The Hidden Signal in Wage Growth by Education Level

In this episode of The Job Market Podcast with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna drill into a specific data point from the latest employment cost index: wage growth is diverging sharply by education level. While overall wages grew 1.3 percent in the first quarter of 2026, workers with a high school diploma saw just 0.8 percent growth, while those with a bachelor's degree or higher saw 1.8 percent. The hosts explore what this widening gap means for hiring, career strategy, and economic mobility—and why the premium on college degrees may be growing even as more graduates struggle with underemployment. They reference the latest JOLTS data showing 7.6 million job openings, up from 6.9 million, and the unemployment rate holding at 4.3 percent. The conversation also touches on how employers are adjusting their hiring requirements and why this education wage gap is a hidden signal worth watching. #WageGrowth #EducationLevel #JobMarket #Careers #EmploymentCostIndex #CollegePremium #HighSchoolDiploma #BachelorDegree #HiringTrends #LaborMarket #Underemployment #JOLTS #JobOpenings #UnemploymentRate #EconomicMobility #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #TheJobMarketPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo