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If you want to make more money, it helps to do well in school, but it helps even more to be a white man.

The better your grades in high school, the more money you are likely to make later in life, according to a study by researchers at the University of Miami and Nova Southeastern University. But gender apparently matters more than grades: A woman with a 4.0 high-school GPA still makes less, on average, than a man with a 2.5 GPA, the study found.

The study also found that minorities tend to benefit less dollar-wise from getting good grades than their white counterparts, even though African-American and Latino high-school students with high GPAs are more likely to continue their schooling than white students with good grades.
The chart below, from the study, shows the difference in earnings for men and women based on high school GPA. Men are in red, women are in green. These are average salary figures for people aged 24-34.
Women do at least enjoy better percentage pay bumps than men as their grades improve: The study, based on high-school transcript data and interviews of more than 10,000 students, found that, for men, a one-point increase in GPA translated to an 11.85-percent increase in annual earnings, compared to a 13.77 percent annual earnings increase for women. Still, the higher percentage increase isn't enough for women to catch up to men because their base salary starts off so much lower.

The research, which will be published in the upcoming issue of the Eastern Economic Journal, adds to the growing body of evidence that women earn less than their male counterparts, even when they have similar qualifications. That gap begins as soon as women enter the workforce. Both high-school and college-educated young women earn less than men with the same degrees, according to a recent study from the Economic Policy Institute.

That gap only widens as women advance in their careers. That's partly because women are more likely to take time off to have and raise children. In addition, women often face conscious and unconscious discrimination as they climb the corporate ladder.

Another factor is that women often end up in lower-paying fields like education and health care. While there is certainly some self-selection involved, many girls are also socialized from an early age to be less interested in careers that tend to make more money, like engineering or technology, experts say. In addition, some argue that majority-female occupations are often valued less monetarily simply because they're made up of mostly women.

Other research shows that minority job-seekers face widespread discrimination when applying for jobs. Indeed, the black unemployment rate has been almost twice as high as the white jobless rate for the past 60 years.

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Female 'A+' Students End Up Making As Much as Male 'C' Students

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If you want to make more money, it helps to do well in school, but it helps even more to be a white man. The better your grades in high school, the more money you are likely to make later in life, according to a study by researchers at the University of Miami and Nova Southeastern University.

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Immigration continues to be one of the central policy issues confronting the U.S. government. This debate encompasses legal and unauthorized immigration, skilled and unskilled immigration, temporary and permanent immigration, family-based and skill-based immigration, and myriad similar policy choices.

Among the several issues surrounding immigration, one is purely fiscal in nature. If the average immigrant is unskilled and earns a low wage, the tax contribution, either through income or sales taxes, of such an immigrant is likely to be low. Moreover, in states where public services are fairly easily accessible, this immigrant may be able to draw a decent share of public services. This difference between what this immigrant may contribute as tax dollars and what the immigrant may draw in terms of public services is likely to be a net fiscal burden on the government (potentially at both the state and the federal levels). On the other hand, if one considers a highly skilled legal immigrant, who will be earning a high wage and who may be less dependent on public services, there may be a net fiscal gain for the government.

Of course, this fiscal issue alone cannot determine immigration policy, but a greater knowledge about its impact weighed against other factors-like the need of individual industries for workers who may not be available domestically-can inform sensible immigration policy. Knowledge of individual economic characteristics of immigrants, like education levels, unemployment rates, wages, etc., is a first step in shedding more light on how the current immigrant pool compares with the native population and also on how future immigration may contribute to the U.S. economy.

Accordingly, this article focuses first on a comparison of the native and the foreign-born U.S. population in terms of economic characteristics at the national level. Then, we will present the comparisons at the state level for the top-five and the bottom-five states ranked by their immigrant population.

The Data

We used data on the foreign-born population living in the U.S. in 2015 as a proxy for current and past immigration flows. These data, which are collected by the American Community Survey, include authorized and unauthorized immigrants; however, it is well-documented that unauthorized immigrants are undercounted in census surveys. Therefore, our calculations may underestimate the extent of unskilled and low-income immigration.

Before beginning our comparison task, we had to account for the fact that immigrant populations in general exhibit an age distribution that is significantly different from that of native populations. In particular, we noted that migration at a young age is relatively uncommon; children rarely migrate by themselves, and newborns cannot be, by definition, foreign-born. The difference in the age distribution is reflected in the data: Whereas over 30 percent of the native population is under 22 years old, only about 10 percent of the foreign-born population is in this age range. Thus, to make these two populations comparable, we restricted the dataset to include only individuals who are 22 years or older in all calculations.

Comparing the Two Populations

The U.S. immigrant pool is diverse in terms of both country of origin and skill level. On the one hand, one would expect that a large fraction of the unauthorized immigrants would not have higher academic degrees. On the other hand, casual observation of U.S. Ph.D. programs, especially in the STEM (science-technology-engineering-mathematics) fields, suggests that a large fraction of students in such programs are from abroad. (Although international students reside in the U.S. on a temporary basis, they could potentially become naturalized citizens. They would still be counted as foreign-born in our data.)

The first four sets of bars in Figure 1 show the diverse educational attainment of immigrants and the native-born. For example, 27.7 percent of foreign-born do not have a high school diploma vs. 9.3 percent for the native population. On the other hand, 12.3 percent of the foreign-born have graduate degrees, as opposed to 10.8 percent of the natives.

It is worth noting that, at 90.8 percent, the natives have a higher high-school graduation rate, far outweighing the foreign-born rate of 72.3 percent. (These rates include those who have gone on to receive college degrees.) This discrepancy can reflect various factors, including the fact that the U.S. provides an easier access to reasonably priced education in public schools compared with many developing nations, from where lower-skilled immigrants may come. Another factor lies in the self-selection process of immigration. The foreign-born population in the U.S. mainly contains individuals who found it profitable to leave their home country, and one would expect that unskilled individuals have a lower opportunity cost associated with migration.

Among the other variables reported in Figure 1, labor force participation and unemployment rates are not that different between the natives and the foreign-born, reflecting that labor market distress does not seem to be substantially higher for immigrants compared with natives. On the other hand, the median personal incomes of the two groups are starkly different, with a much higher median level of income per person for natives ($28,000), compared with the foreign-born ($20,400). This contrast, however, is consistent with the difference in education levels between natives and the foreign-born.

Top Five and Bottom Five States

Although the national level comparison is useful, given the wide differences in immigrant concentration across U.S. states, we now focus on the top five and bottom five host states for immigrants in the U.S. to see whether there are any appreciable differences in terms of characteristics of immigrants in these states. The results are reported in the table.

California, which has the largest share of foreign-born in its population (at 36.8 percent), shows a rate of 33.1 percent of its foreign-born population without a high school diploma, compared with 8 percent for its native population. At the other end of the educational spectrum, 10.4 percent of the foreign-born living in California hold a graduate degree, whereas 11.9 percent of the U.S.-born California residents do.

The state with the smallest share of foreign-born is West Virginia (at 2.6 percent of its population). The proportion of foreign-born in West Virginia without a high school diploma is 7.8 percent, which is actually lower than the rate for the natives in West Virginia, which is 13.7 percent. Even more striking, 23.5 percent of the foreign-born in West Virginia have graduate degrees, compared with 7.2 percent for the natives.

Among other interesting comparisons, a closer look at the median income levels of the top five host states reveals that native income exceeds foreign-born income by $5,700 (Nevada) to $10,000 (California and New Jersey). For the bottom five states, this difference ranges between $2,000 (North Dakota and West Virginia) to $5,000 (South Dakota and Mississippi).

Conclusion

Our discussion can be summarized into two main points. First, at the national level, the foreign-born present some interesting contrasts with natives, especially in terms of educational attainment at lower and higher levels of the academic spectrum. At the state level, interesting contrasts emerge, where the largest host states of the foreign-born seem to show larger income and educational attainment differences between the foreign-born and the natives.

Although immigration policy is decided at the national (federal) level, sensible policy has to consider potentially disparate effects on states. A look at characteristics of the foreign-born population at the national and the state levels can complement such immigration policy discussions.
Subhayu Bandyopadhyay is an economist, and Rodrigo Guerrero is a senior research associate, both at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. For more on Bandyopadhyay's work, see https://research.stlouisfed.org/econ/bandyopadhyay.
Figure 1

Table 1

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Immigrants vs. Natives on Jobs, Income, Education | St. Louis Fed

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Find out how the two groups compare on the national level as a whole as well as in the states with the highest/lowest percentage of immigrants.

