If you’re a business owner, lawyer, or executive, you probably earn enough to be in the top 1% of salaries in the United States. In fact, the average income of the top 1% is nine times the median income in the U.S., according to a recent study.
However, the criteria for entering this income range vary from state to state. Some states require a minimum annual income of less than $350,000, while others have a higher threshold. For example, the minimum income in California is $745,314; the same is true of New York, where the minimum is $900,000.
However, the top 1% of earners are also among the most profitable, making multi-millions each year. The most lucrative professions include professional and technical services, physician’s offices, and law.
University professors make an average of $400,000 a year, and their salaries can grow to more than $600,000 by the time they reach the age of 35. They also have to endure high pressure, long work hours, and intense political land mines.
Many of these professions have a 10% profit margin, so a couple of business partners can enter the top 1%. The top 1%’s earnings are primarily earned by people who own and operate small and medium-sized businesses.
What Income is Top 10 Percent?
If you are a college grad with a steady job, you may be among the 99 percent. However, the top 10 percent is a whole different story. You’re on the outside looking in if you’re living in the great state of Texas. Luckily, you’re in a much better position than most Americans.
The top ten percent of Americans have gotten a lot richer since the Great Recession of 2008. According to the most recent Census Bureau data, the top ten percent of earners had a larger median income than their counterparts. Considering that many people in this group are dual-income households, it’s no surprise that they’re raking in the dough.
Interestingly, the median income in the most recent data is higher than that of a comparable size cohort in the 1990s. In fact, it has climbed by almost 10 percent in the last 15 years. This is a huge improvement over the 1990s, when median incomes were much lower. And in the current climate, a boost in employment has helped improve the median wage by nearly ten percent.
Who is the Top 10 Percent?
A few years back, the top ten percent of earners did not have a monopoly on the good stuff. However, that has all changed thanks to the aforementioned recession and subsequent pandemic. The lucky few may not have a corner office on Wall Street, but they may be living the good life in the great state of Mississippi.
The best way to find out is to do your research. GOBankingRates performed a comparison study based on data from the US Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey. They were able to crunch the numbers to determine the top ten earnings in each state. For comparison, the top ten richest states had an average top ten earnings of $45,219, up from $42,459 in 2017. Interestingly, Mississippi did not score a spot on the top ten list, but they did manage to land in the bottom ten.
GOBankingRates’ top ten state rankings include California, Texas, New York, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Florida, Illinois, and Washington. If you’re looking to make a splash, you’ll probably want to consider moving to one of these golden states, but you’ll probably have to get creative.
What is Considered Upper Middle Class?
The upper middle class is a class of adults whose income is above the national median. Typically, this class is made up of 15-20 percent of the working-age population.
While many Americans believe they are in the middle class, they are not necessarily in a financial position to own a home. It is important to remember that the class can vary based on geography and education.
In the United States, the middle 60 percent of households accounted for a little more than half of the nation’s income in 1967-1987. But the share has decreased since that time. In 2019, the middle 60 percent was down to 45 percent.
Some individuals can qualify for middle class status by having a secure job. They can also be able to save. A majority of Americans think that having a secure job is a must for being in the middle class.
Another factor is family structure. People with an intact family are more likely to retain their childhood class status as adults. Moreover, people with more stable, committed families tend to have greater life chances for their children. This is important in determining where the next generation is headed.
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