About the GED

The GED Tests allow people to prove what they know.

• The GED Tests serve only one purpose – to certify a high school-level of academic knowledge and skills.
• Every U.S. state and Canadian province recognizes that passing the GED Tests demonstrates the knowledge and skills of a high school graduate.

The GED Tests offer an opportunity for people to grow.

• Those with a GED diploma earn $7,400 more a year than those who did not graduate from high school. This difference represents a 35% increase in median annual earnings, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
• 97% of colleges and universities accept the GED credential as equivalent to a traditional high school diploma.
• Kansas issues a Kansas State High School Diploma upon successful GED completion.
• One in 20 first-year college students in the U.S. are GED graduates.
• More than 90% of U.S. employers consider those who earned their GED diploma the same as traditional high school graduates with regard to hiring, salary and opportunity for advancement.

GED Testers reflect the mosaic of America.

• There is no single characteristic that typifies GED candidates. GED candidates come from a myriad of backgrounds – working adults, young parents, entrepreneurs, immigrants, senior citizens, and displaced workers.
• Typically, candidates have a long involvement in traditional educational programs before taking the GED Tests. More than two-thirds of the GED candidates completed the 10th grade or higher in a traditional high school program, and more than one-third completed the 11th grade or higher.
• GED candidates left school for a variety of reasons, frequently because of marriage, pregnancy, or the need to support their family.
• Two out of every three adults who take the GED Tests plan to obtain additional education or training.