetime, according to a new study from the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia.
Advanced degrees boost those earnings even more.
“This report puts a powerful number behind something we see every day at Valdosta State University and that is the life-changing impact of a VSU degree,” said Dr. Donald J. Green, university president.
“Higher education is one of our most powerful engines for social mobility. For many of our students, especially those from our 41-county South Georgia service area, a VSU degree represents an opportunity to change the trajectory of their own lives, create greater possibilities for their families, and contribute to the prosperity of the communities they call home. That makes our work serious business because what we do on this campus every day has the potential to shape a stronger future for everyone.”
The Lifetime Earnings for University System of Georgia Class of 2025 study states that the increase in earnings associated with a degree varies from one person to another, over time, geographically, and by field of study. However, it is possible to provide a rough approximation of the aggregate benefits to VSU’s Class of 2025 graduates, as well as benefits accruing to the average degree holder.
According to the study, prepared by the Selig Center for Economic Growth’s Dr. Jeffrey M. Humphreys, director, and Alexandra Hill, public service assistant, the most relevant measure of the economic “worth” of a college education is increased earnings over a working lifetime. The team prepared estimates of work-life earnings by level of educational attainment for Georgia and the United States based on median personal earned income data from the Census Bureau’s most recent five-year American Community Survey. On average, high school graduates who obtained a bachelor’s degree in 2025 are projected to boost their work-life earnings by 80 percent in Georgia, or 77 percent across the United States.
These estimates are important, the financial analysts noted, because they show to what extent higher education pays off, which may motivate students, employers, workers, and policymakers to pursue and support postsecondary education.
Visit https://pxl-usgedu.terminalfour.net/prod01/channel_4/media/usg/news-documents/USG-Lifetime-Earnings-FY-2025-06-08-2026.pdf to read the full 17-page report.
