Going to college or getting some additional training after graduating high school boosts pay, according to a new report by Policy Matters Ohio.

“College grads in Ohio are paid almost twice as much on an hourly basis than their counterparts with a high school diploma and nothing else.” said Michael Shields, the report’s lead author and a researcher at Policy Matters Ohio, a liberal-leaning Columbus-based think tank.

Colleges in the Dayton, Springfield and Butler County areas provide both degrees and non-degree credentials for students. Post-secondary credentials, such as certifications, have become more common as workforce development efforts seek to help employers get employees who have skills training needed in an evolving workplace.

In 2021 the median hourly pay for a college graduate with a bachelor’s degree or higher was $32.08, according to the report, which used an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by the Economic Policy Institute, a liberal-leaning Washington D.C.-based think tank.

For people with a high school diploma and some college, but no degree, the median pay was $18.93 per hour. A person with just a high school diploma was paid $17.18 and non-graduates were paid $14.01 hourly, the report said.

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