Study links schooling, higher pay

TWIN FALLS, Idaho – State labor officials say education leads to twice the annual wage paid to Idaho residents without professional degrees – and students who continue their education are almost guaranteed a higher paying job.

The average annual wage for an Idaho resident with a bachelor’s degree is more than $50,000, according to a study released by Idaho Commerce and Labor and the Idaho Career Information System. Meanwhile, workers with no further education or specialized training can expect to earn $20,000 annually, the study shows. Those with professional or doctoral degrees are paid the highest salaries, earning more than $73,000 a year.

These figures were calculated by taking the average median incomes of those within specific educational demographics, said Bob Uhlenkott, chief research officer for Commerce and Labor.

The salary-and-educational link promotion – advertised with 4,000 posters doled out to schools, libraries and Commerce and Labor offices – is part of an educational initiative the state has launched to encourage state residents to pursue higher education, Uhlenkott said.

Greg Rogers, Commerce and Labor’s economist for Magic Valley, said students attending a community college like the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls and graduating with an associate’s degree or vocational training can earn $16.73 per hour – compared to $9.59 per hour for those without a formal education.

“You may be a high school graduate and have experience coming out of your ears,” Rogers said. “But if you’re going up for a job against someone with experience plus certification, the employer will pick the one with the certificate.”

Chuck Mollerup, director of the Idaho Career Information System, said students could see higher education as a block to earning money directly out of high school.

“Young people are interested in making money, but they don’t always see the connection between continuing their education and making money,” Mollerup said. “In fact, some see education as an impediment to getting out in the work force and earning a paycheck.”