How much do the top 10% make?

The top 10% of earners in the U.S. generally make over $150,000 to $210,000+ annually, with figures varying slightly by source and whether it's individual or household income, but recent data points to thresholds around $190,000-$210,000 for households, with significant variations by state due to cost of living. For instance, some analyses show household income needed is around $210,000, while individual wages for the top 10% might be closer to $190,000, notes Investopedia and CNBC.


What is a top 10% salary?

A top 10% salary in the U.S. generally means earning around $190,000 to over $200,000 annually, though this varies significantly by age, location (e.g., much higher in California), and whether it's individual or household income. For instance, recent data suggests a national household income threshold of roughly $210,000 for the top 10%, while individual earnings might start closer to $155,000 for that tier, reflecting different measurement points.
 

How much does a top 10% make?

America's Income Distribution in 2025

Top income earners (single filers): Top 10%: $149,000 annually. Top 5%: $353,000 annually. Top 1%: $794,000 annually.


What percentage of Americans make over $150,000 per year?

Over one quarter, 28.5%, of all income was earned by the top 8%, those households earning more than $150,000 a year.

What is considered wealthy in the US?

Wealth in the U.S. is perceived differently, but recent surveys suggest Americans think you need about a $2.3 million net worth to be considered wealthy, while roughly $839,000 makes one feel financially comfortable, with these figures varying significantly by age and location, influenced heavily by inflation. Official measures vary, but the top 1% of earners often start in the high six figures or low millions in income, while top net worths reach into the millions or tens of millions. 


What Does it Really Mean to Be Rich? | Top 10%, 5%, and 1% Net Worth and Income Explained



Is top 10% considered wealthy?

Net worth is a measure of a household's total assets, including home equity, savings and investments, minus its debts. Those thresholds have increased since 2020, when the income needed to reach the top 10% was about $170,000 and the wealth cutoff sat around $1.3 million nationally.

How many Americans have $2 million in the bank?

Only about 1.8% of U.S. households have $2 million or more in retirement savings, a figure from the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) using Federal Reserve data (2022 Survey of Consumer Finances). This places them in a very small minority, with even fewer (0.8%) reaching $3 million in retirement funds, highlighting that significant wealth accumulation for retirement is rare for most Americans. 

What's considered upper class income?

Upper-class income varies, but generally starts around $170,000 to over $200,000 annually for a household, often defined as the top 20% of earners, with thresholds rising with more affluent areas, but true upper-class status also involves significant wealth accumulation and investment income beyond just salary, putting them in the top few percentiles. 


How rare is a 150K salary?

A $150k salary is relatively rare but not elite, placing you in the top 10-12% of U.S. earners, well above median income, yet it can feel middle-class in high-cost areas due to inflation and housing costs. While significant, it's not "rich" (top 1% needs ~$785k+) but puts you in the upper-middle-class bracket in most locations, with the actual feel depending heavily on your state and living expenses. 

What percentage of Americans make over $1,000,000 per year?

The analysis revealed that nationally, roughly 800,000 taxpayers had an annual income of $1 million or more, up from 470,000 in 2013. Notably, even that higher figure accounts for roughly 0.5% of the 153 million income tax returns filed in 2022, according to TaxFoundation.org.

Am I in the top 10%?

Key Takeaways. Top earners across the United States earn nearly least six figures, with an average income of over $99,971 for those in the top 10% in 2022. Earners in the top 1% need to make $1 million annually in states like California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Washington.


How many Americans make $500,000 or more?

Over a million Americans earn $500,000 or more annually, with estimates from late 2024/early 2025 suggesting around 1.5 million people fall into this high-income bracket, representing roughly 0.9% of workers, though this varies by location, with high concentrations in tech hubs like the San Francisco Bay Area. This is a much smaller percentage than many people perceive, with studies showing a common overestimation of how many people earn such high incomes. 

What is the 1% in 2025?

2025 Study. Nearly 1.5 million households across the United States now rank among the top 1% of earners, according to the latest tax return data from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). On average, it takes $731,492 in annual income to be a part of this group.

What class are you in if you make $200,000 a year?

Making $200,000 a year generally places you in the upper-middle class, but depending on your location (especially high-cost areas like California) or household size, it can still fall within the broader definition of middle class, or even be considered upper income in some areas, showing that "class" is relative to cost of living and regional median incomes. 


How many Americans make over $400,000?

Fewer than 1% of American wage earners make over $400k, but more households cross that threshold, with estimates around 3.8 million households or roughly 3% of the total, though figures vary by source and whether it's individual or household income, with the top 1% of earners generally starting around $500k-$800k depending on the study. While it's a small slice of the population (less than 1 in 100 earners), it represents a significant group within the top income brackets, especially in high-cost areas. 

What jobs in the US pay $300,000 a year?

What jobs pay $300,000 a year non-medical?
  • Investment Banker. ...
  • Hedge Fund Manager or Portfolio Manager. ...
  • Corporate Lawyer (Partner Track) ...
  • Software Engineering Director / VP of Engineering. ...
  • Tech Entrepreneur / Startup Founder. ...
  • Real Estate Developer. ...
  • Management Consultant (Partner or Director Level) ...
  • Private Equity Executive.


How rare is a 200k salary?

The survey: The Census Bureau's new 2024 tables show that about 14% of U.S. households have annual income over $200,000.


How much a year is considered rich?

Being considered "rich" varies, but generally, it means being in the top 1-5% of earners, requiring roughly $540,000 to over $800,000+ annually in the U.S., though this fluctuates significantly by location, with high-cost states like California needing much more to reach the top 1% compared to lower-cost states like Mississippi, while the top 10% starts around $170,000+. 

Is 6 figures the new middle class?

Six-figure earners are living paycheck to paycheck

A $100,000 income should put you firmly in the middle class, given that the median annual pay of America's full-time workers is around $62,000. Middle-class Americans may not be wealthy, but they have come to expect a measure of economic stability.

What is considered rich in 2025?

In 2025, Americans generally consider a net worth of around $2.3 million to be "wealthy," though this varies by generation and location, with Baby Boomers setting the bar highest and Gen Z lower, while being "financially comfortable" requires about $839,000. Factors like inflation and high costs make it feel harder to reach these goals, but wealth is often seen less as opulent luxury and more as security, reducing anxiety, covering housing, and ensuring a good retirement. 


What are the 5 wealth classes?

The concept of "5 wealth classes" often refers to a breakdown of U.S. households by net worth, typically categorizing them as the Bottom 25%, Lower Middle Class, Upper Middle Class, Upper Class (top 25%), and the Wealthiest 10%, with defined net worth ranges for each tier, according to financial reports like those from MarketWatch. Another perspective defines wealth more broadly across five dimensions: Financial, Social, Time, Physical (Health), and Spiritual wealth, focusing on overall life quality beyond just money. 

What are the 4 levels of income?

The World Bank classifies economies for analytical purposes into four income groups: low, lower-middle, upper-middle, and high income.

How many Americans have $500,000 in their 401k?

Believe it or not, data from the 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances indicates that only 9% of American households have managed to save $500,000 or more for their retirement. This means less than one in ten families have achieved this financial goal.


How long will $2000000 last in retirement?

$2 million can last 30 years or more in retirement for many people, often supporting a $80,000 annual withdrawal (plus inflation) under the 4% rule, but its actual duration depends heavily on your spending, investment returns, lifestyle, location, and additional income (like Social Security). For someone retiring earlier (e.g., at 57), careful budgeting is crucial to cover potentially 30-40 years of expenses, while for others with lower costs, it might stretch much longer, even 35+ years.