How much income puts you in the top 1%, 5%, or 10%?

Summary

How much do you need to earn to be in the top 10% income bracket?

A 2022 study by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) found that the top 10% of earners nationally received an average income of $167,639 in 2021.

However, there is a difference between those in the top half and the bottom half of the top 10% of earners.

Those in the top half earned around $223,000, while those in the bottom section earned approximately $133,500, nearly $90,000 less.

Here is a breakdown of how much you need to earn in each state to be in the top 10%:

How much do you need to earn to be in the top 5% income bracket?

For those in the top 5%, the figure rises even more.

According to the same research, those in the top 5% earned an average of $335,891 in 2021.

This is an increase of around $19,000 from the previous year.

How much do you need to earn to be in the top 1% income bracket?

To be in the top 1% of earners, you’re looking at an average annual income of $819,324.

The top 0.1% of Americans earn an average of $3,312,693.

According to the 2021 Economic Policy Institute report, annual wages rose fastest for the top 1% of earners (up 9.4%) and top 0.1% (up 18.5%) in 2021, while those in the bottom 90% saw their real earnings fall 0.2%. 

These stats highlight economic inequity at a national level.

What is the income distribution in the US?

As you can see, the top earnings brackets vary considerably depending on where you live in the country. This is due to several factors within states, including the cost of living and job opportunities.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the top four states with the highest earners are all on the East Coast, with California rounding off the top five.

These states are also home to big towns and cities where there are more well-paid jobs available. For example, in Massachusetts, you’d need to be earning at least $810,256 to be in the top 1% of earners.

On the other end of the scale, earning $361,462 puts you in the top 1% in Mississippi, which has the highest rate of poverty in the US.

What are the annual wages of top earners?

Want to know how much you need to earn to be in the top income brackets in the US?

The following table shows the average yearly wages of the highest earners in the country.

These statistics were taken from Social Security Administration data and reflect annual wages as opposed to income as a whole.

Those in the higher earnings brackets typically accrue wealth more rapidly than low earners.

EPI research shows that between 1979 and 2018, wages of the top 1% grew by 179%. That figure was 389% for the top 0.1%.

By contrast, wages for the bottom 90% only grew 28% in that period.

What is the average salary in the US?

The average salary in the US depends on multiple factors, including location, industry, job position, and age.

According to Forbes, the average salary nationwide in the US is $59,428, with the hourly rate coming in at $28.34.

Below is a table showing the median annual salary of full-time workers aged 18 and above based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

These stats better reflect the salary breakdown as the median describes a salary point that is in the middle of the scale, with half of workers below and half above.

How many billionaires are there in the US?

According to Forbes’s ranking of the world’s richest people in 2024, there were 2,781 billionaires globally last year, up 141 from 2023.

With 813 billionaires worth a combined $5.7 trillion at the last count, the USA has more than any other country. Billionaires from the USA make up eight of the world’s top ten richest people. China is in second place with 473 billionaires, followed by India with 200.

The 2024 Forbes list placed Frenchman Bernard Arnault as the right person in the world with a net worth of $233 billion. In second place, Elon Musk is the richest American in the world, with a net worth of $195 billion. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos took third place with a net worth of $194 billion.

What percentage of top earners are in the US vs. worldwide?

According to Statista, based on figures from 2022, the US is home to the most top earners worldwide.

Over 21 million people in the US are part of the top 1% of ultra-high-net-worth individuals worldwide. China took second place, with over five million people in the top 1%, while France came in third with over two million.

Here is a breakdown of the top 10 countries with the highest amount of top earners in the world:

How can you boost your income to join the top 10%?

Growing your earnings to join those in the top income brackets might seem like a remote possibility, but it doesn’t have to be.

Annual income isn’t just limited to your salary alone. With help from the right financial advisor, you can make strategic investments in stocks, shares, and funds to ensure your wages go further.

If you’ve never invested before, have a look at our guide to getting started. Or, if you’ve already got an investment portfolio and need a little help fine-tuning it to boost your income, we’ve put together some advice on choosing a financial advisor.

Speak to a financial advisor

If you’re already earning a salary that puts you within the top percentage brackets nationally, you may be looking for ways to safeguard and maximize your wealth.

A financial advisor can also help you manage your wealth and assets more effectively so you can increase your earnings year-on-year. You’ll also get tax advice, tips for retirement planning, and suggestions for saving money.

They can also offer advice on the best types of health and long-term care insurance to take out so you can be confident that your income doesn’t take an unexpected hit in the event of health problems.

You can also get tips on life insurance and inheritance tax to make the best possible plan for providing for your loved ones.

Ready to get started and find a financial advisor who can help you maximize your earnings and get closer to those top income brackets? We can find you a financial advisor today.