What income is middle class?
Middle Class Income in 2024
The upper middle class is often defined as the top 15% to 20% of earners. According to the Social Security Administration's 2022 wage data, the average upper-middle-class income was roughly between $80,000 and $100,000.
Income ranges are $28,007 or less for the lower class, $55,001 to $89,744 for the middle class, and $149,132 or more for the upper class. Focus on your own finances by following habits that will build your net worth and income, rather than worrying what class you may currently fit into.
According to Schwab's 2023 Modern Wealth Survey, Americans perceive an average net worth of $2.2 million as wealthy. Knight Frank's research indicates that a net worth of $4.4 million is required to be in the top 1% in America, a figure much higher than in countries like Japan, the U.K. and Australia.
Middle-Class Jobs
They are paid relatively well compared to lower-class jobs, but fall below the compensation range of the upper 1% wealth class. Roles include registered nurses, accountants, electricians, teachers, recruiters, human resources, police officers, plumber and chef.
Middle class: Those in the 40th to 60th percentile of household income, ranging from $55,001 to $89,744. Upper middle class: Households in the 60th to 80th percentile, with incomes between $89,745 and $149,131. Upper class: The top 20% of earners, with household incomes of $149,132 or more.
The real median household income in the U.S. is around $71,000, according to the latest Census Bureau data. In order to be in the top 20% of income, you'd need to earn nearly double that amount or an average of $130,545 per year.
One way some researchers divide individuals into economic classes is by looking at their incomes. From that data, they split earners into different classes: poor, lower-middle class, middle class, upper-middle class and wealthy.
The World Bank Group assigns the world's economies[1] to four income groups – low, lower-middle, upper-middle, and high. The classifications are updated each year on July 1, based on the GNI per capita of the previous calendar year.
As of Feb 24, 2024, the average annual pay for the Upper Class jobs category in the United States is $59,699 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $28.70 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,148/week or $4,974/month.
What is considered well off?
To feel wealthy, Americans say you need a net worth of at least $2.2 million on average, according to financial services company Charles Schwab's annual Modern Wealth Survey.
In 2021, the median household income is roughly $68,000. An upper class income is usually considered at least 50% higher than the median household income. Therefore, an upper class income in America is $100,000 and higher. However, an upper class income also depends on where you live.
Your net worth is what you own minus what you owe. It's the total value of all your assets—including your house, cars, investments and cash—minus your liabilities (things like credit card debt, student loans, and what you still owe on your mortgage).
- Investment Banker - Investment banking has long been seen as a prestigious and high-paying career, with many bankers coming from wealthy families.
- Lawyer - Lawyers who work in high-end law firms often represent wealthy clients and command high fees.
Most people in the upper-middle class strata are highly educated white collar professionals such as physicians, dentists, lawyers, accountants, engineers, military officers, economists, business analysis, urban planners, university professors, architects, stockbrokers, psychologists, scientists, actuaries, optometrists ...
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 ...
Key findings. National average income: The national average U.S. household income in 2022 was $105,555. The median U.S. household income in 2022 was $74,580, which is down 2.2% from 2021 when the median inflation-adjusted household income was $76,330.
They include such occupations as lawyer, physician, dentist, engineer, professor, architect, civil service executive, and civilian contractor. Many members of the upper-middle class have graduate degrees, such as law, business, or medical degrees, which are often required for professional occupations.
Updated on Sept. 13 with the latest U.S. Census Bureau data. The national median household income is $74,580, according to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey data for 2022. It's a 2.3% decline from 2021 estimates of $76,330.
In the U.S. 18% of individuals earn more than $100,000, according to Zippia, a career advising company, and like the cost of living, income varies greatly between cities and states.
How much money is considered poor?
| Family size | 2023 income numbers | 2024 income numbers |
|---|---|---|
| For individuals | $14,580 | $15,060 |
| For a family of 2 | $19,720 | $20,440 |
| For a family of 3 | $24,860 | $25,820 |
| For a family of 4 | $30,000 | $31,200 |
| Annual household income in U.S. dollars | Percentage of U.S. households |
|---|---|
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 12.3% |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 16.4% |
| 150,000 to 199,999 | 9.2% |
| 200,000 and over | 11.9% |
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.
It's a definite concern. “If you make between about $50,000 to $150,000, you are considered to be in the middle class as of 2024,” said Kullberg. “However, it may not always feel that way to those higher income earners if they live somewhere with a high cost of living, have a lot of debt or have many dependents.”
To be in the top 1% of earners, you're looking at an average annual income of $819,324.
