Monthly earnings of Millennials, college graduates with bachelor's, master's, doctorate degrees
In 2009 (the latest year available) the median monthly earnings of young adults with a bachelor’s degree and no further education was $3,836, a 13% increase from 1984 ($3,399), according to the Census Bureau’s Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP).
The data also show that earnings of young workers with advanced degrees have grown even more than the earnings of those with bachelor’s degrees. The median monthly earnings of young adults with master’s degrees rose 23% from 1984 ($3,875) to 2009 ($4,772). Median earnings for those with professional and doctorate degrees is up even more –34%.
Median College-I Monthly Earnings 34-Year-Olds, of  | College-I Educated Earnings 25- to 34-Year-Olds,  | by Educational Attainment  | In 2012 dollars  | Professional & doctorate  | $5,799  | $5, 415  | $4,772  | Master's $4.159 degree  | $4.159 degree  | $4,315  | $3,875  | $3,836  | $3,399  | $3, 643 degree  | Bachelor $3, 643 s degree  | 1984  | 1996  | 2009  | Notes: earnings Monthly earnings limited to workers reporting during positive  | earnings and who were emp loyed all wee ks reporting during the  | reference month.  | Source: Pew Research Center ta bulations ofthe 1984, 1996  | and 2009 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP)  | Education and Training History topical Program module.  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 