Explore an interactive chart that shows peoples' annual salaries by occupation

See how the median annual US salary varies by age group, with the overall median annual salary being $62,192 as of 2025.

The average salary for full-time gig workers is roughly $60K a year in the US

High-earners can make more than six figures, while close to 15% make less than the federal minimum hour wage. Most gig workers in the United States still have to file a tax return every year.

Explore the most common jobs for Americans, broken down by age and gender.

Visualize America's retirement savings by age, with the median retirement savings for Americans being $87K as of May 2024.

In 1980, the median US household income was $21,020

In 1980, a steady middle-class job paid roughly $13,000 to $16,000 a year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. That income comfortably supported a household on one paycheck. The average full-time worker today, who makes $68K per year often cannot afford to support a household without a second income.

In the Netherlands, the minimum wage amounts to a full-time salary of roughly $34,192 per year

The US minimum wage, however, only amounts to roughly $15K per year. This map shows how much minimum wage workers in countries around the world earn on an annual basis in US dollars.

See where the United States ranked in annual working hours per worker among major countries over time.

Massachusetts is the state with the highest median household income for young Americans at $123.2K per year

Americans ages 25 through 44 make more in some states than others. While Massachusetts took the top billing, Mississippi came in last place out of all 50 states at $66K per year—a roughly 87% difference. However, it's important to remember that the cost of living in many of the highest-earning states in the US is significantly higher than the cost of living in the lowest-earning states.

What a $100K salary is worth in different US cities

While hitting the six-figure salary mark has long been seen as an indicator of career success, earning $100K per year doesn’t feel the same in every US city. This article details just how much that salary is worth in different places around the United States, from Memphis, Tennessee to New York City. Find out more here.

The salary needed to buy a home in the US

Anyone who has recently explored buying a home in the US knows it's not a cheap endeavor. The median salary for the typical American homebuyer has risen to roughly $104K, up from $88K two years ago. This data visualization breaks down the household income required to buy a median-priced home in 50 major US metro areas. Learn more here.

The 50 best (and highest paying) jobs in America

Here are the 50 Best Jobs in America, according to Glassdoor. Where does your job fall? This report ranks jobs according to each job’s Glassdoor Job Score, determined by combining three factors: number of job openings, salary, and overall job satisfaction rating.

See the average income in every US state

DC residents make an average of $108K a year, but residents of nearby state West Virginia earn the country's lowest average annual income of just $55K.

Use this interactive tool to see how long Americans have tended to remain at the same job for in various decades.

About 63% of employees making $100K+ salaries can work from home sometimes or always

However, only 38% of those making $50K to $100K can do the same. Some have pointed out that working from home is increasingly inaccessible to blue-collar workers and those who did not attend elite higher education institutions, furthering America's class divide.

In some expensive US cities, a $100K salary hardly offers a comfortable living

After tax, a $100K salary leaves you between $70K and $80K, depending on where you live. The value of what's left over varies significantly from city to city, with considerations like rent and grocery costs impacting how much money you lose.

Some say a $100,000 salary can’t buy the American dream

According to a 2023 survey, 52% of Americans said they would need to earn at least $100,000 a year to be financially comfortable. However, for a family of four, that's not enough money to achieve the American dream (having a degree of economic security) in any of the 50 states.

The average American contributed nearly $6,000 to a 401(k) retirement account in 2023.

Despite being completely legal to discuss salaries with your coworkers, the practice largely remains taboo in the US, particularly amongst older workers.

Pay transparency—once considered taboo—is gaining momentum. Despite being legally protected since 1935, open salary discussions have only recently become more common, especially among younger workers. This overview explores how cultural norms, economic shifts, and new state laws are reshaping the conversation around what we earn.

An animation of how the minimum wage changed every year from 1968 to 2018

In the United States, both the federal and state minimum wages have changed a lot over the years. See how—both in each state and at the federal level.

See a chart that shows how the average American spends their annual earnings, with almost half of all American consumer spending going toward transportation and housing.

The most common job in each US state in 2024

In 15 states, the most common job by number of employees is "fast food worker." Other most common jobs include cashiers and nurses.

401(k) plans had an average of $112K as of 2023

The median, however, is much lower at around $27K. The average balance of a 401(k) in the US differs across different age groups and income levels.

The US had roughly 1.6 million minimum wage workers as of 2021

Typically, minimum wage workers are young. They’re not only more likely to be a woman than a man, but also more likely to be single than married.

Average retirement savings by state

Connecticut residents have the highest average retirement savings per person at $634K, according to data from the retirement plan provider Empower. On average across all states, Americans have saved $498K for retirement. This graphic shows the top ten states with the highest average retirement savings per person. See who came in second to Connecticut here.

The average American household spends $6,545 per month

While the median household income is $84K, the typical bank account balance is $8K.

Visualize the most common job in every US state, from fast food worker to home health aide

Washington is the only state where "software developer" was the most common job (thanks, in part, to Microsoft and Amazon), whereas "fast food worker" was the most common occupation in 17 states.

The impact of knowing your coworker’s salary

In 2025, five more states enacted pay transparency laws, requiring employers to disclose salaries in job postings. The goal? Reduce wage gaps and promote fairness. But despite these laws, 42% of job listings still hide pay details.