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Say you have done the near-impossible, and gotten an amazing SAT score of 2200 or higher or an ACT score of 32 or higher. Many high school students across the country are probably jealous of you!

But what if your GPA is much lower - a 3.0, or even a 2.0? Do you still have a shot at top colleges? What will admissions officers think about you?

Read on to find out what to do with a low GPA, high SAT/ACT score application. That high score could be worth a lot more than you think!

The Good News

Your high SAT/ACT score proves your academic abilities and intellectual aptitude. While it's possible to have a high GPA without being super smart (since some schools inflate GPAs), it's almost impossible to get a high SAT/ACT score if you don't have significant intellectual ability. Colleges know this.

Since the SAT and ACT are national, standardized tests, if you do well on them you'll stack up very favorably compared with the entire applicant pool. For example, if you have a 34 ACT, that means you scored higher than 99% of the country.

Having a 4.0 GPA, on the other hand, doesn't allow colleges to easily compare you to other students. This is because grading scales and class difficulty varies among high schools.

One other thing to keep in mind is that applying to schools where your SAT/ACT score is above their average admitted student score raises your odds of admission because your score will raise the schools' averages. Remember, colleges are also trying to maximize their score profiles, and getting students with higher SAT/ACT scores to apply can make them look good.

The Bad News

Your transcript and GPA are very important, especially for competitive schools. Stanford says on their admissions website, "We expect you to challenge yourself throughout high school and to do very well. The most important credential that enables us to evaluate your academic record is the high school transcript."

Why is the transcript - including your GPA - so important? Because your GPA shows your performance over a long period of time, as well as your ability to succeed in tough classes. This is important to help colleges decide if you will be able to succeed in their classes.

If you're a junior or senior with a low GPA, you don't have a lot of time to raise it before you turn in your college applications. So what can you do?

We will tell you what colleges might think about your low GPA and high ACT/SAT combination, questions they will have, and tips for you based on what your exact circumstances are.

How Low Is Low?

Of course, just how low your GPA is will affect your odds of admission. There is a huge difference between a 3.5, which would be considered low at selective colleges but well within range at many state schools, and a 2.0, which is considered low at most colleges.
Also make sure you're not being hard on yourself... you may think your 3.9 GPA is low, but most colleges won't.
Find out what the admitted student GPA range is at your target schools. You can do this by searching "[Name of College/University] Average GPA Admission" or "[Name of College/University] Admission Requirements."

If your GPA is just out of range, your high SAT/ACT score will likely make up for your GPA, especially if the rest of your application is strong.

But if your GPA is far below their range, it will be especially important to use your application to explain why your GPA is low.

So if you're reaching for a tough college, or have a way out-of-range GPA, read on to find out what to do!

What Do Colleges Think of Your High SAT/ACT and Low GPA?

If you have a high SAT/ACT score but low GPA, admissions officers will assume your academic potential is high - your SAT/ACT score shows that - but that your motivation is low, hence your low GPA.

A "smart slacker" could be the first thing that comes to mind when an admissions officer reads your file.

So what you have to do is prove that assumption wrong. Whether you have personal circumstances leading to a low GPA, a demanding extracurricular, or other academic preparation outside of high school classes, your goal is to show that not only are you smart - but you can also work hard and do well in college.

We will go through a series of scenarios, guided by the main questions admissions officers will be asking, about why your GPA is low and what it means. For each scenario, we have some specific advice, but read through all of them as your situation is likely unique and combines multiple scenarios.

Why Is Your GPA Low?

This is the big question admissions officers will have when they see your application. This is the question your application has to satisfyingly answer, especially if you want a shot at top colleges.

We will explore the two circumstances most likely to excuse a low GPA. Don't worry if these don't apply to you - we have plenty more advice coming!

Scenario 1: Extenuating Circumstances

If you have serious extenuating circumstances like a medical condition or family crisis, definitely explain them on your application. This would fit in the "extra information" box for sure, but it could also be good material for your personal statement.

For example, if you have a low GPA because your family had financial troubles, both of your parents started working long hours, and you became the primary caretaker for younger siblings and didn't have time for homework, that should definitely be on your application as part of your story.

Or if your grades suffered due to a medical condition, you should definitely make that known on your application.

In short, if you had serious outside circumstances that affected your grades, make sure you explain them thoroughly on your application. You want to make sure colleges know that, in your case, your GPA wasn't entirely in your control.

You should highlight academic interests and classes you did do well in, but the explanation of your circumstances will be the best way to help admissions officers evaluate your file fairly.

Scenario 2: You Spent Tons of Time on an Extracurricular

If you spend a lot of time on an extracurricular - say you're a debater who's been to nationals or an award-winning flute player - at the expense of classes, it won't excuse a low GPA, but it will improve your chances.

In addition to top scores and high GPAs, colleges are also looking for exceptionally talented students in specific fields. If you have an exceptional ability, it could overcome a low GPA, especially with your high ACT/SAT score. Any extracurriculars done at the national level will look especially good.

Do neither of these situations apply to you? Keep reading.
If you've played Carnegie Hall, colleges will probably be fairly forgiving about that C in Biology...
What Kinds of Classes Were You Taking?

A low GPA in hard classes will look better than a low GPA in easier ones. You should think about the pattern of grades you received and why you got low grades where you did.

College admissions officers will be trying to figure out this pattern too, so make it easier for them and explain whatever pattern you have. For example...

Scenario 3: You Took Hard Classes and Got a Low GPA

Did you overload yourself with too many hard courses and struggle to keep up? In your essay, you could talk about what you learned from taking on too much at a time and how you will be more careful and focused in college.

Since you were in those hard classes, you should also highlight what you learned and any intellectual development you experienced. For example, even if you got a low grade in AP Biology, maybe taking it convinced you that you want to explore pre-med courses in college and so you began volunteering at a local hospital or signed up for a medical anatomy class.

That kind of journey would show colleges that you have serious interests, and even if your grades aren't high, you are capable of doing hard work and improving.

Scenario 4: You Took Easy Classes and Got a Low GPA

Were you uninterested by easy classes at your school, and ended up slacking off? This will be a harder sell, but if you were in mostly regular classes (not honors or AP or IB) and got a low GPA, you could argue you simply weren't interested by your classes and had a hard time keeping up with menial assignments, but did have intellectual pursuits in your free time.

The above argument will be more compelling if you went to a high school without very many honors, AP, or IB options.

Your application would also be strengthened if you have a career goal in mind and do well in certain classes related to it. For example, if you want to be a lawyer and manage to pull decent grades in English and History, it could help convince admissions officers that despite your slacking in other classes, you will be able to pull together and focus on your major in college.

Hint: video games don't count as an intellectual pursuit (unless you design them).
What's Your Grade Trend?

While a high GPA is important, so is an overall trend of improved grades or harder classes year to year. Whether you have a rising grade trend or a sinking one, read on to learn what it means and how it affects your applications.

Scenario 5: You Started With Low Grades but Improved

If you're reading this as a sophomore or junior, work to improve your grades starting now. You won't be able to totally fix your GPA, but you will be able to show a story of improvement, which can be just as important. A pattern of improved grades shows that you fixed issues you had with time management and have gotten better at handling assignments and tests.

This growth is important because it shows admissions officers you can continue to grow and improve in college. This will look especially good if you have been succeeding in honors, AP, or IB classes later in your high school career, as it suggests you are learning the skills needed to succeed in college.

If you have this pattern on your transcript, definitely spend some time on your application explaining why you struggled at the beginning of high school, and what caused you to improve your grades. Along with a high ACT/SAT score, an improved GPA can convince colleges you are academically prepared.

Scenario 6: You Started With High Grades but They Dropped

If you started with great grades and your GPA has fallen, you'll have to explain why. Took on too many hard classes? You became overly involved in a sport or extracurricular? Illness in the family?

It will also be especially important to prove you have other academic or intellectual interests, like we will discuss below.

A lowering grade trend is more worrisome to colleges because it suggests you had a hard time coping with harder classes later in high school, or even that you've burned yourself out before college.

You will have to prove that you have strong academic interests and are capable of doing well, despite your trend of sinking grades. One way to do this is to take a few Honors, AP or IB classes senior year and make sure you do well in them.

Colleges will see a mid-year grade report, so if they see that you have taken on harder classes and are doing better, that will reassure them that you are capable of doing well in college courses.

Another way to reassure colleges is with SAT Subject Tests. Some colleges require them for admission, some don't, but nearly all will consider them. Getting high SAT subject tests scores will help convince admissions officers that you're academically capable in certain subjects.

