What is the top 20% salary in the US?

To be in the top 20% of household income in the U.S., you generally need to earn above roughly $175,000 to over $200,000 annually, depending on the specific year and source, with figures suggesting around $175,700 (2024) or higher, while the average household in that top quintile earned about $316,100 in 2024.

What percentage of Americans make over $500,000 per year?

While just 0.79 percent of jobs in the country paid more than $500,000 per year, that's well more than 1 million positions. Per the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, average annual employment in the United States during 2023 was 153,140,899, or 131,289,681 if only the private sector is included.

What is the top 20 percent income in 2025?

Based on the definition of the middle class, the income range for this group is anywhere from $56,600 and $169,800 for 2025. That means that to be considered in the top 20% of the middle class, you would need to earn between about $117,000 and $150,000.

What job pays $400,000 a year without a degree?

Jobs that can pay $400K a year without a degree include commercial real estate brokers, successful YouTubers or influencers, self-employed software developers, high-stakes sales roles like enterprise tech sales, and business owners. These roles rely on skill, market demand, and performance rather than formal education.

What profession makes $300,000 a year?

Jobs with high earning potential around 300,000 per year often include specialized medical professionals, senior executives, experienced legal practitioners, and technology leaders.

How Much Money Top 50%, 20%, 10% and 1% Income Earners Make?

How many people make more than 400k?

Around 3.8 million U.S. households earned over $400,000 annually as of 2023, a significant increase from 2.6 million in 2019, representing a growing segment of Americans crossing this income threshold, though still a small percentage (around 3%) of total households, with top earners concentrated in high-cost areas like D.C., Connecticut, and California, often reaching much higher incomes to be in the top 1%. 

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 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. 

What salary is considered upper class?

To be considered upper class, a U.S. household generally needs an income significantly above the median, often cited as over $170,000 to $200,000 annually, but this varies greatly by location (e.g., much higher in San Francisco) and definition, with some studies placing the threshold at roughly double the median household income (around $167,000) or in the top 20% (starting around $153,000+). It's a subjective measure, influenced by cost of living, household size, and personal wealth, not just income. 

How many Americans actually have $1 million?

Around 22 to 24 million American households (about 1 in 6) have a net worth exceeding $1 million, a number that has grown significantly, though definitions vary (some exclude primary homes). For retirement savings specifically, the figure is much lower, with only about 2.5% to 9% of Americans having $1 million or more saved, depending on age group, notes this Investopedia article on retirement savings and this Yahoo Finance article. 

How rare is it to make 300k a year?

Is $300,000 a Year Considered Rich? Given that the average salary in the U.S. is about 21% of $300,000, yes, many would consider someone earning $300,000 per year by themselves to be rich. However, in most states, you'd need to make substantially more than $300,000 per year to be in the top 1% of earners.

What is the average net worth of a 70 year old couple?

For a 70-year-old couple (ages 65-74), the average (mean) net worth is around $1.8 million, while the median is significantly lower at approximately $410,000, reflecting that many households have less, but a few very wealthy ones pull the average up; this is often their peak wealth before retirement withdrawals, with data from late 2025 showing these figures.
 

What salary is considered rich in the US?

Being "rich" in the USA varies, but generally, a household income above $200,000-$250,000 puts you in the top 10% (affluent), while reaching the top 1% often requires over $500,000-$800,000+ annually, with figures changing by location, cost of living, and specific definitions (income vs. net worth). Americans themselves often cite around $520,000 as needing to feel rich, significantly more than what's needed just to be comfortable ($186,000). 

How many Americans make $500,000 a year?

While exact, real-time numbers vary, recent data suggests over 1 million Americans earn $500,000 or more annually, representing a small fraction (less than 1%) of the workforce, though this group is concentrated in high-cost-of-living areas like the Bay Area, NYC, and Houston, often in tech, finance, or energy.
 

Which is the no. 1 high salary job?

The #1 highest-paying job consistently falls within specialized medicine, with Pediatric Surgeons, Neurosurgeons, and Anesthesiologists often topping lists, earning well over $400,000 annually due to extensive training and high stakes, though specific rankings vary slightly by source and year, with CEOs and other surgeons also high on the list. 

What profession makes $400,000 a year?

Having a 400K salary means earning $400,000 per year before taxes and deductions. This level of income is typically associated with high-level professionals, executives, doctors, specialized lawyers, or successful entrepreneurs.

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.

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 income well into the high six figures, with thresholds around $400,000 to over $438,000 depending on the year and data source, often placing you in the top 1-2%, while household income thresholds can be similar or higher, with some sources pointing towards $400k+ to enter the top tiers. 

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.

What are the 5 wealth classes in the US?

America's wealth is often divided into five main tiers based on net worth, from the Bottom 25% (under ~$29k) to the Lower Middle Class (~$29k-$209k), Upper Middle Class (~$209k-$714k), Upper Class (~$714k-$2.1M), and the Wealthy/Top 10% (over ~$2.1M), according to financial planners like Bo Hanson, using Federal Reserve data, though definitions vary by source. These figures reflect net worth (assets minus debts) rather than just income. 

How can I make $500,000 a year?

To make $500k a year, you generally need to be in high-level executive roles (CEO, CFO), specialized fields (top surgeons, lawyers, investment managers, enterprise sales), or become a successful business owner/entrepreneur, often by selling high-value products/services or scaling a business with add-on services, requiring deep expertise, strategic marketing, and often significant education or high-stakes performance. 

What jobs do the top 1 percent have?

The top 1% of earners hold high-paying roles, primarily in finance (investment banking, hedge funds, private equity), medicine (specialists, surgeons, doctors), law (partners in large firms), tech (executives, entrepreneurs, top engineers with equity), executive management, and successful small business ownership, leveraging specialized skills, revenue generation, or high-stakes responsibility to achieve extraordinary incomes.