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A bar chart showing the financial benefits of a college degree, based on April 2026 median yearly full-time earnings and educational attainment according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The figures are $50,804 for high school diploma with no college; $59,176 for associate's degree or some college; $83,668 for bachelor's degree; and $103,064 for master's degree and higher.

How earning a degree impacts career earnings and value

April 15, 2026  ·  2 minutes  ·  By Tyler Hansen

There is immense personal value in earning a bachelor’s degree. It’s a badge of honor you carry with you for life.

And it’s a game-changer in the job market.

Albert Diaz, Oregon State University Ecampus computer science graduate, lifting his son in the air.Play

To boost his career, Albert Diaz enrolled online with OSU Ecampus to pursue his postbaccalaureate degree in computer science. His plan paid off.

By earning your bachelor’s degree, you could earn as much as $1 million more than someone with a high school diploma over the course of a career, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Also, a report from the National Center for Education Statistics shows that people who have earned a four-year degree have better employment prospects and enjoy higher earnings than those with some college experience but no degree.

Many students who have earned their degrees online with Oregon State University can attest to the direct impact their academic success had on their careers. Among them is Asumi Suzuki, whose online computer science bachelor’s degree gave her the skills she needed to move up into a software developer role for Rakuten.

Oregon State delivers more than 100 degrees, certificates and microcredentials online. Explore our offerings today and find the program that best matches your interests and career aspirations.


Discover more about the Oregon State online learning experience and the programs and courses we deliver online.

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Categories: Advancing Your Career, All Stories, Ecampus, Online Learning Experience, Resources

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Tyler Hansen

Tyler Hansen is a writer for Oregon State University Ecampus. He primarily writes feature stories on the Oregon State students and faculty who learn and teach online, and articles that provide readers with the information they need to continue their educational journeys. Prior to starting at Oregon State in 2011, he worked as a sports writer, high school journalism teacher and arts and entertainment editor.

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