The HEA Group released an online data tool analyzing earnings outcomes across college programs nationwide in response to an upcoming federal accountability measure. The dashboard breaks down median earnings four years after graduation by state, field of study, and credential level, comparing these figures to earnings for high school diploma holders in each state.
The federal “Do No Harm” earnings test, finalized this past summer, requires certificate and degree programs to demonstrate that graduates earn more on average than high school diploma earners to maintain access to federal student loan funding. The first results of this test are anticipated to arrive next year. The new dashboard provides states with preliminary analysis of which programs may potentially lose federal support based on earnings data.
The data reveal substantial variation across states in earnings premiums. Delaware leads with median undergraduate earners making approximately double what high school graduates earn, while Utah ranks second and Alabama third. Colorado, by contrast, shows only a 55 percent premium—below the national average of 76 percent—largely because its high school graduates earn substantially more than counterparts in other states. Alaska recorded the lowest premium at 28 percent, though this reflects the state’s high-paying jobs in sectors like oil and gas that do not require degrees beyond high school.
The dataset encompasses information from nearly three million graduates across approximately 38,100 college programs and 309 fields of study. However, limitations exist, including that it measures only earnings four years post-graduation, excludes tuition costs, and uses data from 2017–18 and 2018–19 cohorts. Fields where earnings increase significantly later or where graduates pursue advanced degrees may appear less valuable under this metric than longer-term measurements would suggest. Mathematics and computer science bachelor’s degrees show the highest median earnings at $125,500, while cosmetology credentials typically fall below high school graduate earnings across most states.
Education researchers and leaders have noted that such earnings-focused metrics cannot fully capture broader social and community benefits of higher education. They emphasized that certain fields and skills retain lasting value beyond immediate wage considerations.
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