The document summarizes a report finding that good jobs, which pay over $53,000 annually and offer benefits like health insurance and retirement plans, have grown the most during the economic recovery. Of the 6.6 million jobs created since 2010, 2.9 million were good jobs. A majority of the good jobs have gone to college graduates. The report also finds that middle-wage and low-wage jobs are recovering more slowly, with middle-wage jobs still below pre-recession levels. Managerial, professional, and healthcare occupations accounted for most of the growth in good jobs.

1. Good Jobs Are Back:
College Graduates Are First in Line
Anthony P. Carnevale, Tamara Jayasundera and Artem Gulish
August 17, 2015

2. Overview
• Despite stories in the media about low-wage jobs
dominating the recovery, our report finds good jobs
have grown the most in the recovery
• Most of the good jobs are full-time and provide
health insurance and retirement plans
• A majority of the good jobs created have gone to
college graduates

3. What is a Good Job?
Jobs that:
• Offer more than $53,000 annual earnings
• Are full-time
• Provide employer-provided health insurance
• Provide employer-sponsored retirement plans

4. Of the 6.6 million jobs created, 2.9 million were
good jobs
Good Jobs
(more than $53,000)*
Middle-wage jobs
($32,000-$53,000)*
Low-wage jobs
(less than 32,000)*
3M
2M
1M
2.9M
jobs
1.9M
jobs
1.8M
jobs

5. Middle-wage and low-wage jobs have recovered
at a slower rate
• Middle-wage jobs have not fully recovered from the recession
– They remain 900,000 below their pre-recession employment levels
• Low-wage jobs have recovered from all recession job losses
– However, they are still growing at a slower rate than good jobs

6. Full-time jobs make up the majority of good jobs
• Eighty-six percent of good jobs are full-time
• Eighty percent of middle-wage jobs are full-time
• Sixty-two percent of low-wage jobs are full-time
– Low-wage jobs are now more likely to be part-time than
they were in the Great Recession

7. The majority of good jobs include benefits
health insurance and employer-sponsored retirement plan as workers in low-wage jobs.
Health
Insurance
68% 54% 33%
61% 46% 25%
Retirement
Plan
Source: Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce analysis of Current Population Survey (CPS) data, 2008.
Share of workers
Good jobs Middle-wage jobs Low-wage jobs

8. College graduates landed the majority of good jobs
3M3M
000
Employment change in good jobs, 2010-2014
152K
Some College/AABA or higher
2.8M
High school
diploma or less
-39,000
Source: Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce analysis of Current Population Survey (CPS) data 2010-2014.

9. Managerial and professional office professions account
for the most growth among good jobs
Source: Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce analysis of Current Population Survey (CPS) , data, 2010-2014.
2M2M
000
Employment change in high-wage occupations, 2010-2014
Managerial and
Healthcare
professional
and technical
Community
services
and the arts
EducationBlue collarSTEM
Sales and
support
881,000
445,000
13,000
124,000
4,000
1,781,000
-184,000-71,000
Food and
personal
services
-200K

10. Conclusion
• Obtaining a college degree is the best option to finding a good
job.The more education you have, the better your chances to
land a full-time job that provides benefits and a competitive
salary.

11. For more information:
See the full report at cew.georgetown.edu/goodjobsareback
Email Us | cewgeorgetown@georgetown.edu
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