🇺🇸 Average American Salary 2026
The median individual American salary is approximately $59,000/year ($28.37/hour) in 2026, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. But averages hide enormous variation — a 22-year-old in Mississippi earns very differently than a 45-year-old software engineer in San Francisco. This guide breaks down US salary data by age, education, state, gender, and industry to help you benchmark your own earnings.
National Salary Overview 2026
| Median individual earnings (full-time) | $59,000/year · $28.37/hour |
| Mean (average) individual earnings | $71,000/year (pulled up by high earners) |
| Median household income | $80,610/year |
| Federal minimum wage | $7.25/hour · $15,080/year |
| Living wage (single adult, national avg) | ~$44,000/year |
| Top 10% individual income threshold | ~$136,000/year |
| Top 1% individual income threshold | ~$652,000/year |
Average Salary by Age (2026)
| 16–24 years old | $37,700/year · $18.13/hour |
| 25–34 years old | $57,600/year · $27.69/hour |
| 35–44 years old | $71,500/year · $34.38/hour |
| 45–54 years old | $73,200/year · $35.19/hour |
| 55–64 years old | $68,900/year · $33.13/hour |
| 65+ years old | $58,500/year · $28.13/hour |
Average Salary by Education Level (2026)
| Less than high school diploma | $33,800/year |
| High school diploma | $42,100/year |
| Some college / Associate degree | $50,400/year |
| Bachelor's degree | $72,800/year |
| Master's degree | $87,600/year |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, MBA) | $120,000/year |
| Doctoral degree | $108,000/year |
Average Salary by State (2026)
| Massachusetts | $78,000/year |
| Washington | $76,000/year |
| California | $74,000/year |
| New York | $71,000/year |
| Colorado | $68,000/year |
| Texas | $58,000/year |
| Florida | $52,000/year |
| Georgia | $54,000/year |
| Ohio | $52,000/year |
| Mississippi | $42,000/year |
Average Salary by Industry (2026)
| Technology / Information | $112,000/year |
| Finance & Insurance | $94,000/year |
| Healthcare (professional) | $82,000/year |
| Construction | $62,000/year |
| Education | $58,000/year |
| Manufacturing | $56,000/year |
| Retail | $38,000/year |
| Food Service & Hospitality | $32,000/year |
Average Salary by Gender (2026)
The gender pay gap persists in 2026, though it has narrowed over the past decade. Women working full-time earn approximately 84 cents for every dollar earned by men:
| Men (all occupations) | $1,212/week · $63,024/year |
| Women (all occupations) | $1,017/week · $52,884/year |
| Gender pay gap (raw) | ~16% lower for women |
| Gap controlling for occupation/hours | ~5–8% unexplained |
The raw gap is partly explained by occupational sorting (women more concentrated in lower-paid fields), part-time work patterns, and career interruptions. The unexplained gap — controlling for occupation, experience, and hours — is estimated at 5–8%, reflecting remaining pay disparities within the same roles.
Is Your Salary Above or Below Average?
Here is how to interpret where your salary sits nationally:
| Top 50% (above median) | $59,000+/year |
| Top 35% | $75,000+/year |
| Top 25% | $90,000+/year |
| Top 15% | $110,000+/year |
| Top 10% | $136,000+/year |
| Top 5% | $195,000+/year |
| Top 1% | $652,000+/year |
Keep in mind that these are individual earnings — household income (combining all earners) is significantly higher. The median US household income is approximately $80,610/year, reflecting that many households have two earners.
How Salary Growth Has Changed Over Time
Inflation-adjusted (real) wage growth has been uneven across the income distribution. From 2019–2026, wages at the bottom of the distribution have grown faster than at the top, partly due to state minimum wage increases and tight labor markets in service industries:
- Bottom 10% workers: Real wages grew ~12% from 2019–2026, driven by minimum wage increases
- Median workers: Real wages grew ~4–6% over the same period
- Top 10% workers: Real wages grew ~8–10%, driven by tech and finance sector growth
- Inflation impact: CPI rose ~23% from 2019–2024, meaning nominal wages needed to grow significantly just to maintain purchasing power
How to Use This Data for Salary Negotiations
National median data is a starting point, but the most effective salary benchmarking uses role-specific and location-specific data. Here is a step-by-step approach:
- Step 1 — Look up your specific role: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (bls.gov/oes) provides median and percentile wages for 800+ occupations nationally and by metro area.
- Step 2 — Adjust for location: Salaries in San Francisco run 40–70% above national medians; salaries in rural Midwest run 15–25% below. Use our Cost of Living by State guide to contextualize.
- Step 3 — Know the range, not just the median: The 75th percentile for your role is your negotiation target — that's what top performers in your field earn.
- Step 4 — Factor in total compensation: Salary is one component. Health insurance, 401(k) match, equity, PTO, and remote flexibility all have real dollar value.