College costs keep climbing, and the “you need a bachelor’s, or you’re toast” narrative is getting louder. But the data tells a clearer story: plenty of adults with some college or an associate degree still pull solid median earnings—especially in certain states.
Business Insider ranked all 50 states using the latest U.S. Census Bureau 2024 American Community Survey data on median earnings for adults 25+ with some college or an associate degree. They also listed high-school-only and bachelor’s numbers for context. No cost-of-living adjustment, so take the raw dollars with a grain of salt if you’re comparing expensive coastal markets to cheaper ones.
Nationwide, bachelor’s holders still earn about 38.6% more on average (roughly an $18,500 annual gap). But if you’re skipping the four-year path—or already have an associate/some college—location matters a lot.
Highest-paying states for the non-bachelor’s crowd
1. **Maryland** — $55,301 (some college/associate)
2. **Alaska** — $54,950
3. **Washington** — $53,857
4. **New Hampshire** — $52,513
5. **Massachusetts** — $52,218
6. **Minnesota** — $52,185
7. **Connecticut** — $51,686
8. (tie) **North Dakota** & **New Jersey** — $51,644
10. **Colorado** — $51,247
Other strong showings: California ($51,031), Hawaii ($50,549), Virginia ($50,450), Wisconsin ($50,315), Rhode Island ($50,264).
Lowest-paying states
50. **Arkansas** — $41,732
49. **Mississippi** — $41,781
48. **New Mexico** — $42,468
47. **Louisiana** — $43,459
46. **West Virginia** — $43,674
(Wyoming is interesting: high-school grads there actually edge out the some-college group in the data.)
What this means if you’re job hunting or advising someone who is
- Trade skills, technical roles, healthcare support, logistics, and certain skilled blue-collar jobs can pay real money without a bachelor’s—especially in higher-wage states or energy/tech-heavy markets.
- The degree premium is real almost everywhere, but it’s smaller in places like the Dakotas and larger in high-cost, high-professional markets (California, New Jersey, etc.).
- Moving for pay is a calculation, not a slogan. A $55k median in Maryland doesn’t stretch the same as $47k in a lower-cost state once housing, taxes, and commuting hit.
Don’t let “you must have a bachelor’s” freeze you. Map the actual earnings in your target state (or the ones you’re willing to move to), stack it against local cost of living and the specific jobs/credentials that open doors there, and decide with numbers—not vibes. Associate degrees, apprenticeships, certifications, and targeted some-college pathways still work. Just pick the geography that rewards them.
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 ACS via Business Insider ranking (updated Sept 2026). Always cross-check current local wage data and cost-of-living indexes before making a move.