Percentage difference in weekly wages at 90th and 10th percentiles, 1963-1994

College earnings premium, 1963-1994

Source: Peter Gottschalk, “Inequality, Income Growth, and Mobility: The Basic Facts, Journal of Economic Perspectives, Vol. 11(2), Spring 1997

College degree vs. high school diploma weekly wage ratio, 1963-2008

Source: David Autor, “The Polarization of Job Opportunities in the U.S. Labor Market,” The Hamilton Project, 2010

College graduation rate of 25-29 year olds, 1947-2009

Source:  1947,and 1952 to 2002 March Current Population Survey, 2003 to 2009 Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey

Public and private tuition and fees, constant (2010) $, 1964-2009

Source: Digest of Education Statistics: 2010

Enrollments at degree granting institutions (millions), 1947-2009

Source: Digest of Education Statistics: 2010