If you haven't taken any SAT Subject Tests yet, consider it - many students take them late in the game (even in Senior fall). If you are confident of your ability on tests, and you have even a bit of time to devote to studying, a high SAT subject score or two could help prove your ability in academic subjects and help overshadow your GPA.
If your GPA trend looks like this, you have some explaining to do...
Can You Prove Your Academic Preparation in a Different Way?

If your GPA is low and you don't have a good reason for it, your task will be to prove to colleges you are still academically prepared, despite your low GPA. Your high ACT/SAT score is the first step towards proving yourself, but also consider other ways you can show your smarts...

Scenario 7: You Have One Weak Subject

Is there a certain subject you struggle in? Is your GPA low because you have Ds in math but As and Bs everywhere else? If so, you should highlight your strengths in other subjects.

For example, If you have great grades in English classes, highlight that on your application and talk about what draws you to English and why you enjoy it. Show that you have strong intellectual interests in your best subjects, which you can do through your personal statement or college supplements on the Common App.

If you have done outside work or an extracurricular related to these classes, even better. For example, if you're great at English and history and spend time outside of class in Mock Trial, you can talk about how your interest in law drives you to do well in history and English. This won't totally excuse low math grades you might have, but it will show colleges you have strong academic interests.
Help colleges focus on the positive!
Scenario 8: You Took and Passed AP or IB Exams

Did you take and pass AP or IB exams? For example, even if you got Cs all year in World History but passed the test with a 4, that at least proves you mastered most of the material.

If this is the case for you, highlight exams you did well on and talk about your intellectual interest in those subjects. You could address why you didn't do well in the classes in the "extra information" box, but focus on explaining your academic interests and how you want to continue pursuing them in college in the personal statement.

Remember, you want to demonstrate your academic abilities to colleges. A passing AP/IB score is an important piece of evidence, so follow it up with an essay further explaining your interests!

Scenario 9: You Took Outside Enrichment Classes

Whether you attended an academic summer camp or took an extra course or two at a community college, definitely put that information on your application. It won't make up for your low grades, but it will show colleges that you are serious about your intellectual pursuits and made time outside of school for learning.

This can be especially helpful if you get an additional letter of recommendation from a professor or instructor you worked with.

Scenario 10: You Have Academic Interests Outside of School

So your GPA is low, but do you do things like read War and Peace in your spare time? Have you learned a coding language on your own and designed your own app?

If you can't show your academic preparation through any high course grades or AP/IB exam results, find a way to include outside academic interests in your application. If you've attended Hackathons or entered writing contests, fit that into your application under extracurriculars. This kind of outside interest could be great material for a personal statement as well.

Basically, if you have academic preparation or interests that are not going to show up on your transcript, make sure they show up on your application! It will be reassuring to admissions officers to see you have outside intellectual pursuits.

Writing code is a more acceptable excuse for slacking off in Algebra than watching television...
How Can You Compensate With the Rest of Your Application?

College applications are holistic, meaning they consider the candidate as a whole. GPA is just one factor. While it's an important factor, if everything else on your application is strong you can improve your chances of admission.

Having a high SAT/ACT score is your big advantage because you won't be weeded out immediately based on your score. Read on to see how to maximize the other categories.

Personal Statement

Your essay is another opportunity to prove yourself. If you had significant extenuating circumstances, you could talk about them here. If you were bored and slacked off, use the essay as a space to explain an intellectual interest or hobby to offset your low GPA.

No matter what you write about, make sure your essay is well-written and presents your unique voice.

Remember - you no longer have control over your GPA, but you have complete control over your essay and how it presents you. Use it wisely!

Extracurriculars

Do you have any other extracurriculars that speak to intellectual aptitude? Math competitions, Model United Nations, writing for the school newspaper - these are the kinds of extracurriculars that support academic interests. If you have them, definitely highlight them.

Extracurriculars in the arts - from musical instruments to drawing to theater - are also great because they speak to interests outside of the classroom.

You should also talk about your involvement in sports, since that excelling in them requires both discipline and teamwork skills.

In short, you should highlight any extracurricular activity you have, even if you don't think it's significant. Extracurriculars can help show colleges you have outside interests, discipline, and the ability to work with others. These are all important factors, but can also help make up for a low GPA.

Teacher Recommendations

For your letters of recommendation, find teachers who can either speak to your personal circumstances or believe in your academic potential. You want to make sure your recommendations are supporting evidence for your application, not contradicting information.

For example, if your GPA is low due to an illness, find a teacher who can speak to your perseverance when you were sick, or how hard you worked once your condition improved.

If you don't have extenuating circumstances like that, make sure you find teachers who have great, specific things to say about you and your academic potential. Maybe you have an English teacher who always loved your essays or a math teacher who often called you to the front to explain problems on the board. Find teachers who recognize your abilities and would write you a kind letter.

Don't get a teacher to write a letter just because they taught you in a hard subject. If a recommender doesn't have specific things to say about you, the letter won't help your application.

If you're not sure you can get an amazing recommendation from a teacher, many colleges allow an additional letter to be submitted, from someone like a coach or boss. Find a third person who you know will speak very highly of you and use them for that third letter.

Where Are You Applying?

Your odds of admission will also depend on where you're applying. For example, say you have a 2360 SAT but a 2.7 GPA.

While your SAT would make you competitive for the Ivy League, it will be harder to overcome your low GPA at highly competitive schools. They simply have too many applicants with both high test scores and high GPAs to admit many people with a serious deficiency in either.
That 2360 alone won't get you into Harvard...
However, if you apply to less competitive schools where your SAT is far above their 25-75 percentile ranges, you would actually be quite a desirable candidate since your SAT score would raise their averages. (The 25-75 ranges are the score ranges that the middle 50 percent of colleges' accepted students fall in. For example, a 25-75 range of 24-30 ACT means that 25% of applicants scored lower than a 24, 25% scored higher than 30, and the middle 50% were between 24 and 30.)

Furthermore, a less competitive school will be more forgiving of a weak spot on your application, in this case your GPA, as opposed to a very selective school.

As a general rule, it's important to apply to a range of colleges. Don't just apply to all eight Ivy Leagues hoping that one will let you in. Apply to a few schools that are reaches given your GPA and ACT/SAT combo, a few that are safe targets, and a few that you think you will definitely get into, like state or community colleges.

You want to make sure you have some choices when it's time to decide which college you'll attend.

What's Next?

Learn about automatic scholarships for SAT/ACT scores. While colleges usually factor in GPA or Class Rank, see how far your high test score can get you.

Want to use SAT Subject Tests to raise your chances of admission? Learn which colleges require SAT Subject Tests for admission.

Check out our SAT/ ACT Percentile rankings guides to see just how much your high score stands out.

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

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Low GPA but High SAT/ACT: What Should You Do?

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Say you have done the near-impossible, and gotten an amazing SAT score of 2200 or higher or an ACT score of 32 or higher. Many high school students across the country are probably jealous of you! But what if your GPA is much lower - a 3.0, or even a 2.0?

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Women, on average, are paid 20 percent less than men. At some companies, the gap is even larger: Goldman Sachs recently reported a gender pay gap of 55.5 percent.

And the the pay gap forms early and continues to grow. As data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows, men earn more from the get-go.

Here's the median income American men are earning at every age:

16 to 19 years: $440 weekly/$22,880 annually

20 to 24 years: $549 weekly/$28,548 annually

25 to 34 years: $828 weekly/$43,056 annually

35 to 44 years: $1,065 weekly/$55,380 annually

45 to 54 years: $1,094 weekly/$56,888 annually

55 to 64 years: $1,058 weekly/$55,016 annually

65 years and older: $1,005 weekly/$52,260 annually

And here's how much women earn at every age:

16 to 19 years: $404 weekly/$21,008 annually

20 to 24 years: $508 weekly/$26,416 annually

25 to 34 years: $727 weekly/$37,804 annually

35 to 44 years: $877 weekly/$45,604 annually

45 to 54 years: $851 weekly/$44,252 annually

55 to 64 years: $869 weekly/$45,188 annually

65 years and older: $800 weekly/$41,600 annually

Women not only earn less, but, as the data shows, their peak earning age is significantly lower than that of the average man.

This aligns with data from compensation research firm PayScale, which found that pay growth for college-educated men essentially stops at age 49. For college-educated women, it's decidedly younger: at age 40.

From ages 22 to 32, female pay actually grows slightly faster than male pay. However, a shift occurs at age 33, when women's earnings growth starts to slow and men's remains steady. By age 40, women see their salaries peak at about $67,000.

