What is the elite social class?

An elite social class is a small, powerful group holding disproportionate wealth, influence, and privilege, often controlling key institutions and policymaking, distinguished by inherited status, elite education, high-status jobs (like CEOs, top lawyers), and exclusive social circles, shaping society's norms and opportunities far beyond their numbers. They benefit from social capital, exclusive networks, and inherited assets, setting them apart from the general populace and maintaining their advantage across generations.

What is the social elite class?

A social elite might be defined as an aristocracy of birth, wealth and of influence, the latter made up of the key decision makers in both the public and private sectors of society.

Who is considered elite class?

'The elite' are a small group of powerful people who hold a disproportionate amount of wealth, privilege, political power, or skill in a society.

Who are the elites in the United States?

American elites are a diverse, interconnected group holding power across politics (Presidents, Congress, bureaucrats), economy (billionaires, top execs, finance), culture (media, arts icons), and academia, often sharing traits like elite education (Ivy League), urban residence, and significant influence, with a notable overlap between private wealth and government roles, shaping policy and culture beyond typical democratic checks. Key figures include tech titans (Musk, Zuckerberg, Bezos), powerful politicians, media moguls, and military leaders, forming a "power elite" that transcends specific roles. 

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. 

Every Social Class Explained in 18 Minutes

What percent of Americans make over $150,000 a year?

Over one quarter, 28.5%, of all income was earned by the top 8%, those households earning more than $150,000 a year. The top 3.65%, with incomes over $200,000, earned 17.5%. Households with annual incomes from $50,000 to $75,000, 18.2% of households, earned 16.5% of all income.

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. 

Who has the real power in the USA?

Under the U.S. Constitution, the power of the U.S. federal government is shared between its executive, legislative, and judicial branches, state governments, and the people.

Who owns 90% of America's wealth?

The top 10% own 87.2%, and the bottom half owned 1.1%. Corporate equities and real estate facilitated the accumulation of wealth for baby boomers. In 2024, the Silent Generation and baby boomers represented 25% of the population, but held 65% of all wealth in the US.

Are you middle class if you make $100,000 a year?

According to Pew Research Center, for a three-person household the “middle-income” range in 2022 dollars was about $56,600 to $169,800. A household earning $100,000 places you squarely in the middle-income range under that definition — you're not lower-income, but neither are you upper class.

What qualifies someone as elite?

Defined by the Cambridge Dictionary, the "elite" are "the richest, most powerful, best-educated, or best-trained group in a society".

What are the 5 social classes?

A common model for 5 social classes in the U.S. includes the Upper Class, Upper-Middle Class, Middle Class, Working Class, and Lower Class, representing hierarchies based on wealth, income, education, and occupation, though specific definitions vary between sociologists and surveys. These classes describe access to resources, power, and social status, from the wealthy capitalists to those struggling to meet basic needs.
 

What makes someone a socialite?

A socialite is a person, typically a woman from a wealthy or aristocratic background, who is prominent in high society. A socialite generally spends a significant amount of time attending various fashionable social gatherings, instead of having traditional employment.

What countries are aristocracy today?

Most European societies have abolished the legal recognition of aristocratic titles, but a few, like the UK, retain them. Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Monaco, and Luxembourg are a few other countries that still have titled nobility.

How does Trump rank as a president?

Donald Trump generally ranks near the bottom in surveys of presidential greatness by historians and scholars, often placing last (45th or 46th out of 46) or second-to-last, tied with figures like Franklin Pierce, while C-SPAN's 2021 survey placed him 41st out of 44. These rankings, such as the Presidential Greatness Project, cite reasons like mishandling the pandemic, challenging democratic norms, and his role surrounding the January 6th events, though some historians note his performance is often compared to pre-Civil War leaders like James Buchanan, who historically ranks lowest. 

Who is higher than the president?

In the U.S. government, no one is higher than the President in authority, but the Vice President is next in line if the President leaves office, followed by the Speaker of the House, then the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and Cabinet secretaries. The Chief Justice holds a higher ceremonial precedence than Congress members, while Congress and the Supreme Court have checks on presidential power, like impeachment and judicial review, demonstrating shared authority. 

Who are the ruling elites?

In Marxist philosophy, the ruling class are the class who own the means of production in a given society and apply their cultural hegemony to determine and establish the dominant ideology (ideas, culture, mores, norms, traditions) of the society.

What is the richest family in the USA?

The Walton family, heirs to the Walmart fortune, are consistently ranked as the richest family in America, with their wealth primarily stemming from their significant ownership of the global retail giant. While exact figures vary by source and year, their fortune is estimated in the hundreds of billions, far exceeding other wealthy families like the Mars (candy, pet food) or Koch (energy, manufacturing) families, who also rank high on lists of America's wealthiest dynasties.
 

What city is full of billionaires?

Billionaire cities are major global urban centers where the wealthiest individuals reside, with New York City consistently leading as the top city with the most billionaires, followed by major financial hubs like London, Hong Kong, Beijing, and Mumbai, according to reports from Forbes and Hurun Research Institute in 2025. These cities attract the super-rich due to strong financial sectors, real estate, corporate presence, and significant wealth concentration, though some Chinese cities have seen recent declines due to economic shifts.
 

Who was the youngest self-made billionaire?

The youngest self-made billionaires are Brendan Foody, Adarsh Hiremath, and Surya Midha, co-founders of AI recruiting startup Mercor, who reached billionaire status at age 22 in late 2025, unseating previous title holders like Alexandr Wang (Scale AI) and highlighting the rapid wealth creation in AI.
 

How much does the average 70 year old have in savings?

The Federal Reserve also measures median and mean (average) savings across other types of financial assets. According to the data, the average 70-year-old has approximately: $60,000 in transaction accounts (including checking and savings) $127,000 in certificate of deposit (CD) accounts.

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.