One common way to classify the upper middle class is based on income. The upper middle class is often defined as the top 15% to 20% of earners. According to the Social Security Administration's 2022 wage data, the average upper-middle-class income was roughly between $80,000 and $100,000.
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.
A middle-class income is roughly in the $50,000 to $150,000 range, according to finance expert Jake Claver. Those in the upper middle class have an estimated household income of $150,000 to $250,000. The exact threshold can fluctuate based on a variety of factors, such as local cost of living and inflation.
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.
Some sources define upper middle class as anyone who's making a lot of money but hasn't quite crossed the threshold to become truly wealthy yet. These individuals often have a net worth of at least $500,000 to $2 million.
According to Schwab's 2023 Modern Wealth Survey, Americans perceive an average net worth of $2.2 million as wealthy. Knight Frank's research indicates that a net worth of $4.4 million is required to be in the top 1% in America, a figure much higher than in countries like Japan, the U.K. and Australia.
Among the 47 million households headed by someone age 60 or older, 7% had household investable assets of at least $2 million, Drinkwater said. Only 6% of the 89 million households in the U.S. headed by someone 40 to 85 years old has that amount, Drinkwater said.
The upper middle class is often made up of highly educated business and professional people with high incomes, such as doctors, lawyers, stockbrokers, and CEOs. Comprising only 1 to 3 percent of the United States population, the upper class holds more than 25 percent of the nation's wealth.
The most common professions of the upper-middle class tend to center on conceptualizing, consulting, and instruction. They include such occupations as lawyer, physician, dentist, engineer, professor, architect, civil service executive, and civilian contractor.
It's fair to say that $1 million is a lot of money. But is it enough to be considered upper class? Many wealthy Americans say no. Recent data from Ameriprise finds that 60% of people with $1 million or more classify themselves as upper middle class, while 31% of folks in that boat simply say they're middle class.
An income of $300,000 a year is generally considered to be upper-middle class or even rich, particularly in regions with a lower cost of living. This classification can vary based on geographic location, family size and the local cost of living.
San Jose, California
While a $150,000 salary would provide a comfortable living in most parts of the country, in San Jose it may only qualify as lower middle class. That's because the cost of living in the Silicon Valley city is 49% higher than the national average.
Statisticians say middle class is a household income between $25,000 and $100,000 a year. Anything above $100,000 is deemed “upper middle class”.
As of Feb 2, 2024, the average weekly pay for a Working Class in the United States is $1,522 a week. While ZipRecruiter is seeing weekly wages as high as $2,058 and as low as $683, the majority of Working Class wages currently range between $1,269 (25th percentile) to $1,692 (75th percentile) across the United States.
Americans' average net worth by age
Between 2019 and 2022, the median net worth of U.S. households surged 37% to $192,900, according to the report. The mean, or average, net worth increased 23% to $1,063,700. You may be wondering why the mean is so much higher than the median net worth.
Average U.S. household income in 2022: $105,555
The average U.S. household income in 2022 was $105,555, while the median U.S. household income was $74,580. Adjusting for inflation, median household income dropped 2.2% from 2021 to 2022.
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.
Upper-class status commonly derived from the social position of one's family and not from one's own achievements or wealth. Much of the population that composed the upper class consisted of aristocrats, ruling families, titled people, and religious hierarchs.
Have you ever wondered what it takes to land a job in the world of “old money”? These high-paying positions have been held by generations of wealthy families, from bankers and lawyers to CEOs and politicians. While these jobs may seem elusive, they are not impossible to attain.
Based on the 80% principle, you can expect to need about $96,000 in annual income after you retire, which is $8,000 per month.
As we have established, retiring on $500k is entirely feasible. With the addition of Social Security benefits, the possibility of retiring with $500k becomes even more possible. In retirement, Social Security benefits can provide an additional $1,800 per month, on average.
What is the average and median retirement savings? The average retirement savings for all families is $333,940 according to the 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances.
Someone who has $1 million in liquid assets, for instance, is usually considered to be a high net worth (HNW) individual. You might need $5 million to $10 million to qualify as having a very high net worth while it may take $30 million or more to be considered ultra-high net worth.
At its most basic, net worth is everything you own minus everything you owe. To calculate your net worth, tally the value of all or your assets, including bank accounts, investments, and perhaps the value of your home or vacation home.