New Dashboard Compares College Graduate Earnings by State

A new tool tracks how degree outcomes stack up against high school diplomas to anticipate federal financial aid eligibility.

Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Financial Aid

New Dashboard Compares College Graduate Earnings by State

Live Poll

Is a college degree still the most reliable way to increase your household's long-term earnings?

The HEA Group has launched an online dashboard that compares earnings for nearly three million college graduates against those of high school diploma earners. The tool uses data from the 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic years to analyze outcomes across 38,100 programs and 309 fields of study.

Why it matters

This dashboard provides a preview of which academic programs might lose federal student loan eligibility under the upcoming Do No Harm earnings test. The federal regulation requires programs to demonstrate that graduates earn more than high school diploma holders to maintain their status.

Nationally, undergraduate credential holders earn a 76 percent earnings premium compared to those with only a high school diploma. Math and computer science bachelor degrees lead the field with a median salary of $125,500.

The players

The HEA Group

The HEA Group is a research and consulting organization that focuses on higher education data and college affordability.

The details

The data tracks earnings four years post-graduation, highlighting regional disparities where Delaware undergrad earners make double the median high school graduate salary. Conversely, certain credentials like cosmetology often result in earnings lower than those of high school graduates.

The data reflects graduate outcomes from the 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic years.
The HEA Group published the online data dashboard on October 28, 2026.
The federal Do No Harm earnings test is scheduled to be finalized by summer 2026.
The first round of federal earnings test results is expected for release in 2027.

Culture Shift

This data release reflects a broader cultural and policy shift toward holding higher education institutions strictly accountable for student financial outcomes. It moves the focus of degree value away from prestige toward verifiable economic utility in the labor market.

Students can use this tool to evaluate the potential return on investment for specific degree programs before committing to tuition costs. Prospective learners should examine state-specific data to understand how local labor markets value credentials in their chosen fields.

The takeaway

Students should prioritize selecting programs with a documented earnings premium to ensure their education provides long-term financial security. Prospective enrollees can use this dashboard to compare their chosen field's earning potential against local high school graduate benchmarks.