Social Security is important to all education groups (and 401(k)s and IRA distributions are not): Mean annual income of people 65 and older by source and education, 2014
| Education level | Earnings | Social Security | Public pensions | Private pensions | 401(k)s, IRAs, etc. | Asset income | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | $10,119 | $12,232 | $2,840 | $3,131 | $966 | $4,019 | $1,590 |
| Less than high school | $2,740 | $9,937 | $453 | $1,024 | $94 | $952 | $1,436 |
| High school diploma/GED | $5,395 | $12,390 | $1,522 | $2,471 | $488 | $2,073 | $1,316 |
| Some college | $9,223 | $12,643 | $2,423 | $3,029 | $871 | $3,247 | $1,872 |
| Bachelor’s degree or more | $21,360 | $13,018 | $6,312 | $5,311 | $2,181 | $9,013 | $1,795 |
Note: See box in text defining income sources.
Source: EPI analysis of U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement microdata