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Average Income by Age in the US (2026)

Q: What is the average income by age in the US?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, median weekly earnings by age group are approximately: 16–24: $714/week ($37,128/year); 25–34: $1,050/week ($54,600/year); 35–44: $1,165/week ($60,580/year); 45–54: $1,200/week ($62,400/year); 55–64: $1,176/week ($61,152/year); 65+: $1,100/week ($57,200/year). Peak earnings typically occur in the 45–54 age range.

Q: What is a good salary at 30?

The median salary for Americans aged 25–34 is approximately $54,600/year ($1,050/week). A salary above $65,000–$70,000 at age 30 puts you in the upper half of your age group nationally. However, cost of living varies dramatically — $65,000 in rural Iowa is very different from $65,000 in San Francisco or New York City.

Q: At what age is income highest?

US income typically peaks in the 45–54 age range, with a median of approximately $62,400/year. Income plateaus slightly in the 55–64 age group and then declines modestly at 65+ as many transition to part-time work or retirement. The biggest income growth happens between your mid-20s and late 30s as career experience and seniority compound.

Q: How much does income grow with age?

Median income grows approximately 46% between ages 16–24 and peak earning years at 45–54. The sharpest growth occurs in your 20s and early 30s — from roughly $37,000 at age 20 to $54,600 by the late 20s. Growth slows in the 35–54 range and declines modestly at 65+ as workers transition to retirement.

Q: What counts as a high income at each age?

Being in the top 25% of earners for your age group generally qualifies as high income. Approximate top-quartile thresholds: under 25: $55,000+; 25–34: $80,000+; 35–44: $100,000+; 45–54: $120,000+; 55–64: $110,000+. These figures are national medians and don't account for regional cost of living differences.

📅 Updated April 2026 ⏱ 7 min read 📊 Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Q4 2024

The median American worker aged 25–34 earns $54,600/year. That rises to $62,400 at peak earning years (45–54) — a 14% lifetime income gain that happens gradually over three decades of career growth. Here's the full income breakdown by age, what's considered above average at each stage, and how income relates to building wealth. See all key financial benchmarks at our Personal Finance Statistics Hub →

Median Weekly Earnings by Age Group — Visual

Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Current Population Survey (Q4 2024). Weekly earnings for full-time wage and salary workers.

16–24

$714/wk

$37,128/yr

25–34

$1,050/wk

$54,600/yr

35–44

$1,165/wk

$60,580/yr

45–54

$1,200/wk

$62,400/yr

55–64

$1,176/wk

$61,152/yr

65+

$1,100/wk

$57,200/yr

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, Q4 2024. Median usual weekly earnings, full-time wage and salary workers. Annual figures = weekly × 52.

Average Income by Age — Full Data Table

Age Group	Median Weekly	Median Annual	Men (Median Annual)	Women (Median Annual)
16–24	$714	$37,128	$38,480	$35,776
25–34	$1,050	$54,600	$58,760	$50,440
35–44	$1,165	$60,580	$68,900	$53,040
45–54	$1,200	$62,400	$72,280	$54,080
55–64	$1,176	$61,152	$70,200	$53,040
65+	$1,100	$57,200	$64,480	$48,880

Source: BLS Current Population Survey, Q4 2024. Gender figures are approximate and may vary by specific quarter. The gender pay gap persists across all age groups but narrows somewhat at younger ages.

📌 Key Insight

Income peaks in the 45–54 age range at $62,400/year median. The biggest single-decade income jump happens between 16–24 and 25–34 (+$17,472/year), driven by career entry and early advancement. After 54, income plateaus and slowly declines as workers scale back or transition to part-time and retirement. Notably, the gender pay gap is persistent — men in the 45–54 range earn 34% more than women ($72,280 vs $54,080).

What Is Considered Above-Average Income at Each Age?

The "above average" threshold varies significantly by age. Being in the top 25% of earners is generally considered a strong financial position for wealth-building purposes.

Ages 16–24

$55,000+

Above median by 48%. Entry-level professional roles, trade apprenticeships with overtime, or starting a business can achieve this.

Ages 25–34

$80,000+

Above median by 47%. Achievable in tech, finance, healthcare, and skilled trades. Mid-level professional with 3–5 years experience.

Ages 35–44

$100,000+

Above median by 65%. Six-figure income at this age often reflects management, senior technical, or specialized professional roles.

