2026 E-Insights Report

Median Annual Earnings for High School Graduates without College Degrees

  • Tampa Bay wages are growing, but competitive positioning remains weak. Median annual earnings for high school graduates rose from approximately $31,600 in 2020 to roughly $36,500 in 2024. Despite this internal wage growth, the MSA has struggled to climb the competitive ladder, fluctuating between No. 14 and No. 18 over the last decade and settling at No. 16 in 2024. This indicates that while local purchasing power may be improving slightly, the region continues to lag behind peer markets in offering competitive wages for its foundational workforce.
  • Seattle maintained its position as the market leader, holding the No. 1 spot consistently and driving the upper bound of earnings potential. In contrast, San Antonio has anchored the bottom of the rankings (No. 20) for nearly the entire decade, with 2024 earnings of approximately $34,000, highlighting the stark disparity in earning power for high school graduates between the most and least competitive metros.
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Trend Over Time

Trend Over Time Line Graph

Competitive Position Trend

Competitive Position Trend Line Graph

About: This metric measures the median annual earnings for the population aged 25 and older whose highest level of education is a high school diploma (or equivalent) or who have some college experience but no degree. Definition: Earnings encompass all wages, salaries, and net self-employment income. This indicator reflects the economic vitality and standard of living affordable to the region鈥檚 mid-skill workforce. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), Table B20004: Earnings by Educational Attainment.