What is a good salary at 35?

A good salary at 35 varies, but U.S. median earnings for the 35-44 age group hover around $69,000 - $72,000 annually, though this depends heavily on your state, industry, education, and lifestyle; some sources suggest aiming for double your salary saved by 35.

What salary should I be making at 35?

Median Salary for Ages 35-44

The median salary of 35- to 44-year-olds is $1,385 per week or $72,020 per year.

How rare is a 100k salary?

Making $100k a year is less common for individuals but more so for households in the U.S., generally placing individuals in the top 18-20% of earners, while about a third of households reach that income, largely because many have two earners, but it's increasingly seen as a baseline for comfort rather than luxury, with pathways available in many fields, though it still requires significant skill/education/effort. 

How much money should a 35 year old have?

By age 35, aim to save one to one-and-a-half times your current salary for retirement. By age 50, that goal is three-and-a-half to five-and-a-half times your salary. By age 60, your retirement savings goal may be six to 11-times your salary.

What is a top 2% salary in the US?

To be in the top 2% of income earners in the U.S., you generally need an annual household income well into the high six figures, often exceeding $700,000 to over $1 million, though exact figures vary by source (like Census, Federal Reserve data) and whether it's individual or household income, with estimates placing the threshold for the top 2% of households around $600,000 - $1.4 million, depending on the year and analysis. For instance, a recent analysis cited a threshold around $1.4 million for the top 2% in 2025, while figures from the Federal Reserve's 2022 survey suggested a threshold of $2.7 million for the top 2% in net worth.
 

Average Income by Age (and What to Do With It)

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 $83,730 in 2024. 2 Using Pew's yardstick, middle income is made up of people who make between $55,820 and $167,460.

Is 100k saved at 33 good?

Kevin O' Leary Says By 33, You Should Have $100,000 Saved 'Somewhere' — 'That's the Age When it's Really Time to Start Getting Focused'

What is the $27.40 rule?

The "27.40 rule" is a simple personal finance strategy where you save $27.40 every single day for one year to accumulate approximately $10,000, making wealth-building feel less intimidating by focusing on small, consistent, automated habits rather than huge sacrifices. This method promotes financial discipline by making saving automatic, often through daily or bi-weekly transfers to a high-yield savings account, turning a big goal ($10k) into manageable daily micro-goals.
 

Can a family of four live on 100K a year?

$100k a year for a family of four is considered good to comfortable in many areas but can be tight in high-cost cities, depending heavily on location, lifestyle, and expenses like childcare, housing, and healthcare; it often covers necessities and some savings but requires careful budgeting, especially where living costs are high, according to SoFi, Investopedia, CNBC, and Reddit users.

Is a 6 figure salary good?

With a 6-figure salary, you are earning at least 1.4 times the median income in the country, which places you above the middle class. Earning six figures sets you apart as a high-income earner, especially when compared to the general population.

Are you wealthy if you earn 100K?

People earning £100,000 or more a year typically positioned themselves in the top 52 per cent relative to the rest of the population, which is just above average. In fact, they are almost right at the top of the earnings tree.

What is considered wealthy at 35?

$1M is commonly described High Net Wealth person in the financial world. $1M is (approximately) what lands you in the top 1% in this country age 25-35. Top 1% net wealth $613K- age 25-29. Top 1% net wealth is $984K age 30-35.

How much is $70,000 a year hourly?

$70,000 a year is approximately $33.65 per hour, based on a standard 40-hour workweek (2,080 working hours per year), calculated by dividing your annual salary by 2,080. 

At what age should you make 6 figures?

Some workers begin earning six figures in their twenties and thirties. Economists nickname them HENRYs, for “high earners, not rich yet.” But for most people, their “peak earning years” are from age 35 to 64.

Can you retire at 40 with $500,000?

Retiring at 40 with $500k is ambitious but possible, requiring a frugal lifestyle, low expenses, and potentially part-time work or other income (like Social Security later) to supplement the $20,000-$25,000 yearly income from the 4% rule; your ability to make it work hinges on a very lean budget, careful investment, and planning for healthcare, especially since you'll need your savings to last potentially 50+ years before Social Security kicks in. 

How many Americans have $10,000 in savings?

While exact real-time figures vary by survey, roughly 12-15% of Americans have over $10,000 in savings, but a significant majority, over half, have less, with many struggling to save even $1,000, highlighting a wide gap in savings security. More recent data (early 2024/2025) suggests a large portion of adults fall into lower savings brackets, with some reports indicating over 58% have less than $10,000 saved for retirement or emergencies. 

Is $50,000 saved by 30 good?

Is $50k saved at 30 good? Yes, saving $50,000 by age 30 is quite good. According to one rule of thumb, you should save the equivalent of your annual salary by age 30. The latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the annual average salary of a 30 year-old is approximately $54,080.

Can I retire at 62 with $400,000 in 401k?

Yes, you can retire at 62 with $400,000 in a 401(k), but it will likely be tight and requires careful planning, especially regarding your lifestyle, expenses, and Social Security timing, as your savings need to last potentially 30+ years, with a 4% withdrawal rate offering about $16,000 annually, but this depends heavily on your other income and spending habits. 

Is $100,000 the new middle class?

Yes, a $100k income generally falls within the middle-income range in the U.S. by many definitions (like Pew Research's two-thirds to double the median), but it doesn't always feel like middle class due to high costs of living, especially housing, in many areas, making it a challenging salary for some households despite being statistically middle-income.
 

What's a good pension at 35?

By age 35, financial experts recommend your pension savings should ideally have grown to twice your annual salary. This aligns with guidelines from organisations like the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA), which emphasise the need for steady savings progression to maintain your lifestyle in retirement.

What salary do I need to be happy?

On average, respondents said they would have to earn around $74,000 to feel financially satisfied — although nearly 1 in 5 stated they'd require at least six figures to enjoy their lifestyle comfortably.

What are the 5 income classes?

Five common income classes in the U.S., often based on income quintiles (fifths) or Federal Reserve data, include the Lower Class, Lower-Middle Class, Middle Class, Upper-Middle Class, and Upper Class, with categories defined by annual household income ranges, though specific dollar amounts vary by source and year, generally grouping from the lowest 20% of earners up to the top 20%. 

How do I negotiate a better salary?

Negotiating Raises

When asking for a raise, first make sure you are prepared to prove why you have earned it. Present your responsibilities and show how they've changed from when you started receiving your current salary. Articulate what more you could do or what other value-added duties would offset costs.