High school grads make $8,000 more per year than dropouts, new study finds

High school graduates make an average of $8,000 more a year nationally than high school dropouts, according to a report released Monday by the Alliance for Excellent Education.

The earnings varied by state. The release says a high school dropout makes almost $19,000 in Florida, compared to about $26,000 for a high school graduate. Someone with an associate's degree in Florida earns almost $39,000 and someone with a bachelor's degree earns almost $44,000.