Meanwhile, men continue seeing pay growth up until age 49, at which point they're earning a median of $102,000.

Take a look at PayScale's chart, which maps out the percent growth in pay by gender from age 22 to 67. Blue represents pay growth for male college grads and orange represents pay growth for female college grads.

One way women are closing the gender gap, though time-consuming and oftentimes expensive, is by getting one more degree.

A 2018 wage gap report from the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce found that in order to earn the same salary as men, women essentially need to get one more degree. "A woman with a bachelor's degree earns $61,000 per year on average, roughly equivalent to that of a man with an associate's degree," the Georgetown CEW reports. "The same rule holds true for women with master's degrees compared to men with bachelor's degrees and for each successive level of educational attainment."

To help narrow the gap, there are a few things women can do besides getting another degree, the report notes. For starters, pick a college major that pays well: "Women majoring in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields earn $840,000 more from the base year to retirement than women who major in the liberal arts, regardless of the occupations they choose."

And when you land your first job, negotiate your starting pay well. As the Georgetown CEW report finds, "The first salary is a very important leverage point for upward mobility and can result in a slower trajectory if women aim lower to begin with."

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Here's how much men and women earn at every age

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Women, on average, are paid 20 percent less than men. At some companies, the gap is even larger: Goldman Sachs recently reported a gender pay gap of 55.5 percent. And the the pay gap forms early and continues to grow. As data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows, men earn more from the get-go.

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Do you feel dejected or left behind by your peers because you don't have a college degree? Do you feel dejected because you are not educated? If YES, here's a list of famous richest school dropout billionaires & entrepreneurs without college degrees.
Do you see your supposed illiteracy as a limitation to achieving your dreams? Or are you in the group that thinks education is the ultimate yardstick for success? If any of these questions best describes you, then please read on.

How does it sound to your ears that most of the world's richest men and women were school drop outs? Well don't be surprised; it's the truth; and you too can become a billionaire in ten years or less.

"I have nothing against education. But at times, education gives people false confidence. It makes people relax, trusting in the power of their certificates rather than in working hard." - Rasaq Okoya

Today, I will be sharing with you a brief compilation of the entrepreneurial success stories of self made men and women; who took the bull by the horn by building a business, without being held back by the lack of a college degree. These men and women found their entrepreneurial spirit, surmounted business challenges, completed the entrepreneurial process and became successful entrepreneurs.

"I have been within the four walls of school and I have been on the street. I can confidently tell you that the street is tougher, challenging, daring, exciting and more rewarding. In school; you play alone. But on the street, you play with the big boys." - Ajaero Tony Martins

Warren Buffett, Mo Ibrahim, Mike Adenuga, Oprah Winfrey, George Soros, John D. Rockefeller, Sam Walton, Jerry Yang and David Filo, Anita Roddick, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, Jeff Bezos, Pierre Omidyar, Martha Stewart, Henry Ross Perot and Aliko Dangote; the richest black man in the world did not make the list because they possessed college degrees. Without wasting much of your time, below is a comprehensive list of some of the world's richest school drop out billionaires.

"Behind every adversity is an opportunity. If you lament over the adversity, you will miss the opportunity." - Ajaero Tony Martins

55 School Drop Out Billionaires Without College Degrees

1. Bill Gates : He is the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft Corporation, the world largest software company. Dropped out of Harvard to focus on building Microsoft. According to Forbes magazine, Bill Gates has held the position of the world richest man for thirteen consecutive years and he not showing a sign of letting go that position.

"To win big, you sometimes have to take big risks." - Bill Gates

"We were young, but we had good advice good ideas and lots of enthusiasm." - Bill Gates

2. Thomas Edison : Thomas Edison was labeled dumb and scatterbrain by his school teachers but he went on to become one of the world's greatest inventors and founded General Electric; one of the most powerful companies in the world.

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." - Thomas Edison

3. Orji Uzor Kalu : He is one of the richest men on the soil of Africa. This young billionaire was rusticated from college for his participation in a student's protest. Instead of lamenting over his predicament; he started trading on palm oil and from that humble beginning, he grew his business into a conglomerate " Slok Group." Though he was later pardoned by the school authorities, he rejected the amnesty offer thereby refusing to return to school.

"A good businessman must have nose for business the same way a journalist has nose for news. Once your eyes, ears, nose, heart and brain are trained on business, you sniff business opportunities everywhere." - Orji Uzor Kalu

4. Li Ka Shing : Billionaire owner of Hutchinson Whampoa; one of the largest conglomerates in Hong Kong, with operations that span over fifty countries and more than 220,000 staff worldwide. Dropped out of school at the age of 15 and started out by selling watch bands.

"The first year, I didn't have much capital so I did everything myself. I had to keep my overhead low by learning everything about running a business, from accounting to fixing the gears of my equipment. I really started from scratch." - Li Ka Shing

5. Richard Branson : Best known for his adventurous spirit and outrageous business tactics. He dropped out of school at the age of 16 to start his first successful business venture; Student Magazine, bought his own 79-acre Caribbean island when he was just 24 and he was knighted in 1999. He is the billionaire founder of the Virgin brand and its 360 companies. His companies include the famous Virgin Atlantic Airways.

"I wanted to be an editor or journalist. I wasn't really interested in becoming an entrepreneur, but I soon found I had to become an entrepreneur in order to keep my magazine going." - Richard Branson

6. Lawrence J. Ellison : Larry Ellison dropped out of college twice and was told by his adoptive father that he would never amount to anything but he went on to become a billionaire by building Oracle, the world's second largest software company.

"I have had all the disadvantages required for success. " - Larry Ellison

7. Michael Dell: He dropped out of college at the age of 19 to start PC's Limited; later renamed Dell Computers Inc. Dell became the most profitable PC manufacturer in the world making Michael Dell a billionaire.

"I had to give it a full go and see what happened." - Michael Dell

8. Steve Jobs : Billionaire co-founder of Apple Inc and Pixar; dropped out of Reed College to start Apple.

9. Henry Ford : This automobile billionaire was born in abject poverty. He never saw the four walls of school but he went on to build Ford Motor Company and become one of the richest men that ever lived.

"Thinking is the hardest work to do, that's why so few people are engaged in it." - Henry Ford

10. Walt Disney : Walt, regarded as the most influential animator because of his creativity with cartoons. He dropped out of high school at 16 and founded Walt Disney; a company which now has an annual revenue of about $30billion.

" If you can dream it, you can do it. " - Walt Disney

11. Ray Kroc : Billionaire Ray Kroc never saw the four walls of school and spent most of his life working as a salesman. He bought McDonald's in 1961 for $2.7m and grew it into a multi billion dollar company.

"Press on. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent." - Ray Kroc

12. Debbi Fields : A 20 year old housewife with no education and business experience started Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chippery and became the most successful cookie company owner. She later renamed, franchised, and then sold Mrs. Field's Cookies.

"You don't have to be superhuman to do what you believe in." - Debbi Fields

13. Cosmos Maduka : Nigerian Elementary school drop out and billionaire founder of the Coscharis Group.

14. Ingvar Kamprad : Billionaire founder of IKEA. He dropped out of high school at the age of 17 to start IKEA; now the top home furniture retailer in the world, with over 90,000 employees working in its 200-plus stores, and annual revenues in excess of $10 billion.

"I'm not afraid of turning 80 and I have lots of things to do. I don't have time for dying." - Ingvar Kamprad

15. Carl Lindner : Billionaire investor and founder of United Dairy Farmers. He dropped out of high school at the age of 14 to deliver milk for his family diary.

16. Simon Cowell : Famous for his involvement in American Idols, he dropped out of school at age 16 and started his own record label "Fanfare" at the age of 23.

"Good is not enough; you've got to be great." - Simon Cowell

17. Mary Kay Ash : Founder of Mary Kay Inc and best known as the most outstanding business woman in the 20th century. Mary never saw the four walls of school.

"When you reach an obstacle, turn it into an opportunity. You have the choice. You can overcome and be a winner, or you can allow it to overcome you and be a loser. The choice is yours and yours alone. Refuse to throw in the towel. Go that extra mile that failures refuse to travel. It is far better to be exhausted from success than to be rested from failure." - Mary Kay Ash

18. Coco Chanel : Fashion magnate and founder of the Coco Chanel brand, she never saw the four walls of school.

19. Wayne Huizenga : Wayne is the only person in history to build three Fortune 1000 companies practically from scratch: Waste Management Inc, Blockbuster Entertainment and AutoNation. He is the only person to have developed six NYSE-listed companies. He also owns the Miami Dolphins and is previous owner of the Florida Marlins baseball team and the Panthers hockey team, making him the only person ever to own three pro teams in a single market, two of which won national championships. He dropped out of college to join a friend in a garbage collection business.