Ages 45–54

$120,000+

Above median by 92%. Peak earning years. Senior management, partner-level professional, or experienced specialist roles.

Ages 55–64

$110,000+

Above median by 80%. Late-career seniority. Income often stabilizes or declines slightly as people approach retirement.

Ages 65+

$80,000+

Above median by 40% among those still working. Many 65+ workers are part-time, which depresses the median significantly.

How Income Growth Works Across a Career

Understanding how income typically grows helps you benchmark your own trajectory and identify where you might be leaving money on the table.

Early Career (16–24): Entry and Establishment

Median earnings of $37,128/year reflect a mix of part-time workers, recent high school graduates, and early college students. For full-time professional workers, actual starting salaries in this age range are often $40,000–$55,000 depending on field. This is the phase where education, certifications, and early employer reputation carry the most weight for future income trajectory.

Early Adulthood (25–34): Rapid Growth

The biggest percentage income gains of most careers happen in this decade. The jump from $37,128 (16–24 median) to $54,600 (25–34 median) represents 47% growth — and for individual workers, gains often come from job changes. Research consistently shows that switching employers produces 10–20% higher salary increases than staying in place, especially in your 20s and early 30s.

Mid-Career (35–54): Peak Earnings and Plateau

Income plateaus somewhat between 35 and 54, growing from $60,580 to $62,400 — just 3% over two decades for the median worker. High performers diverge sharply from the median here: senior leadership, specialized expertise, and equity compensation push top earners far above the median, while others experience flat real wages. This is the critical window for maximizing retirement savings contributions.

Late Career and Retirement (55+): Gradual Decline

Median income dips from $62,400 at 45–54 to $61,152 at 55–64 as some workers scale back, take early retirement packages, or shift to lower-intensity roles. At 65+, the median falls to $57,200 — but this reflects many part-time workers. Full-time workers who remain employed at 65 often earn well above this median.

Income vs. Wealth: Why They're Different

High income is an input to wealth — not wealth itself. A $100,000 earner who saves 5% ($5,000/year) accumulates less wealth than an $80,000 earner who saves 20% ($16,000/year). The relationship between income and net worth depends on:

Savings rate — The percentage of income saved and invested matters more than the raw income figure
Debt load — Student loans, consumer debt, and mortgage balances subtract directly from net worth
Investment returns — A consistent 7–8% real return on invested savings compounds dramatically over decades
Cost of living — $70,000 in rural Ohio and $70,000 in San Jose leave very different amounts available to save

See how income translates to net worth at every age in our Average Net Worth by Age guide →

Make the Most of Your Income

A budgeting app turns income data into an action plan — tracking spending, identifying waste, and helping you save more of what you earn.

Best Budgeting Apps 2026 See Net Worth by Age

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average income by age in the US? ▼

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, median annual earnings by age group are approximately: 16–24: $37,128; 25–34: $54,600; 35–44: $60,580; 45–54: $62,400; 55–64: $61,152; 65+: $57,200. Peak earnings occur in the 45–54 range. These are median figures for full-time wage and salary workers.

What is a good salary at 30? ▼

The median salary for Americans aged 25–34 is $54,600/year. Earning $65,000–$75,000 at age 30 puts you above the median for your age group nationally. Salaries above $80,000–$90,000 at 30 are in the top quartile. Cost of living matters greatly — always benchmark relative to your local market, not just the national median.

At what age is income highest? ▼

US income peaks in the 45–54 age range at a median of $62,400/year ($1,200/week). Income plateaus slightly in the 55–64 group and then declines at 65+ as workers transition to part-time work or retirement. The biggest growth happens in your 20s and early 30s as you advance from entry-level roles.

How much does income grow with age? ▼

Median income grows about 68% from the 16–24 age group ($37,128) to the 45–54 peak ($62,400). The sharpest growth is in your 20s (+$17,472 from 16–24 to 25–34). Growth slows dramatically from 35 onward for the median worker, though high performers in senior roles continue to see meaningful gains.

What counts as a high income at each age? ▼

Rough top-quartile thresholds by age: under 25: $55,000+; 25–34: $80,000+; 35–44: $100,000+; 45–54: $120,000+; 55–64: $110,000+. These are national figures — in high cost-of-living cities like NYC, San Francisco, or Seattle, these thresholds are effectively higher in terms of purchasing power.