Members of the United States Congress earn $174,000 annually

Members of the United States Congress have received the same pay since 2009. Leadership roles are more lucrative, and lawmakers become eligible for a federal pension after five years, with benefits tied to the length of service and salary.

San Francisco has the highest-paying average monthly salary in the US at $7,092

Other relatively high monthly average salaries in major cities worldwide include those in Switzerland, specifically Geneva at $7,984 and Zurich at $7,788. This chart shows other major cities across the world with high average monthly salaries.

The income needed to be middle class in every US state

Depending on the US state you live in, the household income needed to be considered "middle class" can vary from only $36K per year to $200K per year. It's more expensive to be considered middle class in states like Massachusetts and New Jersey than it is in West Virginia or Mississippi. See these numbers in a data visualization here.

At just over $1K, Mississippi has the lowest average weekly wage in the country.

See a map of where annual household incomes over $200K are most common in America.

Explore an interactive tool that reveals why Americans are unemployed—almost 30% of unemployed Americans ages 25 to 54 cited being laid off as the reason for their unemployment, for instance.

The countries with the highest wealth per person, ranked

When looking at countries with the highest average wealth per person, the United States comes in at number three (with $564,862 per person). But the US doesn't even make the top 10 when looking at the median wealth per person rather than the average, which is perhaps a more accurate version of the data. Explore the numbers here.

Each generation’s median income

Discover data about each generation’s income in the US. Generation X currently holds the title of highest earners, with notable wealth for those living in Maryland. Find out which groups tend to succeed and why, while seeing where you stand in comparison.

US teachers' earnings have declined since 2010

Although teachers are among the nation’s most educated workers, they earn far less on average than most other highly educated workers. More than 95% of elementary, middle and high school teachers have a bachelor’s degree or more. In 2019, the average earnings of elementary and middle school teachers with a bachelor’s degree or more who work full-time, year-round was $53,800. For high school teachers, it was $57,840.

The average retirement age by country, visualized

In the US, the average retirement age was 64 as of 2020. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development projects a two-year increase in the average retirement age by the mid-2060s.

In 2024, the average US wedding cost was around $33K

That's up from $29K in 2023, according to this 2024 weddings report. But that’s not the only surprising fact from the report: For instance, 89% of couples started wedding planning before getting engaged.

Read a breakdown of each state's pay transparency laws.

Pay transparency laws in the US are evolving quickly, as some states introduce them for the first time and others update existing legislation. This resource has an updated list of key pay transparency legislation in states across the country, as well as general explainers about what each of those laws dictate. Check it out here.

Read about potential changes to pay transparency laws at the federal level, as well as key aspects of states' transparency laws.

While many US states have pay transparency laws, no similar legislation has been passed at a federal level. However, the Salary Transparency Act was introduced in Congress in March 2023. For details about what that legislation would mandate and its status in the US House and Senate, click here.

Hollywood actors make an average of $56K per year

While a Hollywood actor’s average salary can vary based their experience and the size of their projects, the average annual salary. in 2024 was $56,903.

Calculate whether or not you're in the American middle class

In 2022, roughly 52% of US adults lived in middle-income households. This income calculator can help you determine whether or not you're one of them. Specifically, the calculator lets you enter your household income, location, and more to see where you line up in Pew's government data.

Americans ages 30 to 34 have $44,800 in their 401(k) accounts on average

Americans ages 28 to 44 save about 13.5% of their pretax income on average, which is close to the recommended retirement savings rate of 15%.

Who owns America's wealth?

This visualization breaks down the total net worth of all US households by wealth percentile, listing the number of households in each percentile. As you'll see in the graphic, the total net worth of all US households is close to $160T, and the richer half of the country owns roughly 98% of it. Check out the visual here.

The best US cities for entry-level jobs with livable wages

In Bakersfield, California, 100% of entry-level job ads on Indeed recently claimed to pay above the local living wage. But other cities, like Honolulu, Hawaii, aren't as livable for entry-level workers: Just 27.69% of new job posts advertise a salary in line with the city's living wage.

Living wage calculator

Some people who work low-wage jobs don't make enough money to pay for the cost of basic needs (like housing or child care) in their area of the country. Curious to see whether or not you make what's considered a "living wage" for your city or state? To find out, plug your locale into this Living Wage Calculator.

Visualizing how American men and women spend every hour of the day, by decade of life

Drawing on three years of Census time-use data, the tool tracks 12 activities—sleep, work, housework, caregiving, TV, and more—across age groups from the 20s through 70s. One persistent gap: women spend 45 more minutes per day on housework than men on average.

Charting where federal revenue comes from

About 50 percent of federal revenue comes from individual income taxes, 7 percent from corporate income taxes, and another 36 percent from payroll taxes that fund social insurance programs. See breakdown in charts here.

US public K-12 spending topped $857B in 2024

Public K-12 schools spent around $857B in 2024, averaging $17,277 per student. State and local sources shouldered nearly 90% of costs, and federal funds provided about $2,400 per pupil.

The federal minimum wage in the US has been $7.25 per hour since 2009—making this the longest the US has gone without a minimum wage increase since 1938.