OLMIS

by Brenda Turner
Published May-5-2010

The median earnings for Oregon workers age 25 and older who had earnings in 2008 were just over $31,800. This level ranked 31^st among all states, according to the 2008 American Community Survey. The state was below the national median of $34,737.

Median earnings vary by education level, and it is not hard to find a theme in the data: greater levels of education correspond to higher earnings. This trend is not really surprising given that better paying jobs often have higher skill and education requirements. But the incremental change from one level of education to the next is quite significant.

In Oregon, for those who finished high school or earned an equivalent diploma, their median earnings were about $5,800 more in 2008 than those who didn't graduate. That extra effort in working toward a diploma results in more than just a little pocket change - an extra $484 per month. Completing some college - but less than a bachelor's degree - also helps boost the bank account with the median earnings of $5,741 more than high school graduate wages in 2008, or an average of $478 per month.

Oregon's median wage by educational attainment lags behind the U.S. at every level, with the gap widening at higher levels of education.

What about male versus female earnings? Median earnings of women were just 68 percent of men's earnings in Oregon and 69 percent nationally.The ratio of female-to-male earnings was highest for those with some college or an associate's degree, where women earned 70 percent of men's earnings in Oregon. The ratio generally decreased as the postsecondary educational level increased. For men and women with a bachelor's degree, women earned 67 percent of what men earned. At the advanced degree level, the ratio was 61 percent.