The Indicator from Planet Money The economic challenges facing men without college degrees
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Dec 27, 2025 
Richard Reeves, President of the American Institute for Boys and Men, dives into the economic struggles of men without college degrees. He highlights alarming wage trends since 1979, showing declines for non-graduates and the impacts of deindustrialization. Reeves discusses how men’s identities are tied to being providers, with rising women’s wages creating psychological shifts. He advocates for vocational training and diversifying job markets to include healthcare and education, pushing for a cultural redefinition of masculinity beyond mere earnings.
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Wage Divergence By Education
- From 1979 to 2023, men's wage trends vary sharply by education level, showing a clear class gap.
- College-educated men saw +38% wages while high-school-or-less men experienced declines or stagnation.
Why PCE Is The Better Wage Deflator
- Using PCE to deflate wages gives a more accurate picture of buying power than CPI because it allows substitution effects.
- CPI tends to give a gloomier picture of wage growth compared with PCE.
Structural Causes Of Working-Class Decline
- Manufacturing, strong unions, and exclusionary hiring once supported good wages for less-educated men.
- Global competition and broader inclusion have reduced those wage premiums, hurting many working-class men.