Does Getting an Expungement Make a Difference in How Much Money You Make? A Minnesota Expungement Lawyer Explains
One of the most common questions I hear from clients is: “If I get my record expunged, will it actually help me make more money?”
It’s a fair question. Expungement can feel like an abstract legal concept—important on paper, but hard to connect to real-world outcomes like wages, job opportunities, and financial stability.
Fortunately, research gives us a clear answer: Yes—expungement can significantly affect earning potential. And one of the most compelling studies on this topic comes from Colleen Chien’s research which shows up in The Minnesota Second Chance Expungement Gap and some of her other published works.
An Expungement Can Change Your Annual Salary by More than $5,000
Colleen Chien’s research revealed that the national average earnings losses associated with a misdemeanor and felony conviction to be $5,100 for misdemeanors and $6,400, for felonies. She estimated that the aggregate loss of income in the state of Minnesota is $2.4 billion per year because of criminal records. If you have an old misdemeanor, removing the record through an expungement could increase your annual income by $5,100 if you are in the average. Of course, with averages, some people are above the average and some are below the average. But knowing that the average is $5,100 for a misdemeanor is a good signal that it is likely worth it to pursue expungement if you are not satisfied with your current income. Even if you do not increase your income at the average rate, even a small increase in pay will add up to a lot of money over several years.
Why Expungement Can Increase Income
From a practical standpoint, expungement can impact income in several ways:
- Access to Better Jobs
Many employers run background checks automatically. A record—even an old one—can lead to automatic disqualification. Expungement removes or seals those records, allowing applicants to compete on their qualifications rather than their past.
- Eligibility for Professional Licenses
Certain occupations—healthcare, education, childcare, financial services, and others—require background checks for licensing. Expungement can remove barriers that prevent people from entering these higher-paying fields.
- Improved Housing and Stability
Stable housing and employment go hand in hand. Expungement can make it easier to secure housing, which in turn makes it easier to hold steady employment and pursue higher-paying opportunities.
- Negotiating Power
When your background check comes back clean, you are in a stronger position to negotiate wages and promotions—rather than settling for lower-paying jobs that are more forgiving of records.
Expungement as an Economic Investment
Chien’s study frames expungement not just as a criminal justice reform, but as an economic policy tool. Clearing eligible records could return billions of dollars in earnings to Minnesota’s economy by enabling people to work at their full potential.
In other words, expungement isn’t just about forgiveness—it’s about productivity, fairness, and economic growth.
Final Thoughts
If you are eligible for expungement, clearing your record is more than a legal technicality—it’s an investment in your financial future.
If you’re interested in pursuing an expungement, contact Subzero Expungements, Pardons & Appeals today. 651-248-5142. The cost of doing nothing—lost wages, missed opportunities, and economic stagnation—can be far higher than the cost of pursuing relief.