Becoming a graduate or taking an advanced degree such as a masters can boost an individual's earning power and their long-term salary prospects. According to a study by Gabriella Walker of the University of Georgia citing statistics from the US Census Bureau found that graduates with an advanced degree typically earned salaries more than twice as high as high school graduates, redorbit.com stated. Furthermore, people with a higher education qualification were more likely to see their income grow at a faster rate over the course of their career than those with only a high school education. Ms Walker found that employees with high school diplomas saw their earnings increase by an average factor of 1.5 during their working life, compared to an average factor of 2.2 for degree holders. Figures from the National Center for Education Statistics show that in 2004-05, business was the most popular area for degree studies in the United States, with 22% of degree students taking a course in a related subject. It was followed in terms of popularity by social sciences, education, psychology, the arts, health and media.  |