20. Barry Diller : This billionaire media magnate dropped out of college to start Fox Broadcasting Company. He is chairman of Expedia, and was once the CEO of IAC/InterActiveCorp which includes Home Shopping Network and Ticketmaster.

"There's a world in which reasons are made up because reality is too painful." - Barry Diller

21. Andrew Carnegie : Founder of Carnegie Steel Company and one of the richest men that ever lived. Born in abject poverty, Andrew never saw the four walls of school.

"I shall argue that strong men conversely know when to compromise and that all principles can be compromised to serve a greater purpose." - Andrew Carnegie

22. Sir Philip Green : Billionaire retail mogul and owner of the Arcadia brand, he dropped out of school at the age of 16. After four business failures, Philip Green made his first million at the age of 33.

"If you've got a natural talent, I think it's fantastic. If I wasn't in retail, being a singer or a tennis player would be a better idea." - Sir Philip Green

23. Madame C. J. Walker : She was born into the family of ex-slaves and farmers. Despite being widowed at the age of 20 and faced with extreme hardship, she started a cosmetics business and went on to become the first American self made female millionaire.

"I had to make my own living and my own opportunity! But I made it! Don't sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them" - Madam C.J. Walker

24. Mark Zuckerberg : The youngest billionaire in the world, dropped out of Harvard to promote his social networking platform; Facebook. As at 2010, he was 23 years and worth $4billion.

25. Ted Turner : Billionaire drop out media mogul and founder of CNN; pledged a billion dollars to the United Nation.

"All my life, people have said that I wasn't going to make it." - Ted Turner

"Over a three year period, I gave away half of what I had. To be honest, my hands shook as I signed it away. I knew I was taking myself out of the race to be the richest man in the world." - Ted Turner

26. Cornelius Vanderbilt : Dropped out of school at the age of 11, began operating his own boat at the age of 16 and became one of the richest men in history.

"If I had learned education, I would not have had time to learn anything else." -Cornelius Vanderbilt

27. Mayer Amschel Rothschild : was born in a ghetto; started business as a money lender and built the largest private fortune in history. He never saw the four walls of school.

"Give me control over a nation's money supply and I don't care who make the laws. " - Mayer Amschel Rothschild

28. Ty Warner : Billionaire real estate investor, hotel owner, sole owner, CEO, and Chairman of Ty, Inc. Ty Warner is a savvy, yet private business man. Ty, Inc; made $700 million in a single year with the Beanie Babies craze without spending money on advertising. He has since expanded to include Ty Girlz dolls, directly competing with Bratz dolls.

29. Howard Hughes : Dropped out of California Institute of Technology and Rice University ; founded Hughes Aircrafts and Co and went on to become a billionaire.

"I intend to be, the richest man in the world." Howard Hughes

30. Giorgio Armani : Billionaire founder of the fashion brand; Giorgio Armani S.P.A. Dropped out of medical school at the University of Bologna because he couldn't stand the sight of blood.

"Remain true to yourself and your philosophy." - Giorgio Armani

Successful Entrepreneurs and World's Richest School Drop Out Billionaires

31. Asa Candler : Founder of the Billionaire company and world's most popular brand; Coca Cola. He dropped out of school at the age of 10.

32. Jenny Craig : With no college degree, this woman started Jenny Craig Inc from scratch and grew it to become one of the largest and most recognized companies in the weight management industry.

"If I make a commitment to something, I will stick to it no matter what." - Jenny Craig

33. Rachael Ray : Despite having no formal training in culinary arts, Rachel Ray made a name for herself in the food industry. With numerous shows on the Food Network, a talk show and cookbooks, high-energy Rachael never slowed down. She has also appeared in magazines as well has having her own magazine debut in 2006.

34. Milton Hershey : With only a fourth grade education, Milton Hershey started his own chocolate company. Hershey's Milk Chocolate became the first nationally marketed chocolate.

35. Frank Lloyd Wright : surpassed all odds to become the most influential architect of the twentieth century. Frank Lloyd Wright designed more than 1,100 projects with about half actually being built. He never saw the four walls of high school.

36. David Geffen : billionaire founder of Geffen Records and co-founder of DreamWorks.

"I never went to business school. I was just bumbling through a lot of my life. I was like the guy behind the curtain in the Wizard of Oz. " - David Geffen

37. Billy Joe (Red) McCombs : founder of Clear Channel media, real estate investor.

38. Craig McCaw : billionaire founder of McCaw Cellular.

39. Dave Thomas : billionaire founder of Wendy's.

"There's no one to stop you but yourself." - Dave Thomas

40. ay Van Andel : billionaire co-founder of Amway.

41. Micky Jagtiani : billionaire retailer, Landmark International

42. John Paul DeJoria : billionaire co-founder of John Paul Mitchell Systems and Patron Spirits tequilla.

43. David Green : billionaire founder of Hobby Lobby.

44. Frederick "Freddy" Laker : billionaire airline entrepreneur.

45. Kirk Kerkorian : billionaire investor, owner of Mandalay Bay and Mirage Resorts, and MGM movie studio.

46. Leandro Rizzuto : billionaire founder of Conair

47. Leslie Wexner , billionaire founder of Limited Brands.

48. Marc Rich : billionaire commodities investor and founder of Marc Rich & Co.

49. S. Daniel Abraham : billionaire founder of Slim-Fast.

50. Theodore Waitt : billionaire founder of Gateway Computers.

51. Y.C. Wang : billionaire founder of Formosa Plastics.

52. Paul Allen : billionaire co-founder of Microsoft Corporation; dropped out of Washington State University.

53. Ralph Lauren : Billionaire fashion mogul. Studied business at Baruch College for two years and dropped out.

54. Dean Kamen : Billionaire Kamen holds more than 80 US patents; famous for the Segwey PT, Auto syringe and IBOT robotic wheelchair; dropped out of Worcester Polytechnic.

55. Dhirubhai Ambani : Famous founder of Reliance Group and father to two billionaires; Anil and Mukesh Ambani. Started Reliance Industries from scratch and never saw the four walls of school.

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55 School Drop Out Billionaires Without College Degrees

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Do you feel dejected or left behind by your peers because you don't have a college degree? Do you feel dejected because you are not educated? If YES, here's a list of famous richest school dropout billionaires & entrepreneurs without college degrees.

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Forbes has been in hiring mode recently, and we've seen a lot of résumés and cover letters. Since we prize clear, fluid prose, we care a lot about those cover letters. Poor grammar and typos are red flags as is canned language that makes it clear the candidate hasn't bothered to read the website and the magazine. A 4.0 college grade point average signals that the applicant has been a hardworking student and most likely, a quick study, qualities we value.

But according to a new survey of job recruiters and human resource managers, we are in the minority. The survey, from , a San Mateo company that sells software designed to help companies find potential hires using their employees' social networks, found that 63% of recruiters ranked cover letters as the least important part of an applicant's profile and 57% said GPAs were practically irrelevant. What mattered most? Eighty-seven percent of respondents said they cared about previous work experience, 88% prioritized "culture fit," and 51% said they thought references were very important.

The survey has some good news for job seekers, plus a number of helpful tips. More than a quarter of companies surveyed said they planned to hire more than 100 people in the next year. Given that the unemployment rate is 5.1%, the lowest number since early 2008, it's becoming a job seeker's market. In addition, 69% of recruiters said they'd boosted their initial salary offers in the last year. In fast-growing industries, job seekers have an even stronger position. In telecommunications, 56% of respondents said they were looking to hire more than 100 people in the next near, 48% in hospitality said so, as did 46% in health care. It might have been more useful for Jobvite to look at those numbers as a percentage increase in a workforce, but still, those figures are impressive.

One of the most striking findings in the survey: 96% of respondents said they used social media in the recruiting process. It strikes me that Jobvite sells software that helps companies do that, and some of the people surveyed are their customers. Still, when you think about how easy it is to look up someone's or profile, it stands to reason. Recruiters use LinkedIn more than any other site, with 87% saying they tapped the professional social networking site to look up candidates and post jobs. Fifty-five percent used Facebook and 47% used . A stat that startles me: 38% of those surveyed said they used Glassdoor, the up-and-coming eight-year-old jobs site based in Mill Valley, . Glassdoor doesn't host candidate profiles, but it seems that employers are increasingly relying on it to list jobs.

