US Income Percentile Calculator
Enter your gross annual income to see where you rank among all US workers. The calculator uses 2024 Current Population Survey data to show your income percentile, how you compare to the median and average, and how your rank shifts when looking only at full-time workers. Enable age comparison to see where you stand among workers in your age group.
Formula
Worked example
An individual earning $65,000 falls between the $60,000 bracket (55th percentile) and $70,000 bracket (61st percentile). Interpolating: 55 + ((65,000 - 60,000) / (70,000 - 60,000)) * (61 - 55) = 55 + 0.5 * 6 = 58th percentile, meaning they earn more than 58% of all US workers.
How US income percentiles work
An income percentile tells you what fraction of the population earns less than you. If you are at the 70th percentile, you earn more than 70 percent of workers in the comparison group. The U.S. Census Bureau collects this data each year through the Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS ASEC), which samples around 100,000 households and asks about income earned in the prior calendar year. The figures here reflect full-year 2024 income reported in the March 2025 survey round. Income includes wages and salaries, self-employment, interest, dividends, rent, and transfer payments, but is pre-tax (gross).
Median vs. average: which matters more?
The median individual income in the U.S. was roughly $53,010 in 2024, while the mean (average) was around $77,652. The gap exists because a small number of very high earners pull the average upward. For most practical purposes, the median is the better benchmark: it represents the income of the person exactly in the middle of the distribution. If your income is above the median, you earn more than at least half of all workers. If it is below, you earn less. The average can be misleading because earning slightly above it still puts you well inside the top third of earners.
All workers vs. full-time workers
The CPS data includes everyone who reported any earned income, from full-time salaried professionals to seasonal and part-time workers. Comparing against all workers is a broad lens. Switching to the full-time filter (40 or more hours per week) raises the bar: the median for full-time workers is roughly $65,000, and the top-10% threshold rises to around $120,000. Choose "all workers" if you want to see your position in the overall population, and "full-time workers" if you want a peer comparison that excludes part-time arrangements.
Why your percentile changes with age
Income does not distribute evenly across age groups. Workers in their early 20s typically earn far less than workers in their late 40s, simply because of experience, seniority, and career advancement. Age-specific medians peak around age 45-50 and then gradually decline as workers reduce hours, retire partially, or transition to fixed income. If you are 25 and at the 50th percentile nationally, you may be much higher among your age peers. Conversely, a 55-year-old at the 60th percentile nationally may be only average for their cohort. Turning on the age-comparison option uses age-specific median data from the CPS to give you a more relevant benchmark.
US income percentile thresholds (2024 income)
| Percentile | Annual income (approx.) | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $10,000 | Bottom tenth of earners |
| 25th | $25,000 | First quartile |
| 50th (median) | $53,010 | Midpoint of all workers |
| 75th | $100,000 | Third quartile |
| 90th | $155,042 | Top 10% threshold |
| 95th | $210,351 | Top 5% threshold |
| 99th | $450,100 | Top 1% threshold |
| Mean (average) | $77,652 | Pulled up by high earners |
Key income thresholds by percentile. Data from the 2025 Current Population Survey ASEC, all US workers with income.
Frequently asked questions
What does being in the Xth income percentile mean?
Being in the Xth income percentile means your income is higher than X percent of workers in the comparison group. For example, the 75th percentile means you earn more than 75 out of every 100 workers. Percentiles do not say anything about wealth, assets, or cost of living -- they only describe your income rank within the distribution.
What income puts you in the top 10% in the US?
Based on 2024 income data, you need roughly $155,000 in annual gross income to enter the top 10% when comparing against all workers. For full-time workers only, the threshold is approximately $120,000. These figures represent pre-tax income from all sources.
What income do you need to be in the top 1%?
The top 1% threshold for individual income in 2024 was approximately $450,100 when comparing against all workers. This threshold varies by data source and methodology, and is pulled upward over time by strong growth in high-end wages and capital income.
Does this calculator use household or individual income?
This calculator uses individual income -- the income earned by one person, not a household. Household income combines the earnings of all members living together and is systematically higher. A separate household income percentile calculator is available if you want to compare your family unit's combined income against other households.
Why is the average income so much higher than the median?
The mean is pulled upward by a small number of very high earners. Because income distributions are highly skewed (a tiny fraction earn extraordinarily high amounts), the average overstates what a "typical" worker makes. The median is unaffected by extreme values and is a more representative measure of what most workers earn.
Does my income percentile account for cost of living?
No. These percentiles are based on nominal dollar income with no regional adjustment. A $70,000 salary in rural Mississippi and a $70,000 salary in San Francisco give you the same national percentile, but their real purchasing power differs dramatically. Local cost-of-living calculators can help you account for that difference.
What is included in income for this calculator?
Income in the CPS ASEC data includes wages and salaries, self-employment net income, interest, dividends, rent, Social Security, retirement distributions, and most transfer payments. It is gross (pre-tax) income. It does not include unrealized capital gains, employer contributions to benefits, or non-cash compensation such as stock options not yet exercised.