How much more money do people with high school diplomas make per year compared to people without high school diplomas?

About minimum wage, which is near or below the poverty line. Minimum wage. * If one is speaking strictly in terms of traditional employment then the amount would be the legal minimum wage. However, many people have worked their way up from the very bottom of a company to being managers and other such positions. Although it is preferable to obtain as much education as possible, what really determines a person's future is their work ethic, their character, common sense and a genuine desire to succeed.