I've repeatedly advised job seekers not to spend much time trolling job boards, but this survey makes me think that it pays to look at postings on those four sites. We list open jobs at Forbes on LinkedIn and welcome qualified applicants who answer our ads. Since it can cost employers $500 to list a single job for a month on that site, you know that the postings are serious.

Despite the widespread use of social media by recruiters, they make the most hires the old-fashioned way, through referrals. The survey found that 78% of recruiters said that referrals were the most effective source of quality hires. Social networks ranked second, at 56% (again, this stat is good for Jobvite's business). Interns are a great source of employees here at Forbes and I would have thought it would rank higher on the survey, but it came in third, at 55%.

The most striking finding in the survey has to do with job interviews and candidates' attitudes. Interviews remain extremely important, with 96% of recruiters saying they count on meeting candidates face-to-face. During the interview, the most important thing you can do is show enthusiasm, said 87% of respondents. Industry knowledge ranked second at 85%, conversation skills came in third, at 79%. Punctuality and appearance were also important, at 66% and 63% respectively. Only 38% of respondents said they cared about the candidate's handshake and greeting. That all squares with our preferences at Forbes. One measure of enthusiasm is how much the candidate has prepared for the interview. We know that someone who truly wants to work here will have read our publications and have something to say about our content.

The survey also includes some advice about using social media that I've given in other articles, but it's worth repeating. Do share details about volunteering; 76% of respondents saw this as a positive. Make sure the spelling and grammar on your profile is perfect; 72% said mistakes were a negative. Another piece of advice that young people routinely ignore at their peril: Don't share evidence that you like to drink to excess and/or smoke pot. Also you might not want to jump on the selfie bandwagon; 25% of recruiters said that selfies were a turn-off.

One caveat to these survey results: I think GPA does matter, especially if you're applying to a big corporation or a prestigious consulting firm. You can read what I wrote about that question here.

Read the whole Jobvite survey here. Jobvite ran the questionnaire online in July 2015 and 1,404 recruiting and human resources professionals in several industries completed it.
See also: 4 Ways To Use Facebook To Find A Job See also: Do Employers Care About College Grades?

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Your GPA And Cover Letter Don't Matter In The Job Search, Survey Says

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Forbes has been in hiring mode recently, and we've seen a lot of résumés and cover letters. Since we prize clear, fluid prose, we care a lot about those cover letters. Poor grammar and typos are red flags as is canned language that makes it clear the candidate hasn't bothered [...]

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If you want to make more money, it helps to do well in school, but it helps even more to be a white man.

The better your grades in high school, the more money you are likely to make later in life, according to a study by researchers at the University of Miami and Nova Southeastern University. But gender apparently matters more than grades: A woman with a 4.0 high-school GPA still makes less, on average, than a man with a 2.5 GPA, the study found.

The study also found that minorities tend to benefit less dollar-wise from getting good grades than their white counterparts, even though African-American and Latino high-school students with high GPAs are more likely to continue their schooling than white students with good grades.
The chart below, from the study, shows the difference in earnings for men and women based on high school GPA. Men are in red, women are in green. These are average salary figures for people aged 24-34.
Women do at least enjoy better percentage pay bumps than men as their grades improve: The study, based on high-school transcript data and interviews of more than 10,000 students, found that, for men, a one-point increase in GPA translated to an 11.85-percent increase in annual earnings, compared to a 13.77 percent annual earnings increase for women. Still, the higher percentage increase isn't enough for women to catch up to men because their base salary starts off so much lower.

The research, which will be published in the upcoming issue of the Eastern Economic Journal, adds to the growing body of evidence that women earn less than their male counterparts, even when they have similar qualifications. That gap begins as soon as women enter the workforce. Both high-school and college-educated young women earn less than men with the same degrees, according to a recent study from the Economic Policy Institute.

That gap only widens as women advance in their careers. That's partly because women are more likely to take time off to have and raise children. In addition, women often face conscious and unconscious discrimination as they climb the corporate ladder.

Another factor is that women often end up in lower-paying fields like education and health care. While there is certainly some self-selection involved, many girls are also socialized from an early age to be less interested in careers that tend to make more money, like engineering or technology, experts say. In addition, some argue that majority-female occupations are often valued less monetarily simply because they're made up of mostly women.

Other research shows that minority job-seekers face widespread discrimination when applying for jobs. Indeed, the black unemployment rate has been almost twice as high as the white jobless rate for the past 60 years.

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Female 'A+' Students End Up Making As Much as Male 'C' Students

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If you want to make more money, it helps to do well in school, but it helps even more to be a white man. The better your grades in high school, the more money you are likely to make later in life, according to a study by researchers at the University of Miami and Nova Southeastern University.

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From the second we start getting letter grades in school, we're pushed to reach for the top. Straight A's, 4.0s, awards - everything. In college, that pressure to maintain a high GPA can cause . The logic goes something like: insane amounts of stress Good GPA → Good Job → Good Income → Happy → Healthy → etc...

But is this true? Are some students breaking their backs to achieve a simple numerical value that does not have as much weight as they think once they leave campus?

To find out, let's follow the constructed logic that I've mentioned above, and see what we can learn from real-life data. Take a look at these topline numbers among U.S. Adults 25+ (excluding those who answered "Does not apply" and the 8% who answered "I don't remember"):

Job Satisfaction

Though it's almost impossible to tell a "good" job from a "bad" job, we able to measure people's happiness at their jobs. Take a look:

As you can see, there does seem to be a correlation between GPA and happiness at work. Only 17% of folks with a 2.5 or under say they are "Very happy" at work, while that number rests between 35% and 41% among those with a 3.1 or higher.

However, those who had a GPA between 3.6 and 4.0 are more likely to say they are "Very unhappy" in their current job than other alumni. There are only 19% of folks with a 2.5 or under who say they are unhappy (either somewhat or very) in their current job, compared to 31% among the highest GPA tier. In addition, those with a 2.5 or under are most likely to say they are "Somewhat happy" in their current job.

But Wait - I Can't Get a Lucrative Job with a Low GPA! Can I?

So it's true - those who had a 2.5 or lower in college are the most likely to make under $25k, and more generally, under $50k. That said, 21% of that group makes more than $150k each year, which is higher than any other group. As a trend, however, it is evident that as GPA increases, income tends to increase as well - with a few exceptions of course.

But following the next train of thought - what about happiness in general?

Don't Worry. Be Happy

So here we do see a more clear correlation. 16% of those with a College GPA of 3.6 to 4.0 say they are "Very happy", while only 6% answer the same among those with a college GPA of 2.5 or lower. In addition, those who had a GPA of 3.1 to 3.5 are least likely to say they are "Very unhappy."

On the flip side, those with a GPA of 3.6 to 4.0 are most likely to say they are "Very unhappy."

So, it's very nuanced - not simply black or white. More on this in a bit.

And lastly, we come to one of the last stops on the GPA / life pipeline: health.

...and Healthy

This is pretty interesting. There is almost no difference by GPA for those who answer, "I'm very healthy." In fact, people who had a college GPA of 3.6 to 4.0 are 41% more likely than the other GPA groups to answer, "I'm not very healthy at all right now."

The Book Report Version

In simple terms: Your GPA will not / does not affect every facet of your life down the road, so if you're a student, take a breath. You can relax. Although there are some correlations between higher GPAs and traits like happiness and job satisfaction, the numbers aren't static. They are not clear cut. The data are as nuanced as the people behind them, who have much more to their identity than simply a 2.4 or 4.0. If I had to propose one lesson from this lengthy post - it would be that.

As a last tidbit, here are some other fun correlations we found. People with a college GPA of:

2.5 or under are more likely to go to the movies at least once a month.

2.6 to 3.0 are more likely to be men.

2.6 to 3.0 are more likely to attend sporting events regularly.

3.1 to 3.5 are more likely to closely follow the NHL.

3.1 to 3.5 are more likely to use Netflix.

3.6 to 4.0 are more likely to be women.

3.6 to 4.0 are more likely to buy organic food.

3.6 to 4.0 are more likely to try new products before other people do.

Interested in other insights? Check out our recent posts on Donald Trump's presidency, consumer privacy, and our top insights of 2016!

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CivicScience | A Data-Driven Look: Does Your College GPA Matter Down the Road?

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From the second we start getting letter grades in school, we're pushed to reach for the top. Straight A's, 4.0s, awards - everything. In college, that pressure to maintain a high GPA can cause . The logic goes something like: insane amounts of stress Good GPA → Good Job → Good Income → Happy → Healthy → etc...

