What percentage of US citizens make over 150k?

Around 26% to 29% of U.S. households earn over $150,000 annually, with figures from 2024 showing about 10.1% in the $150k-$199k bracket and 16% earning $200k+, while another source indicates that 28.5% of households make over $150k. For individual workers, a smaller percentage reaches this level, with over 90% earning less than $150k in 2022, placing a $150k salary above the 90th percentile for individuals.

How many Americans make 150K a year?

While exact figures vary, roughly 10-12% of U.S. households earn between $150,000 and $199,999, with a significant portion earning even more, meaning a substantial segment, potentially over a third of families, earn above $150k when combining groups. Data from 2022 showed over 11 million households in the $150k-$199k bracket alone, plus millions more earning $200k+, indicating a growing affluent segment. 

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. 

Is 150K upper middle class?

However, depending on the state you live in, earning upwards of $150,000 annually might mean you're considered part of the middle class rather than upper-middle or upper class. Find Out: What Is the Estimated Median Income for the Upper-Middle Class in 2025?

What class are you in if you make $150,000 a year?

An income of $150,000 a year generally falls into the upper-middle class, but its "class" status varies significantly by location, being middle class in many areas and even lower-middle class in high-cost cities like D.C. or San Francisco, according to analyses using the Pew Research Center definition (2/3 to 2x state median income). 

What Is Considered a “Good Income”?

What salary per year is considered rich?

Being "rich" is subjective, but generally, it means being in the top 1-5% of earners, requiring an annual income from around $250,000 to over $700,000+ depending on location, with surveys showing Americans need $400k-$500k+ to feel rich, while the IRS sets the top 1% threshold around $700k+ nationally, though much higher in expensive states like California. 

How many Americans make $200,000 a year?

Around 14-16% of U.S. households earn $200,000 or more annually, which translates to roughly 15-20 million households, while for individuals, $200k puts you in the top 5% of earners, with data suggesting roughly 10-12% of households are above this mark, showing it's a significant income bracket but still well above the median household earnings. 

What income is considered upper class in 2025?

In 2025, defining "upper class" income varies, but generally starts around $124,000 (for the lower end of the upper class), with top earners needing over $330,000 (top 5%) to $730,000+ (top 1%), depending heavily on location, family size, and methodology (like Pew Research Center vs. Census data). For instance, a 4-person family in high-cost California needs over $250k, while a single person's threshold is much lower. 

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.

Can a family of four live on 150K a year?

I wouldn't be surprised if $150k was really tight for a family of 4 in SF proper. Running the calculations, a payroll calculator indicates that $150k/yr turns into $3925 take home every 2 weeks or just over $100k/yr. The housing alone for a three bedroom (assuming everyone shares a room) would run at least $60k/yr.

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 much is 150K a year hourly?

$150,000 a year is approximately $72.12 per hour, based on a standard 40-hour workweek (2080 hours annually). This is calculated by dividing your annual salary by 2080 hours ($150,000 / 2080 = $72.12). For higher accuracy, consider fewer paid holidays, which slightly increases the hourly rate to around $74.11. 

Is 150K salary considered rich?

Today, it's often just enough to be considered middle class. In fact, the upper bound of what qualifies as middle class now exceeds $100,000 in every U.S. state, according to a SmartAsset analysis of 2023 income data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

What percent of Americans make over $150,000?

According to the US Census, about 17% of American households make between $100,000 and $149,999, 9.5% of households make between $150,000 and $199,999, and another 14% earn $200,000 or more. But those percentages represent total household incomes where 2 or more people in the home might be working.

Is $150,000 a year upper middle class?

Upper-middle-class definitions vary, but most sources agree on a general range. A GOBankingRates article shows an income of $106,000 to $150,000 typically lands you in the upper-middle class based on national averages.

What is a livable salary in 2025?

A livable salary in 2025 varies drastically by location and family size, but generally, a single adult needs $90,000 to over $120,000 annually in high-cost states like CA/MA for comfort, while nationally, around $100k-$107k covers essentials, savings, and fun (50/30/20 rule) for one person, though costs surge with children, requiring significantly more, like over $200k for a family of four in many areas. 

Are doctors upper-middle class?

Yes, doctors are generally considered part of the upper-middle class, characterized by high education, professional status, and comfortable, often high, incomes, though they may not always reach "wealthy" status due to significant debt and long training periods, with some specialties and locations earning significantly more than primary care physicians. They fit the profile of highly educated professionals with self-directed work and postgraduate degrees, often exceeding typical middle-class income thresholds. 

How rare is it to make 200K?

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

How many Americans make $400,000 a year?

While exact real-time figures vary, roughly 0.6% to 1.8% of American households earn over $400,000 annually, meaning millions of households, with recent estimates suggesting around 3.8 million fall into this bracket, though it's a small fraction (over 95%) of the total. This puts them in a high-earning tier, but income distribution shows even higher thresholds for the top 1%, requiring significantly more income to reach. 

What income is top 5% in the US?

You'll need to make over $500,000 a year to keep up with the average income of the top 5% earners in the richest U.S. states, according to a new analysis by GOBankingRates. In 12 states, the average income for top-earning households exceeds $500,000 a year, the study finds.

What jobs are upper middle class?

Upper-middle-class jobs typically involve high levels of education, specialized skills, and white-collar professional roles, including doctors, lawyers, engineers, software developers, university professors, corporate managers/executives, financial analysts, and architects, often requiring advanced degrees and offering significant autonomy, high income, and good benefits, placing individuals in the top 15-20% of earners. 

Is a 6 figure salary good anymore?

A six-figure salary ($100,000+) is still good and above average, but inflation and high living costs mean it often doesn't provide the financial freedom it once did, with many still living paycheck-to-paycheck, especially in expensive areas, making it feel more like a baseline for survival than wealth in 2025-2026. While it's a milestone, it requires smart budgeting to cover soaring costs for housing, childcare, and daily expenses, with some suggesting $165,000+ is the new benchmark for comfort due to rising prices. 

What is considered wealthy vs. rich?

Being rich often means having a high income and spending lavishly on status symbols (cars, big house), while being wealthy means having significant, sustainable assets and investments that generate passive income, creating long-term financial security and freedom, even without high earnings. Rich is about flow (high income), while wealthy is about stock (accumulated assets that grow over time), making wealth more resilient to job loss or market changes.