What is a good salary in the US?
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage across all occupations in 2021 was $58,260 [1]. For a person living in Phoenix, Arizona, where the median wage is $56,610, earning above the national average may be considered very good.
What is a Good Salary in the US? A good salary in the US depends on various factors, but generally, a comfortable standard of living is attainable with an annual income of around $70,000 to $100,000 for a single individual.
| Annual household income in U.S. dollars | Percentage of U.S. households |
|---|---|
| 35,000 to 49,999 | 10.6% |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 16.2% |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 12.3% |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 16.4% |
| Bracket | Average annual wges |
|---|---|
| Top 0.1% | $3,212,486 |
| Top 1% | $823,763 |
| Top 5% | $342,987 |
| Top 10% | $173,176 |
The BLS groups median salaries by age brackets. The median salary for ages 25-34 in the second quarter of 2023 is $54,184 per year. And the median salary for individuals ages 20-24 is $37,024 per year.
A $100,000 salary is considered good in most parts of the country, and can cover typical expenses, pay down debt, build savings, and allow for entertainment and hobbies. According to the U.S. Census, only 15.3% of American households make more than $100,000 annually.
Middle class: The middle class is officially those whose earnings put them in the 40th to 60th percentile of household income. The income range is $55,001 to $89,744. Upper middle class: Anyone with earnings in the 60th to 80th percentile would be considered upper middle class.
Based on Pew's analysis, a household of three needs an income of $156,600 to meet the definition of upper class, which amounts to more than double the national median.
Based on that figure, an annual income of $500,000 or more would make you rich. The Economic Policy Institute uses a different baseline to determine who constitutes the top 1% and the top 5%. For 2021, you're in the top 1% if you earn $819,324 or more each year.
The SmartAsset report found that the average income to maintain a “comfortable lifestyle” rose by 20 percent between 2022 and 2023, from $57,013 to $68,499 in take-home pay, in the 25 largest metro areas.
How much do 27 year olds make?
| Age | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| 27 | $45,000.00 |
| 28 | $47,000.00 |
| 29 | $50,000.00 |
| 30 | $50,000.00 |
Nationally, households making $652,657 or more are considered among the top 1% — nearly eight times the median household income, which is about $75,000, according to the study.
To determine if it's sufficient, you need to consider factors like the cost of living, the size of your family, and where you live. If you reside in an area with lower living costs, $30 an hour could be considered a good salary that will be enough to live on comfortably and provide financial stability.
An income of $70,000 surpasses both the median incomes for individuals and for households. By that standard, $70,000 is a good salary.
The median personal income in the U.S. is quite different, about $31,099. So if you're asking, “Is $50,000 a year a good salary?” in comparison to other Americans, the answer is yes.
Just because you make six digits doesn't mean you don't feel a squeeze. Breaking the $100,000 mark puts you well above the median U.S. household income, but as the cost of living creeps higher and higher, even high earners are finding it more difficult to reach their financial goals.
There's no one-size-fits-all number in your bank or investment account that means you've achieved this stability, but $100,000 is a good amount to aim for. For most people, it's not anywhere near enough to retire on, but accumulating that much cash is usually a sign that something's going right with your finances.
A SmartAsset survey published earlier this year found that in New York City, San Francisco, and Honolulu, a $300,000 income feels more like $100,000. The survey said that taxes were a significant factor in whether a city or state made a person's salary feel smaller.
In California's Bay Area of San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley, families making between $77,000 and $232,000 are considered middle class. For California's Inland Empire region of Riverside, San Bernardino and Ontario, the range falls between $51,000 and $154,000.
Is 70k a middle class salary?
The Pew Research Center defines the middle class as households that earn between two-thirds and double the median U.S. household income, which was $65,000 in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.21 Using Pew's yardstick, middle income is made up of people who make between $43,350 and $130,000.7 This is a ...
Many have graduate degrees with educational attainment serving as the main distinguishing feature of this class. Household incomes commonly exceed $100,000, with some smaller one-income earners household having incomes in the high 5-figure range.
200K puts a household at the 89th percentile. Generally the first 20% of income is the lower class, second quintile the lower middle class, third the middle class, fourth the upper middle class and the fifth percentile, the top 20%, is the upper class.
| Percentile | Income (in Dollars) |
|---|---|
| 60% | $90,797 |
| 50% | $70,259 |
| 40% | $54,046 |
| 30% | $43,236 |
$300,000 Feels Like A Middle-Class Income
Psychologically, earning $300,000 feels OK because it puts the household in the top 10% of household income earners. But making $300,000 feels like a middle-class income due to how little cash flow is left. A household needs to earn $470,000+ to be in the top 1% in 2022-2023.
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