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What is the salary difference with a master’s degree?

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What is the salary difference with a master's degree?
Discover how your earning potential could soar. Learn what the salary difference with a master's degree is and make an informed career decision.

A master’s degree usually raises earnings, but the size of the premium varies. The National Association of Colleges and Employers has reported that the starting-salary gap between bachelor’s and master’s graduates has narrowed in recent years, partly because employers now weigh skills more heavily alongside degrees. In some fields the gap is still large. NACE’s analysis found that master’s graduates in fields such as legal studies and communications technologies start at more than 50 percent above bachelor’s averages.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes earnings by education level. Its 2025 figures show median usual weekly earnings of $1,876 for full-time workers age 25 and over with a master’s degree, compared with $1,578 for those with only a bachelor’s degree. That gap is an average across all fields and regions, so your results will depend on your industry and location.

Starting pay is highest in technical and quantitative fields. NACE surveys consistently show the strongest starting salaries for master’s graduates in engineering, computer science, math and sciences, and business.

Some careers require a master’s for entry. Examples include nurse practitioners, physician assistants, computer and information research scientists, economists, postsecondary education administrators, psychologists, epidemiologists, urban and regional planners, survey researchers, and social workers. Check the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for the roles you are considering, since requirements differ by field and employer. When you are ready to act on the data, salary negotiations can leverage your master’s degree, and it helps to review the ROI of a master’s degree for your situation. Many students also choose credible online master’s degrees to earn the credential without leaving work.

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