College-educated families have much larger retirement account balances: Median savings for families age 32–61 with retirement savings by education, 1989–2016 (2016 dollars)
| No high school diploma or GED | High school diploma or GED | Some college | College degree or more | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | $18,659 | $14,927 | $18,659 | $42,915 |
| 1992 | $10,062 | $16,100 | $21,802 | $44,945 |
| 1995 | $7,830 | $23,490 | $26,622 | $46,980 |
| 1998 | $20,656 | $25,083 | $33,936 | $73,773 |
| 2001 | $11,110 | $31,162 | $35,768 | $82,646 |
| 2004 | $15,261 | $27,979 | $34,338 | $102,760 |
| 2007 | $16,212 | $37,056 | $48,637 | $115,802 |
| 2010 | $14,369 | $28,053 | $36,476 | $105,006 |
| 2013 | $16,498 | $30,933 | $47,431 | $109,297 |
| 2016 | $30,000 | $40,000 | $36,000 | $107,000 |
Note: Retirement account savings include funds in 401(k)-style defined contribution plans and in IRAs. "College degree" includes associate degrees.
Source: EPI analysis of Survey of Consumer Finance data, 2016.