EP: 120 Men of color in America

Black Americans’ incomes have long lagged behind those of other Americans. Simultaneously, income inequality among Black Americans was the second largest of any demographic group as of 2016. That year, the highest-earning Black Americans earned nearly 10 times as much as the lowest earners.Overall, just 6% of Black adults in the U.S. had annual earnings of $100,000 or more in 2021, according to our analysis of the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. This share increases to 16% among those with at least a bachelor’s degree or higher and decreases to 2% among those with some college education or less.The statistics continue to paint a grim picture. The National Student Clearinghouse reported that Black male undergraduate enrollment declined by 14.3% between March 2020 and March 2021. The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) recently stated that Black men have the lowest college completion rate, at 40%.About 27% of all Black U.S. adults aged 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or higher. Of these, 16% earned a bachelor’s degree, and 11% hold an advanced degree. As of 2023, roughly one-third (32%) have completed some college but not earned a degree, and 30% have, at best, graduated from high school or earned an equivalent like a GED.