Important Caveats

Institutional Participation

Earnings data is only available for graduates from institutions participating in the PSEO Coalition. States and institutions not in this coalition are not represented. A complete list of participating institutions is available in the Data section of the Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) program website.

Different Timeframes

PSEO data is based on earnings one year, five years, and 10 years after graduation, while high school graduate earnings from ACS represent all adult earnings and are not tied to specific points in time after graduating high school.

Contextual Differences

High school earnings data may include individuals at different stages in their careers, while PSEO data reflects earnings closer to graduation, potentially understating the long-term advantage of higher education.

State-Specific Comparisons

The analysis is state-based and does not account for interstate migration or cost-of-living differences between regions.

Institution Participation

Only institutions participating in the PSEO Coalition are included in the analysis of postsecondary employment outcomes.