What is the average income in the United States?
The Takeaway
The average annual average salary in the U.S. is $60,575. The median annual salary, which is often less skewed by outlying numbers, is $56,420. It's worth noting that average and median salaries vary quite a bit by state.
| Annual household income in U.S. dollars | Percentage of U.S. households |
|---|---|
| 25,000 to 34,999 | 7.6% |
| 35,000 to 49,999 | 10.6% |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 16.2% |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 12.3% |
The Takeaway
The average annual average salary in the U.S. is $60,575. The median annual salary, which is often less skewed by outlying numbers, is $56,420. It's worth noting that average and median salaries vary quite a bit by state.
Average salary statistics: Key findings
National average income: The national average salary in the U.S. in Q4 of 2023 was $59,384. Average salary by age: The highest average earners are aged between 35 and 44, earning 13.8% more than the national average salary.
By those metrics, American households earning between $47,189 and $141,568 would be considered middle class.
In 2022, over 34% of American households made over $100,000. This puts you in the top 24% of the US population.
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.
In California, you need to earn $80,013, the study states.
A living wage for a single person in California with no children is $21.82 per hour or $45,385 per year, assuming a 40-hour workweek.
| Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|
| Top Earners | $86,000 | $41 |
| 75th Percentile | $68,500 | $33 |
| Average | $44,910 | $22 |
| 25th Percentile | $24,500 | $12 |
What is considered a good hourly wage?
The national mean salary in the United States is $56,310 according to the National Compensation Survey. That works out to be $27 per hour. So in order to be above average, you have to earn more than $28 per hour. Why not be way above average and find a job that pays $30 more than the average hourly salary?
As per recent data by the Bureau of Labour and Statistics, the average salary in the US per month is $6,228 or $74,738 per year. When we speak of 2024, the gross minimum pay in the US comes to $27.77 per hour.
Average U.S. household income in 2022: $105,555
The average U.S. household income in 2022 was $105,555, while the median U.S. household income was $74,580. Adjusting for inflation, median household income dropped 2.2% from 2021 to 2022.
In 2020, according to Pew Research Center analysis, the median for upper income households was around $220,000 and the median for middle income households was slightly above $90,000.
For the purposes of this article, those with an income in the bottom 20 percentile will be identified as lower class, followed by lower-middle class (up to 40th percentile), middle class (up to 60th percentile), upper-middle class (up to 80th percentile) with the remainder considered upper class.
Lower class: This is defined as the bottom 20% of earners. Those in the lower class have an income at or below $28,007. Lower middle class: This is defined as individuals in the 20th to 40th percentile of household income. Earnings among this group are between $28,008 and $55,000.
How Many Americans Are Living Paycheck to Paycheck? A 2023 survey conducted by Payroll.org highlighted that 78% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, a 6% increase from the previous year. In other words, more than three-quarters of Americans struggle to save or invest after paying for their monthly expenses.
Conclusion. In the US, 18% of individual Americans and 34.4% of households make $100k per year or more. This number has increased by 2.97% in the past five years and has nearly doubled since 1980.
Hitting a six-figure salary used to be a career milestone for many. Making $100,000 or more was something to celebrate over dinner and drinks. Today that celebration isn't quite as big. Minimum salary requirements are changing for a lot of people as they deal with rising costs of living and inflation.
In some U.S. states, a family of four needs to earn at least $100,000 to get by, a new analysis reveals. In Hawaii, the living wage for a married couple with two children is $182,900 — the highest in the country — according to a study by personal finance website GOBankingRates.com.
How long can you live off 100K?
“With a nest egg of $100,000, that would only cover two years of expenses without considering any additional income sources like Social Security,” Ross explained. “So, while it's not impossible, it would likely require a very frugal lifestyle and additional income streams to be comfortable.”
Earning $25 per hour puts you well above the poverty line, especially if you're single. With careful budgeting and financial planning, $25 is still a viable hourly wage. Even though it's not a particularly high hourly rate, it's still well above the minimum wage rate in most areas.
Is 50 an Hour Good? Yes, $50 an hour is actually good pay. To put things into perspective, $50 an hour is almost seven times higher than the federal minimum wage. As of 2022, the Federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.
In many places, $15 per hour wouldn't be a sufficient living wage for a single person. Even without children, living wages in Hawaii and Washington D.C. are $19.43 and $20.49, respectively.
Originally Answered: Is $17.50 a decent hourly wage? Depends on what you're doing for $17.50 an hour. It's good pay for an unskilled/semiskilled job like a janitor or a cashier. It's insultingly low for a skilled tradesperson (mechanic, electrician).
