The median worker has more experience and education than they did four decades ago: Average age and share of workers with a college degree or more in the middle fifth, 1979-2018
| year | College or more | Average age |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 15.65%[labelx=20] | 36.05 |
| 1980 | 16.89% | 36.04 |
| 1981 | 16.17% | 36.18 |
| 1982 | 17.97% | 36.6 |
| 1983 | 18.33% | 36.66 |
| 1984 | 18.02% | 36.47 |
| 1985 | 17.39% | 36.45 |
| 1986 | 17.75% | 36.48 |
| 1987 | 17.77% | 36.67 |
| 1988 | 17.32% | 36.52 |
| 1989 | 17.20% | 36.91 |
| 1990 | 17.89% | 36.91 |
| 1991 | 17.80% | 37.17 |
| 1992 | 17.27% | 37.34 |
| 1993 | 18.05% | 37.77 |
| 1994 | 17.91% | 37.87 |
| 1995 | 18.67% | 37.97 |
| 1996 | 19.47% | 38.23 |
| 1997 | 19.47% | 38.48 |
| 1998 | 20.17% | 38.5 |
| 1999 | 19.53% | 38.32 |
| 2000 | 19.87% | 38.92 |
| 2001 | 20.15% | 39.15 |
| 2002 | 21.57% | 39.8 |
| 2003 | 21.76% | 39.98 |
| 2004 | 21.74% | 40.17 |
| 2005 | 21.69% | 40.12 |
| 2006 | 23.45% | 40.46 |
| 2007 | 23.94% | 40.64 |
| 2008 | 24.77% | 40.77 |
| 2009 | 25.77% | 41.55 |
| 2010 | 26.34% | 41.82 |
| 2011 | 26.51% | 41.9 |
| 2012 | 28.02% | 42.12 |
| 2013 | 28.62% | 42.25 |
| 2014 | 29.80% | 41.97 |
| 2015 | 29.99% | 42.06 |
| 2016 | 29.30% | 42.02 |
| 2017 | 31.03% | 41.87 |
| 2018 | 31.32% | 41.83 |
Source: EPI's State of Working America data library.
Previous chart: « A growing share of state and local spending is financed by federal grants: Federal grants as a share of state and local expenditures, 1979–2018