How a High School Diploma Can Help Your Career (Salary, Jobs, and Opportunities)

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A high school diploma is a secondary education credential that signals a baseline level of academic knowledge and job readiness.

In the United States, adults with a high school diploma typically have:

• Higher median weekly earnings than those without a diploma
• Lower unemployment rates
• Access to a wider range of entry-level and advancement opportunities

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, individuals without a high school diploma consistently experience higher unemployment and lower earnings compared to high school graduates (as of the most recent available data).

Why a high school diploma matters for your career

A high school diploma can have a huge impact on your career opportunities, advancement potential, and more.

More jobs require a high school diploma

Having your high school diploma can mean access to more job opportunities. While not all jobs require one, more employers are seeking applicants that have at least a diploma or equivalent, like a GED. Right now, about 39.3% of available jobs out there require, at minimum, a high school diploma.

Read more: Does Education Make a Difference in Salary?

A high school diploma is often required to advance into leadership roles

Without a diploma or GED on your application, the process of finding a job that pays decently is often long and frustrating. And if you’re already working at a job you do like, but want to advance in your career, your options may be limited if you don’t meet the education requirements for supervisory or leadership roles.

A high school diploma can mean lower unemployment rates

Besides finding a job or moving up in your current job, your level of education also impacts the potential for unemployment. Those without a high school diploma have an unemployment rate that is 30% higher than those who do.¹

A high school diploma means earning more money

On average, someone who graduated high school can earn around $9,000 more per year than someone who didn’t earn their diploma.¹ How much you earn can, of course, depend on your job, your experience, your hourly pay, the hours you work, and more factors, but with a high school diploma on your resume, you can likely qualify for higher paying jobs, allowing you to make more money over time.

Read more: Going Back to School as an Adult (FAQs)

High school diploma vs GED – what's the difference

Both a high school diploma and a GED (or similar equivalency exam) can help you qualify for jobs – most employers consider them pretty much interchangeable. So the big difference isn’t which one will be the best option to help you get a job or earn more money; the big difference is which one is the best fit for your goals, your learning style, your life, and what you want.

When trying to decide which is best for you, consider asking some questions like:

• Do you want to take a series of tests or do you prefer classes and smaller exams?
• Do you think you want to go to college? While colleges do accept GEDs, there may be some additional steps you need to complete before you can enroll.
• How long do you want to take to earn the credential?

Read more: GED vs High School Diploma: Which Is Better for Your Future?

Common fears about going back to school (and the truth)

Going back to high school as an adult when you haven’t been in a classroom in a while can feel intimidating, but it really doesn’t have to be. And, if you’re scared or worried, you’re not alone. These are some common fears people have about going back to school and the truth about whether or not it’s accurate.

“I’m too old to go back to school”

So many adults feel this way, especially when they’re going back to school to get their high school diploma. It may feel like that time in your life has passed you by but guess what? It hasn’t. Especially with an online high school. There may be age limits in traditional school (most public high schools don’t allow students over 21 years old), but with a school like Penn Foster, there is no age limit. We’ve had students graduate high school in their 80s!

“I’m not smart enough to finish”

Listen, self-doubt gets to everyone, and you are definitely not alone in this. But you are smart enough to finish high school. And with a school that allows you to work through your courses one at a time, at the speed that works best for how you learn, you can take your time when you’re stuck on something and build confidence class by class. Also, you’ve got support! If you’re really unsure and need help, your teachers are here for you – just reach out through your Learner Center.

“I can’t afford it”

School can be expensive and with everything else you have to cover in life, it may seem like paying to go back to high school is just way too much. But, at Penn Foster, we try to make it work with your budget. With monthly payment plan options, you can make the cost of your diploma work for you!

“I don’t have time”

If your schedule is holding you back from getting your high school diploma, that’s a totally fair concern. When you’ve got work, family, and just life in general filling up your day, it’s hard to imagine making time for classes and tests. But that’s where a flexible online program can help. When you don’t have set class times, due dates, or deadlines, you can squeeze in studying and exams in between everything else you’ve got going on.

Read more: Going Back to School as a Mom

What jobs can you get with a high school diploma?

A high school diploma can help you qualify for a lot of entry-level jobs in a variety of industries, some that pay better than others! Some jobs you can get with just your high school diploma include

• Retail and food services jobs like cashier, retail associate, customer service representative, stocker. Advancement in these jobs usually comes with experience over education and can look like senior or management roles.
• Entry-level office jobs like administrative assistants, data entry, and telesales. Advancement in these jobs can come when you either gain experience, if you decide to switch roles, or if you go back to school for more training.
• Warehouse and manufacturing jobs like warehouse associates, material handlers, and shipping/receiving clerk. In these jobs, you can advance through experience and by gaining certifications, like getting your forklift certification for example.
• Entry-level healthcare jobs like medical administrative assistant, pharmacy technician, patient care technician, or hospital jobs like environmental services technician, patient intake coordinator, and dietary aide. You can advance in these jobs through experience, becoming more senior in your role, or you can use it as a steppingstone as you gain more education to pursue other healthcare roles.