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https://smartasset.com/retirement/the-average-salary-by-education-level

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https://www.collegexpress.com/articles-and-advice/grad-school/articles/grad-school-applications/second-chances-how-low-undergraduate-gpa-affects-graduate-admissions/

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https:///could-your-gpa-predict-your-income-2014-4

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Flickr / Nazareth College
LinkedIn Influencer, John A. Byrne, published this post originally on LinkedIn.
It's no secret that if you goof off in college and end up with a low grade point average, you will probably kill your chances of going to an elite graduate school. But did you know that a lower GPA would likely cost you in salary and bonus as well?

That certainly seems to be the case, according to a new study of compensation in investment banking by WallStreetOasis.com. The study is based on the responses of 3,401 employees of both large and small investment banking firms who voluntarily reported their pay to the website.

A third-year analyst made average total compensation of $65,000, if the person's GPA was 2.8 or less, compared to $77,700 for a GPA of 2.9 to 3.1. The 'A' student, with a GPA of 3.8 to 4.0, pulled down average total comp of $115,700 - a more than $50,000 a year premium over the 2.8 or lower graduate.

The grades you earn during your undergraduate years also strongly correlate with associates - the typical entry level jobs available to MBA graduates. A first-year associate in investment banking, the study showed, made average total comp of $79,700 if his or her GPA was 2.9 to 3.1, or $99,700 for a GPA of 3.2 to 3.4. Just a slightly higher GPA, at 3.5 to 3.7, would increase total pay to $137,400.

"GPA is a pretty good indication of the bonus that the analyst will receive," explains Patrick Curtis, founder and editor of WallStreetOasis. "That seems to be true up until you get to about the high, high end and the low, low end. i doubt it's because they know the GPA. No one is thinking of your GPA when they are deciding your bonus number. It's more about how hard you worked or whether you are a team player. Some of it has to do with selection bias. Higher GPAs tend to go to the higher paying firms. Lower GPAs may be at regional banks that pay less.

To see more detail from the compensation report, including how pay differs based on the school an employee attends, see PoetsandQuants.com:
The Real Skinny On Wall Street Pay More From John A. Byrne: Making Your Liberal Arts Graduate Employable The MBA Degree: Is It Really Worth It? An MBA for the Cost of a Jeep?

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A Low GPA Could Sabotage Your Income For Years

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LinkedIn Influencer, John A. Byrne, published this post originally on LinkedIn. It's no secret that if you goof off in college and end up with a low grade point average, you will probably kill your chances of going to an elite graduate school.

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How to Overcome a Low GPA And Get a Job Anyway - AfterCollege

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In between fall and spring semesters, we opened up our doors to Anna Ma, a junior Econ major at Reed College. Anna spent a few days...

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A&S:News Archive-Your High School GPA Could Affect Your Income

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The study is titled "What you do in high school matters: High school GPA, educational attainment, and labor market earnings as a young adult." Other authors of the study are Jenny F. Homer, research associate at UM Sociology Research Center; Philip K.

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140519092835.htm

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At the age of 16, Richard Branson founded The Student magazine, which he distributed to his fellow classmates at Stowe School in England. Despite taking to entrepreneurship at such a young age, Branson struggled in school, barely graduating, and opted to forgo college.

Instead, he began selling records out of the nearby church that served as headquarters for his magazine. That operation would blossom into what we now know as Virgin Records.

After graduating from high school, Steve Jobs enrolled at Reed College in 1972. With his parents unable to afford tuition, Jobs dropped out after six months and enrolled in a number of trade courses, including a class on calligraphy. Soon thereafter, he founded Apple.

Jobs would later attribute much of his success to his unconventional life experience.

"If I had never dropped in on that single calligraphy course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces and proportionally spaced fonts."

These are but two examples of men who achieved remarkable success without a college diploma. There are, of course, many more.

While it stands to reason that the majority among us do not inherently possess the skills, abilities and vision to create the next Apple or Virgin Records without a formal university education, is it still possible to achieve greatness and underperform academically? Just how important is a stellar GPA to prospective employers?

Anecdotal examples can be used to support the arguments that grades matter a lot and don't matter at all. But anecdotal evidence based on individual examples can hardly be applied to the masses. When you examine broader trends, the truth lies somewhere in between.

To College or Not to College

If there is one universal truth in the debate over whether or not grades really matter, it is that earning good grades in high school is important - if you plan to go to college.

Regarding individuals who dream of attending a particularly selective university or an Ivy League school, a high school GPA teetering closer to 4.0 than 3.0 is pretty much a prerequisite.

For those with college aspirations higher than their cumulative GPAs, there's still hope. Many institutions and admissions directors take extracurricular activities and difficulty of courses into account.

"So when someone says they have a 3.3 GPA, I don't know what a 3.3 means. I have to see the whole transcript," said Illinois Wesleyan University Admissions Dean Tony Bankston to the Washington Post.

If your GPA isn't grand but you volunteer at a soup kitchen every Sunday as part of your Eagle Scout project, you might receive an acceptance letter while someone with a GPA three points higher is rebuffed.

However, college isn't for everyone.

With the US economy on the upswing, more high school students are choosing to enter the workforce following graduation rather than enrolling in college.

Slightly less than 66 percent of the class of 2013 enrolled in an institute for higher education last fall, the lowest total since 2006, according to data released last week by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While much of the decline can be attributed to rising tuition costs, statistical evidence suggests that these lower enrollment figures are the result of an improving job market.

As it now stands, more individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 who are not enrolled in high school or college are working than in years prior, and young people employed full-time in 2013 have seen their median wages rise faster than inflation for the first time since the Great Recession.

Still, individuals who choose to skip college generally suffer in the long run.

While college graduates experienced 8.3 percent unemployment in 2013, the unemployment rate for high school graduates between the ages of 16 and 24 with no college education faced an 18.9 percent unemployment rate. Worse, the unemployment rate for high school drop outs last October climbed to 27.9 percent.

More importantly, college graduates stand to earn significantly more than those with only a high school diploma.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, individuals between the ages of 25 and 34 who have received a college diploma earn 50 percent more than high school graduates when employed full-time. Moreover, college graduates can expect to earn more than an additional half a million dollars on average over the course of their careers.

Given these statistics, it stands to reason that earning a college degree is relatively important. But while earning high marks in grade school might be necessary to secure placement at a university, how important is it to get good grades in college?

Does Your GPA Define You?

In some cases, it matters a lot. In most cases, it matters very little.

If you're planning to pursue a doctorate degree or attend law school, then good grades are essential. The median undergraduate GPAs for 2013 law school students enrolled at the 50 best programs in the country were all above 3.53, according to the US News and World Report.

However, for the majority of students, GPAs carry significantly less weight.

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers Job Outlook for the Class of 2014, skill sets and experience often factor just as prominently as a GPA when hiring managers are reviewing a potential employee.

"Many employers require a GPA of 3.0 at a minimum... And, GPA can be a 'tie-breaker' if you and another candidate seem similarly qualified, with the higher GPA winning out," reads the report.

"Assuming you've got the required skills to do the job and the GPA to meet their requirements, employers will also look for the 'soft' skills and attributes they value - the ability to work in a team, solve problems, and organize work. They also will look at your resume for evidence that you've got the 'right stuff.'"

Ultimately, grades are only part of the equation when considering one's prospects for success. Exhibiting and properly showcasing strong leadership qualities, creativity and ingenuity can make up for lackluster marks.

Grades matter if you need them to matter, but that isn't to say that you can't achieve greatness if you're not pulling a 4.0.

Jobs, Branson and countless others are testaments to that truth. For them, as for you, passion and drive prove the ultimate harbingers of success.
Photo credit: Shutterstock

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At the age of 16, Richard Branson founded The Student magazine, which he distributed to his fellow classmates at Stowe School in England. Despite taking to entrepreneurship at such a young age, Branson struggled in school, barely graduating, and opte...

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https://www.businessinsider.com/successful-people-who-dropped-out-of-high-school-2013-5

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REUTERS/Stephen Chernin
Forget the college debate: The most driven people may not need their high school diplomas either.

Tumblr founder David Karp dropped out of high school at the age of 15 and now his New York startup is about to sell for $1.1 billion in cash to Yahoo.

Although his success proves that he didn't need the diploma to make it, Karp tells Forbes' Jeff Bercovici in an interview that he doesn't recommend kids today to drop out of high school, saying "There's a lot that I feel like I missed out on ... just a whole lot of normal, social, childhood kind of stuff that I definitely missed out on."

