A recent interview with Gregory Wolniak, a researcher on the effects of going to college, revealed that post-college earnings can be influenced by several factors.

Just going to college affects earnings on a yearly basis. On average, earnings increase by 5 percent for every year of college completed – not degrees or credentials, just years.

Achieving a bachelor’s degree increases post-college earnings by 15 to 27 percent compared to high school graduates. Taking the cost of college into account, the return on investment for a bachelor’s degree earned from a public college is almost 20 percent. From a private college, it is closer to 15 percent due to higher tuitions and other costs associated with private schools.

An even bigger difference in earnings comes from which major a student chooses. According to Wolniak, the average difference between attending and not attending college is less than the difference among majors. 

As for differences between males and females, Wolniak found that completing a bachelor’s degree has a larger effect on women’s earnings than on men’s, meaning women have more to gain from going to college.

To read the full article in The Atlantic, click here.