NEW YORK (AP) — Some comforting news for recent college graduates facing a tough job market and years of student loan payments: That college degree is still worth it.

Those with bachelor’s or associate’s degrees earn more money over their lifetime than those who skip college, even after factoring in the cost of higher education, according to a report released Tuesday by The Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The study, by economists Jaison R. Abel and Richard Deitz, also found that a degree is still a good investment for college grads whose jobs don’t require college. About a third of all college graduates remain underemployed for most of their careers.