What Is the Average Salary in the US?
Written by
Andrew Lisa
Edited by
Nupur Gambhir
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With the cost of living always rising, it’s not unusual for people to wonder if they’re being paid what they’re worth — or at least if they’re earning more or less than the typical employee.
While the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) cites the average income in the U.S. at roughly $68,000, that varies widely according to factors like location, age, industry, position, experience and education — and the word “average” itself is a misleading term.
This guide will outline the many variables that impact salaries, explain why averages can be deceiving, help you gauge whether you’re being paid fairly and offer strategies for making more.
Average vs. Median Salary — What’s the Difference?
Federal agencies that compile and analyze data and statistics, such as the U.S. Census Bureau and the BLS, often publish statistics for both median and average, or mean, wages and salaries.
While both strive to identify a central point, they are not the same calculation and can produce very different results.
- Average: The sum of all salaries divided by the number of employees — all 154,187,380 of them, according to BLS data.
- Median: The salary in the exact middle when arranged from lowest to highest.
The Average Salary in the US in 2025
According to the most recent BLS data, the average American income for a full-time, year-round employee across all occupations is $67,920. That’s $1,306.15 per week or $32.66 an hour.
Why is the Median Salary in the US a More Accurate Picture?
“Average” can be a misleading term because it implies “typical,” but it’s often far from it. The way averages are calculated makes them highly susceptible to skewing by outliers, or extreme values that are far beyond the general spectrum on either side.
Because of America’s vastly uneven wage distribution, just a handful of ultra-wealthy people at the top with astronomically high incomes can drag up the average for the entire population, making it appear that the typical person earns more than they really do.
Therefore, the median salary in the U.S. is more representative of “typical” than the average when a dataset contains extreme values, like the sky-high incomes of America’s 1%.
For example, the same BLS report that cites an average hourly wage of $32.66 shows that the median hourly wage is just $23.80.
US Salary by State: Where Do People Earn the Most?
Two people with the same background, skills, education and experience doing the same job can earn substantially different salaries in different states and cities. However, higher wages often coincide with higher living costs because labor markets can demand higher pay as the cost of goods and services increases.
The following five states have the highest median salaries, according to BLS data, along with average wages and cost-of-living estimates from RentCafe for context.
| State | Median Annual Salary/Wages | Average Annual Salary/Wages | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, D.C. | $88,000 | $109,420 | 42% higher than the national average |
| Massachusetts | $62,270 | $83,050 | 44% higher than the national average |
| Washington | $61,590 | $81,550 | 34% higher than the national average |
| New York | $58,560 | $80,630 | 70% higher than the national average |
| Connecticut | $58,400 | $76,050 | 13% higher than the national average |
These five states have the lowest median salaries.
| State | Median Annual Salary/Wages | Average Annual Salary/Wages | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | $39,070 | $49,740 | 10% lower than the national average |
| Arkansas | $41,020 | $53,070 | 4% lower than the national average |
| West Virginia | $43,320 | $54,940 | 13% higher than the national average |
| Louisiana | $43,770 | $55,130 | 4% lower than the national average |
Average Salary by Age Group
Salaries also tend to increase with age from the entry level, as employees gain experience, learn new skills, expand their networks and get promotions and/or raises. This upward trajectory tends to peak in middle age and then taper off as retirement nears. Here’s a breakdown of U.S. wage trends by age group.
| Age | Median Weekly Earnings |
|---|---|
| 16 to 19 | $648 |
| 20 to 24 | $792 |
| 25 to 34 | $1,125 |
| 35 to 44 | $1,332 |
| 45 to 54 | $1,376 |
| 55 to 64 | $1,302 |
| 65 and up | $1,222 |
How Salaries Compare by Gender
According to a recent Census Bureau report, women still make roughly $0.71 for every $1 that comparable male employees earn, despite making strides toward pay parity. The following BLS data shows the gender wage gap by age.
| Age | Median Weekly Earnings (Men) | Median Weekly Earnings (Women) |
|---|---|---|
| 16 to 19 | $677 | $598 |
| 20 to 24 | $813 | $759 |
| 25 to 34 | $1,183 | $1,038 |
| 35 to 44 | $1,448 | $1,212 |
| 45 to 54 | $1,512 | $1,233 |
| 55 to 64 | $1,467 | $1,140 |
| 65 and up | $1,425 | $1,018 |
US Salary Differences by Industry and Occupation
Field, industry and occupation are the biggest drivers of wage disparity.
For example, America’s roughly 212,000 CEOs earn an average of $262,930 per year, compared to just $31,810 for the country’s 3.15 million retail cashiers.
However, enormous income disparity exists even within each of the 410 industry classifications on which the BLS collects data.
For instance, more than 8.74 million Americans work in production occupations, with the highest-earning among them enjoying the following average salaries:
- Nuclear power reactor operators: $122,830
- Power distributors and dispatchers: $109,620
- Power plant operators: $95,990
On the other end of the production salary spectrum are:
- Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials: $33,370
- Laundry and dry-cleaning workers: $33,990
- Hand sewers: $34,810
Factors That Affect How Much You Earn
Many variables influence income levels, including work experience, job demand, location, certifications, and remote work flexibility. There is also a well-established correlation between educational attainment and higher pay, as shown using data from the National Center for Education Statistics
| Education | Median Annual Earnings |
|---|---|
| No high school diploma | $35,500 |
| High school diploma | $41,800 |
| Some college, no degree | $45,200 |
| Associate’s degree | $49,500 |
| Bachelor’s degree | $66,600 |
| Master’s degree or higher | $80,200 |
How to Know If You’re Being Paid Fairly
Federal law protects workers against unequal pay based on immutable characteristics, such as race and gender. However, you might be earning less than you should for reasons other than discrimination.
If you feel like your salary doesn’t match your experience, skills, credentials, education level and efforts, there are many tools and resources to help you evaluate your current pay.
- The BLS compiles, analyzes and publishes granular wage data for hundreds of industries and occupations.
- Income comparison tools and platforms such as Payscale, Glassdoor, Salary.com, ZipRecruiter and Indeed offer wage and salary data by job, location, experience and other factors, with real-world input from current and former employers and employees.
- Living wage calculators, like one offered by MIT, can help you identify minimum income standards by location.
- Sources like the Department of Labor offer salary negotiation guides.
Salary Is Just One Piece of the Picture
Salary is a big part of the equation, but pay alone does not define financial health. Employer benefits, work-life balance, job security and location-based living expenses can magnify or detract from your base pay. When applying for jobs or changing careers, think holistically about your earning potential, financial goals and how they apply to the realities of the labor market.
Taylor DeJesus contributed to the reporting for this article.