Karp - worth more than $200 million - isn't the only person to make it big without finishing high school. He belongs to a special breed, which includes Virgin's Richard Branson and Mike Hudack, founder of Blip.tv.

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10 Wildly Successful People Who Dropped Out Of High School

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Forget the college debate: The most driven people may not need their high school diplomas either. Tumblr founder David Karp dropped out of high school at the age of 15 and now his New York startup is about to sell for $1.1 billion in cash to Yahoo.

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Something I want tattooed on my forehead is "grades don't matter." The current perception of the importance of grades in academia dumbfounds me, because I think that by caring too much about grades, most students are missing the point of education.

A college education is often cited as a prerequisite for a "good job" out in "the real world" (both terms that I hate). With this understanding of the importance of college, many students get wrapped up in their grades, often taking them as value statements on their own self-worth. It's really easy to get trapped in the cycle of getting good grades to get a good job to make a lot of money to pay for a house to support a family to send your own kids to college so they can get a good job and make lots of money. When this happens, grades become the foundation for an entire future -- and perhaps even the foundation of your child's future, which is honestly just way too much pressure.

Aside from wanting to take some pressure off myself, I maintain that grades really aren't that important because I value education for more than its spot on my résumé. The reason I'm in college isn't to get a good job later. I would be here even if I knew I would never, ever get a job, because I think that college is worth something much more important than some money later on. I think that education is about better knowing yourself, better knowing the world around you, and attempting to figure out your place in the world. Understanding reality and your role in it ("Knowing thyself," as the ancient Greeks said), is infinitely more valuable than any material consequences of a diploma. Education is about self-improvement, not about the number of zeros on the end of a paycheck.

With this in mind, I think that grades start to lose their novelty. By valuing education for its personal return instead of its financial return, grades become less of a statement on the future and more of a (mostly) inconsequential part of knowing thyself. None of this is to say that it isn't important to work hard in school, which will often produce good grades, as working hard is part of improving yourself. What this means is that there is no need to get in a huff about a disappointing grade here or there: it isn't a comment on self-value, and it isn't a comment on projected success out in "the real world" (as opposed to this world, the fake one).

Grades have their place. They're a necessary part of education. What they aren't a necessary part of is self-esteem. They don't really matter because they don't define us: what defines us is the changes education makes within us. So maybe I got a B or a C on that last exam, but am I better overall for having taken the class? The answer is usually yes. And that is what makes education worthwhile. Forget the grades, forget the jobs, and just try to become a better person, enjoying the ridiculous luxury that education is.

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Why Grades Don't Really Matter That Much After All

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Something I want tattooed on my forehead is "grades don't matter." The current perception of the importance of grades in academia dumbfounds me, because I think that by caring too much about grades, most students are missing the point of education.

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https://smartasset.com/retirement/the-average-salary-by-education-level

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How costly is the decision to drop out of high school? Consider a few figures about life without a diploma:

$20,241

The average dropout can expect to earn an annual income of $20,241, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (PDF). That's a full $10,386 less than the typical high school graduate, and $36,424 less than someone with a bachelor's degree.

12

Of course, simply finding a job is also much more of a challenge for dropouts. While the national unemployment rate stood at 8.1 percent in August, joblessness among those without a high school degree measured 12 percent. Among college graduates, it was 4.1 percent.

30.8

The challenges hardly end there, particularly among young dropouts. Among those between the ages of 18 and 24, dropouts were more than twice as likely as college graduates to live in poverty according to the Department of Education. Dropouts experienced a poverty rate of 30.8 percent, while those with at least a bachelor's degree had a poverty rate of 13.5 percent.

63

Among dropouts between the ages of 16 and 24, incarceration rates were a whopping 63 times higher than among college graduates, according to a study (PDF) by researchers at Northeastern University. To be sure, there is no direct link between prison and the decision to leave high school early. Rather, the data is further evidence that dropouts are exposed to many of the same socioeconomic forces that are often gateways to crime.

$292,000

The same study (PDF) found that as a result - when compared to the typical high school graduate - a dropout will end up costing taxpayers an average of $292,000 over a lifetime due to the price tag associated with incarceration and other factors such as how much less they pay in taxes.

9/25

Those are the numbers. Even more revealing are the human stories associated with leaving high school without a degree. In Dropout Nation, premiering Sept. 25, FRONTLINE visits a once notorious "dropout factory" for an intimate look at four of the faces behind a national crisis in education.

In the film, viewers are introduced to Sparkle, a teenage mother whose schooling takes a back seat to finding food to eat and a place to sleep. There is Marco, who struggles to balance homework with a 40-hour-per-week job at a grocery store. Another student, Marcus, lives within a short walk to school, but on most days is nowhere to be found. Lawrence, meanwhile, is five years into high school, yet remains far from earning his degree.

Watch a preview here:

On Saturday, ahead of the premiere of Dropout Nation, many PBS stations nationwide will be broadcasting an American Graduate Day special to spotlight solutions to improving high school graduation rates. Details on the program, which will also be streamed online, are available here.

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By the Numbers: Dropping Out of High School

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How costly is the decision to drop out of high school? Consider a few figures about life without a diploma: The average dropout can expect to earn an annual income of $20,241, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (PDF). That's a full $10,386 less than the typical high school graduate, and $36,424 less than someone with a bachelor's degree.

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https://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-engineering-schools/articles/2014/03/17/mandated-masters-degrees-could-change-the-engineering-gamehttps://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-engineering-schools/articles/2014/03/17/mandated-masters-degrees-could-change-the-engineering-game

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10 Jobs Where High School Dropouts Can Be Successful

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There is a stigma attached to "dropping out" of high school, which can really appear to affect one's job prospects. In 2015, almost 20% of unemployed people were high school dropouts. But there are ways to find your way to a successful career without having completed high school.

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The Importance of GPA

A student's GPA is a major criteria that colleges and employers look at to evaluate a person's potential. GPA indicates how hard a student has worked, how much he or she knows, and where his or her strengths and weaknesses lie. Whether you are a still in high school, applying for colleges, or looking for work after graduation, your GPA will likely affect your future prospects.

Colleges Care

When applying to a college or university, an unknown person is overlooking your paperwork to determine if you are the right fit. Assessing your GPA is one of the ways they do that. The larger or more selective the university, the more likely a strong GPA is needed for acceptance. For many schools, grades in college prep courses are the number one criteria used by admissions in deciding who's in and who's not.

Your high school GPA may be more or less of a factor depending on the type of school you are applying to. Large colleges tend to have stricter cut-offs according to numbers, and GPA is often the most important number. Small schools, junior colleges and state universities may have a more holistic approach to selection, so for these types of schools, GPA may not be as important. To learn more about how colleges make these decisions, take a look at the lesson How to Evaluate College Admissions Criteria.

Employers Care

In the case of high school graduates who are entering directly into the job market, prospective employers often consider GPA to get a feel for what kind of worker he or she may be. According to a survey of companies cited by Forbes in 2013, a majority stated that they do screen applicants by GPA. These companies see GPA as a crucial indicator of whether a person is able to perform the duties of the job.

However, not all employers treat GPA equally. GPA is more likely to be taken into consideration for larger companies. Smaller companies may be less interested in GPA than their larger counterparts. In addition, other criteria can play a role in hiring decisions, such as internships, volunteer work, previous work history, and even interviewing and job application skills.

If you are currently in the job market, check out our course How to Choose a Career. You'll find tips for navigating the application process, including preparing for an interview, setting realistic goals after graduation, and learn about how your school history relates to your chosen career.

Tips for Raising Your GPA

Remember, high school GPA includes all classes starting in the freshman year. Yet, while it's always easier to start with a good GPA, it's never too late to improve one. Students may find that improving their study skills can have a positive effect on their overall academic performance. This lesson on how to improve study skills gives students some tips that can help get their GPA where it needs to be for their chosen college or career.

Study.com also offers a number of courses that can help high schoolers raise their grades. Check out our library of high school courses, which use lively video lessons to instruct students in subjects ranging from freshman to senior English, writing, math, history, science, and even advanced placement prep courses. Each course comes with lesson quizzes and practice final exams to help you assess your progress. You can even submit questions to the instructors if you need assistance.

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does your high school gpa matter? | study.com

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Does Your High School GPA Matter? | Study.com

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A student's GPA is a major criteria that colleges and employers look at to evaluate a person's potential. GPA indicates how hard a student has worked, how much he or she knows, and where his or her strengths and weaknesses lie.