Survey by the General Accounting Office: Median disposable income of universities in 2025 will be lower than that of junior colleges for 16 consecutive years

According to a survey by the General Accounting Office, the median disposable income of those with a college education in 2025 is 586,800 yuan, which is lower than that of 598,000 yuan for those with a college degree. (Photo by reporter Zheng Qifang)

[Reporter Zheng Qifang/Taipei Report] Higher education in Taiwan is becoming more and more popular. Professionals and skills are more popular than university diplomas! According to a survey by the General Accounting Office, the average disposable income of college-educated people in 2025 is 710,400 yuan, which is higher than the 694,600 yuan for junior college education. However, the median of 586,800 yuan is still lower than the 598,000 yuan for junior college students, and has been lower than that for junior college students for 16 consecutive years. In addition, the average disposable income of graduates and above is 1.1345 million yuan and the median is 953,900 yuan, far ahead of all education levels.

According to data from the General Accounting Office, the average income of income earners (including employed persons, self-employed persons, unemployed household heads, etc.) in 2025 will be 763,883 yuan, continuing to hit a record high; after deducting non-consumer expenses such as taxes and interest, the average disposable income will be 636,558 yuan, an annual increase of 5.06%, and the median will be 518,510 yuan, an annual increase of 3.72%.

In terms of education level, the average disposable income of graduates and above is 1.1345 million yuan, with an annual increase of 6.22%. Both the amount and the increase rate are the highest among all education levels; the median is 953,900 yuan, with an annual increase of 0.9%. The average cost of university education is 710,400 yuan, with an annual increase of 3.93%; the median is 586,800 yuan, with an annual increase of 4.29%; the average cost of junior college education is 694,600 yuan, with an annual increase of 4.67%; the median is 598,000 yuan, with an annual increase of 5.17%.

In addition, the average disposable income from high school education was 564,900 yuan, an annual increase of 3.48%; the median was 491,100 yuan, an annual increase of 3.83%. The average cost of junior high school education is 499,000 yuan, with an annual growth rate of 5.29%, ranking second; the median is 422,800 yuan, with an annual growth rate of 1.64%. Those with primary education or below had the lowest average of 381,300 yuan, an annual increase of 3.86%; the median was 319,100 yuan, an annual increase of 4.45%.

Financial officials said that in the past 10 years, the income from college education has begun to be overtaken by junior college graduates. This is related to the popularity of colleges and universities and the high admission rate. However, the professional and technical levels of college graduates may vary greatly, so there is a gap in income levels. On the other hand, those with master's and doctoral degrees have higher professional and technical levels, and their salaries are also higher. However, in recent years, the income gap between college and junior college has been shrinking, and the future remains to be seen.