The Making Of A Millionaire, And Why $100K Is No Longer The Benchmark Salary For Wealth In America (2024)

FAQs

Is making over 100k a year considered rich? ›

Earning more than $100,000 per year would put you well ahead of the median American household, which brings in $74,784 as of 2021. Assuming you're an individual without dependents, that salary would qualify you as upper class, according to three different definitions (Brookings, Urban Institute and Pew Research).

A six-figure salary has long been seen as a marker of financial success. But with the ever-rising cost of living, $100,000 doesn't offer much by way of financial security in a number of big U.S. cities.

According to the US Census Bureau, the majority of Americans (54.98%) make $50,000 per year or less, while only 18% of individual Americans make $100,000 per year or more. This means that over 80% of Americans make less than $100,000 per year.

In most of the US, yes, it's a very good salary. As a household salary, it would put you in the top 20% of wage earners. No obscenely rich, but certainly not poor. In small, rural towns, it would allow you to buy a very nice property, and live very well.

You'll need to earn more than half a million annually to be considered among the highest earning residents in 11 states and Washington, D.C.

Upper middle class: Anyone with earnings in the 60th to 80th percentile would be considered upper middle class. Those in the upper middle class have incomes between $89,745 and $149,131. Upper class: Finally, the upper class is the top 20% of earners and they have incomes of $149,132 or higher.

When you remove demographics such as infants, students, and stay-at-home spouses and focus only on full-time workers, around 18% of all earners in the US make at least six figures. Conversely, the median American household income in 2023 was approximately $44,225.

Many have graduate degrees with educational attainment serving as the main distinguishing feature of this class. Household incomes commonly exceed $100,000, with some smaller one-income earners household having incomes in the high 5-figure range. "The upper middle class has grown...and its composition has changed.

A $100,000 salary may be considered middle-income in many parts of the U.S., but it's no longer a ticket to the middle class.

From age 18-24, only 1% of earners (7% altogether) earn $100k per year or more. This makes these age groups by far the lowest earners in the US. Americans make the most income gains between 25 and 35. Only 2% of 25-year-olds make over $100k per year, but this jumps to a considerable 12% by 35.

How many millennials make over 100k? ›

In 2022, around 4.8 million people between 25 to 34 years old whose annual income was 100,000 U.S. dollars or more obtained that income through wages and salary.

Meanwhile, 57% of Millennials say a lack of budgeting and financial planning is the primary reason they're living paycheck to paycheck. The second most common reason among this generation is high monthly bills, with about 50% of respondents selecting this answer.

Middle class: Those in the 40th to 60th percentile of household income, ranging from $55,001 to $89,744. Upper middle class: Households in the 60th to 80th percentile, with incomes between $89,745 and $149,131. Upper class: The top 20% of earners, with household incomes of $149,132 or more.

Hitting a six-figure salary used to be a career milestone for many. Making $100,000 or more was something to celebrate over dinner and drinks. Today that celebration isn't quite as big. Minimum salary requirements are changing for a lot of people as they deal with rising costs of living and inflation.

If you're earning $110,000 per year, give yourself a pat on the back: You're in the upper half of American earners. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income is just under $71,000.

If your gross income is over $100,000 a year, are you wealthy in America? If your household income is over $100,000 a year, then you are in the top 30% of Americans in terms of income. Congratulations, most Americans consider this “rich'. Maybe not quite “wealthy.” You are at least upper middle class.

To find out more about how many people make over 100k per year, we've gathered essential facts and data. According to our extensive research: 18% of individual Americans make over $100k per year. 34.4% of US households make over $100k per year.

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And one crucial detail to note: Millionaire status doesn't equal a sky-high salary. “Only 31% averaged $100,000 a year over the course of their career,” the study found, “and one-third never made six figures in any single working year of their career.”

Household Income: Roughly one-third of households in the U.S. have an annual income exceeding $100,000. Individual Income: The number of individuals hitting the $100k mark is lower, with about 18% of Americans achieving this figure.