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High school graduates earn more money than workers who never completed high school. How much more? Almost $9,000 more per year. In a time when online high schools have made a high school degree even more accessible, workers with a high school education were much less likely to be unemployed in 2009. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for workers with less than a high school diploma was 14.6 percent in 2009. For high schools graduates during that same time, the unemployment rate was 9.7 percent.

Higher pay and less unemployment are great reasons to complete a high school diploma, but making up a large number of high school credits may not be practical for everyone. The General Education Development (GED) tests provide another option. By passing GED tests in five subject areas, students can earn a credential to prove they have the same requisite knowledge as someone who graduated from high school.

Should a student want to pursue vocational education, a college degree or even a career in the military, he or she needs to have his or her high school diploma or the equivalent GED credential. Around 96 percent of employers and 95 percent of higher education institutions regard a GED credential as equal to a high school diploma, according to The American Council on Education.