What it’s like to earn your high school diploma online – as an adult

As an adult, going back to earn your high school diploma can seem nearly impossible because there doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day to get things done. If you’re already balancing work and family and friends and thinking - what are you going to make for dinner and did you remember to do the laundry and get that permission slip signed and does your mom remember her doctor’s appointment on Friday and can you afford the payment for your son’s hockey league next week – adding in remembering homework assignments and studying just seems like the Jenga block that’s going to topple the tower. But, with a self-paced, online high school, earning your high school diploma as an adult looks a little bit different.

Instead of struggling to balance everything and still remember to study, you can carve out study time when it works for your life. That could mean you get to study every day or you can only get in 20 minutes every other day. Whatever the case, you can fit your education into your schedule when it works instead of stressing about fitting everything in.

Britney N., a 2025 Penn Foster High School graduate, shared her story about going back to high school as an adult:

“They say it’s better late than never—and today, I truly understand what that means. At 35 years old, as a proud mother of five beautiful children, I stand here celebrating a milestone that took time, patience, and perseverance to achieve.

My journey wasn’t easy, and it didn’t happen on a traditional timeline. Life had its challenges, responsibilities, and moments of doubt. But I never gave up. It may have taken me a few extra years, but I got it done—and I did it with determination, resilience, and a 3.1 GPA.

This accomplishment is more than a diploma; it’s proof that dreams don’t have an expiration date. I hope my children see that no matter how long it takes, hard work and belief in yourself always pay off. Today, I graduate not only for myself, but for them—showing that anything is possible with faith, dedication, and persistence.

Better late than never—and this is only the beginning.”

Read more: The Busy Mom's Guide to Going Back to School

How Penn Foster can work for adults

Going back to school as an adult can feel like a lot, but Penn Foster High School is built to make it way more doable.

Everything is online and super flexible, so it fits into your life instead of the other way around. There are no deadlines, no scheduled class times, and no traditional “school year.” You can start whenever you’re ready, log in when you’ve got time, and take tests when it actually works for you.

Already taken some high school classes before? You might be able to transfer those credits in, which means you won’t have to start from scratch.

And it’s not just about flexibility; it’s designed to be affordable, too. With low monthly payment options, you can work toward your diploma without blowing up your budget. So instead of choosing between your goals and everything else in your life, you can make space for both.

Read more: Study Tips From Real Students

High school diploma frequently asked questions

If you’re still not sure if getting your high school diploma as an adult is the right move for you, here are some questions a lot of other adults have asked.

Q: Am I too old to get my high school diploma?

A: No, you’re not too old to get your high school diploma. While many school districts may have age restrictions on who can earn their diploma – generally, students who are older than 21 aren’t able to complete their diploma in-person at their public high school – an online school like Penn Foster doesn’t have the same limitations. Here, it’s never too late to graduate. We have students who are 14 and students who are 45 – it doesn’t matter where you are in life, you can still go back to school.

Q: Can I finish school if I struggled before?

A: Yes, even if you struggled in high school before, you can still finish school. With Penn Foster, you can start over fresh if you’d like and, with self-paced classes, you can take your time going through your lessons and completing exams to make sure you do your best. And, if you get stuck or feel like you need help, instructors are a click away through your Learner Center.

Q: How long does it take to finish high school as an adult?

A: It is mostly up to you how long it takes to finish high school as an adult. Depending on how much time you study, how comfortable you are with the subjects you take, and even whether you had transfer credits, you could finish in as little as 6 months or take up to 3 years.*

Q: Is online high school legitimate?

A: Yes, online high school can be legitimate. However, when you’re researching online high schools to find the right one for you, you want to look for a few different things to make sure that it is, in fact, legitimate. That includes accreditation, licensing, and curriculum. You’ll also want to look at student reviews and see student stories and outcomes.

Q: Can I afford it on a tight budget?

A: Only you can answer that, since you know your budget best. But, as an example, Penn Foster tries to keep monthly payments pretty low for high school tuition, so you can work to fit it into your monthly budget.

Ready to take the first step?

If you’re ready to take the next steps toward new job opportunities and earn your diploma, Penn Foster High School may be the perfect fit for you! If you’re sure this is the right move forward, you can enroll online 24/7. Still have more questions or want someone to help you through the enrollment process? Our Admissions Specialists can help – just give them a call at 1-888-427-6200!

* The estimated completion times are based on completion times for learners enrolled in this program from November 2019 - October 2020, excluding withdrawals.