Perhaps this is rude....

[cookderosa]

this is a really strange question, because if you want to generalize, the govt collects data on such things. These tables, however, are almost useless. https://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm
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But if I worked at McDonald's as a front line cashier, earning a degree doesn't change the pay for my job. I'd have to leave the job and pursue a different job. Most jobs pay a certain amount, so if your degree doesn't prepare you for a new job....you might be wasting your time. Furthermore, many people hold management positions before they ever pursue a degree. The degree is just checking the box on a resume next to a job and experience set they already have. Those people bring more than a degree to the table, thus are worth more.

If you are in a career that automatically increases your pay BECAUSE you earned a degree, then the pay will be specific to that career, and doesn't generalize to the population. A bachelor degree holding teacher makes about $42,000 but earning a master's puts you at about $55,000. Of course the "gain" from no degree to bachelor's is HUGE, while the gain from bachelor's to master's is modest. My husband works for a university and will receive about $7,000 per year salary increase if he doesn't do anything. Of course, he had to have a degree to GET THERE.

There's a great book that I think people in their teens and 20's would really benefit from- it's called There is Life After College. It is a pretty good roadmap that outlines the tried and true paths to success, while avoiding some of the every expensive missteps people often make when pursuing their education.