Here’s the Minimum Salary Required To Be Considered Upper Class in 2025
Written by
Emily Fowler
Edited by
Gary Dudak
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Defining what it takes to be part of the American upper class in 2025 is a combination of various factors, including individual salary, overall wealth, household income and more.
However, it’s important to note that the upper class don’t generally receive all their income from salary. While a high salary may seem like enough to place someone in the upper class, it doesn’t automatically guarantee financial comfort or social prestige. The true meaning of being “upper class” depends on much more than just a number on a paycheck.
Factors like where you live, the cost of living in your area and the broader economic climate shape what it really means to belong to the upper class. Regional differences matter — in some places, earning that amount might stretch far, while in others, it may fall short of providing the same level of luxury or stability.
A Household Income Perspective
The Pew Research Center defines upper-income households as having incomes greater than $169,800, based on three-person households. For a household with a single earner and no additional income, that $169,800 is the minimum salary required to be upper class. With two earners, each with the same salary, that minimum would be $84,900 each.
However, upper-class status relies on overall wealth rather than just one individual’s salary. It’s unlikely that an upper-class person has only their salary as income.
The Role of Location
Location plays a massive role in how far a salary stretches. ZipRecruiter defines the salary bracket for jobs classified as “upper class” as between $39,000 and $68,000, though top earners in that bracket could make up to $86,000.
Cities like Green River, Wyoming, and San Francisco have average upper-class salaries of $71,552 and $68,687, respectively, according to the ZipRecruiter data. While these salaries are well above the $59,699 national average for upper-class salaries, they’ll likely come with higher living costs.
In contrast, a $59,699 salary in regions with a generally lower cost of living would go a lot further and deliver greater financial flexibility and freedom. Where people live helps to shape financial situations, even for people earning what’s considered an upper-class salary.
What Being Upper Class Really Means
While earning $59,699 may qualify as upper class in terms of the ZipRecruiter data, it doesn’t automatically guarantee financial security or the kind of wealth and power commonly associated with the upper class. That kind of salary for many people would be a sign of success, whereas for others, it might be more of a starting point.
Salary alone rarely captures the full story. It’s the context of that income — the cost of living, debts and personal circumstances — that defines how far a salary can go.
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