What is the average income for upper middle class in the US?
In fact, a Gallup survey earlier this year shows that just over half of people identify as either middle or upper middle class. According to Pew's calculator, that feeling lines up with reality when they're earning between $52,200 and $156,600.
“Upper-middle-class households are defined here as those earning between $75,301 and $127,300 a year, according to the Fed. They make more money than at least 60% of other households, but less money than the top 20% of earners.
In 2022, the national median household income is around $75,000, up from $68,000 in 2021. Therefore, as a whole, the typical upper-class household in the new decade has a median household income of over $130,000. $130,000 is a good household income amount.
Roughly seven-in-ten say a family of four would need at least $100,000 to be considered wealthy. Three-in-ten say a family of four would need $250,000 or more. Overall, the median amount given was $150,000. Self-described upper- and middle-class respondents estimate a somewhat higher median—$200,000.
HENRY stands for "high earner, not rich yet," and is typically a younger earner who enjoys an income of $100,000 to $250,000 a year.
With a $500,000+ income, you are considered rich, wherever you live! According to the IRS, any household who makes over $500,000 a year in 2022 is considered a top 1% income earner. Of course, some parts of the country require a higher income level to be in the top 1% income, e.g. Connecticut at $580,000.
Households with a net worth of $1 million or more may be classified as members of the upper class, depending on the definition of class used.
A good monthly income in California is $3,886, based on what the Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that Californians pay for their cost of living. A good monthly income for you will depend on what your expenses are and how much you typically spend per month.
The median American worker brings home an estimated $54,132 a year. Salary figures vary significantly depending on location, education and other factors. Income is a vital part of your overall financial health, alongside net worth and savings.
Gallup has, for a number of years, asked Americans to place themselves -- without any guidance -- into five social classes: upper, upper-middle, middle, working and lower. These five class labels are representative of the general approach used in popular language and by researchers.
Is upper class the same as rich?
In the United States, the upper class, as distinguished from the rich, is often considered to consist of those families that have for many generations enjoyed top social status based on their leadership in society -- also referred to as old money.
The upper‐upper class includes those aristocratic and “high‐society” families with “old money” who have been rich for generations. These extremely wealthy people live off the income from their inherited riches. The upper‐upper class is more prestigious than the lower‐upper class.
In the United States, the upper middle class is defined as consisting mostly of white-collar professionals who not only have above-average personal incomes and advanced educational degrees but also a higher degree of autonomy in their work.
These are the upper-middle-class people. The upper-middle-class usually evolves out of people from the middle-class tier who are particularly resourceful or who achieve higher levels of education than the rest of the middle class. Examples of these people in today's society are doctors and lawyers.
How much money do you need to be considered rich? According to Schwab's 2022 Modern Wealth Survey (opens in new tab), Americans believe it takes an average net worth of $2.2 million to qualify a person as being wealthy. (Net worth is the sum of your assets minus your liabilities.)
From the top 5% to the top 1%
Salaries start to jump significantly the closer you get to the top 1%. You'll start to see dramatic shifts in the top 5%, where the EPI found the average earners significantly increased to $343,000 in 2020, up from $324,000 the year before.
| Age of head of family | Median net worth | Average net worth |
|---|---|---|
| 45-54 | $168,600 | $833,200 |
| 55-64 | $212,500 | $1,175,900 |
| 65-74 | $266,400 | $1,217,700 |
| 75+ | $254,800 | $977,600 |
A six-figure salary is the dream of many. But if you don't have a six-figure salary, you aren't alone. The majority of American households earn less than $100,000 per year. Just around one-third of U.S. households earn $100,000 or more per year.
Investors with less than $1 million but more than $100,000 liquid assets are considered sub-HNWIs. Very-high-net-worth individuals have a net worth of at least $5 million, while ultra-high-net-worth individuals are worth at least $30 million.
What income is considered higher middle class?
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 $65,000 in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. 21 Using Pew's yardstick, middle income is made up of people who make between $43,350 and $130,000.
With the median U.S. income being about $80,000 a year, a household of four earning between roughly $52,000 and $175,000 a year is considered middle class.
Pew defines “middle class” as those earning between two-thirds and twice the median American household income, which in 2021 was $70,784, according to the United States Census Bureau. That means American households earning as little as $47,189 and up to $141,568 are technically in the middle class.
Researchers define middle class differently, ranging from household income to aspirational goals. Some experts say you are American middle class if you made between $51,200 to $153,000 in 2020.
1) Standard Definition Of Middle Class
$25,000-$100,000 a year is what most would consider as a middle class income. The $75,000 spread accounts for the wide cost of living differential between places like New York City and Fargo, North Dakota.
A good monthly income in California is $3,886, based on what the Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that Californians pay for their cost of living. A good monthly income for you will depend on what your expenses are and how much you typically spend per month.
In 2021, the median household income is roughly $68,000. An upper class income is usually considered at least 50% higher than the median household income. Therefore, an upper class income in America is $100,000 and higher.
| Annual Household Income | % of Americans Earning More |
|---|---|
| $65,000 to $69,999 | 35.03% |
| $70,000 to $74,999 | 31.85% |
| $75,000 to $79,999 | 29.22% |
| $80,000 to $84,999 | 26.57% |
A three-person middle-income household makes about $52,000 to $156,000 every year according to Pew's definition. A household of four would have to makes $60,000 to $180,000. Households of five making roughly between $67,000 to $201,000 are also considered part of the middle class.
How much money do you need to be considered rich? According to Schwab's 2022 Modern Wealth Survey (opens in new tab), Americans believe it takes an average net worth of $2.2 million to qualify a person as being wealthy. (Net worth is the sum of your assets minus your liabilities.)
What is upper middle class lifestyle?
In the United States, the upper middle class is defined as consisting mostly of white-collar professionals who not only have above-average personal incomes and advanced educational degrees but also a higher degree of autonomy in their work.
For its purposes, the Pew Research Center considers a household to be upper class if its income is double the U.S. median household income. This means that, on average, a single person living alone needs to make just $78,281 to be considered upper class.
The term upper class refers to a group of individuals who occupy the highest place and status in society. These people are considered the wealthiest, lying above the working and middle class in the social hierarchy.
The upper class is the social class composed of those who are rich, well-born, powerful, or a combination of those. They usually wield the greatest political power.
' Most studies show that teachers are middle class in their outlook and background.