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Average Salary in United States 2023

How much money does a person working in United States make?


Average Yearly Salary
94,700 USD
( 7,900 USD monthly)

LOW
24,000
USD
AVERAGE
94,700
USD
HIGH
423,000
USD

A person working in United States typically earns around 94,700 USD per year. Salaries range from 24,000 USD (lowest average) to 423,000 USD (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).

This is the average yearly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Salaries vary drastically between different careers. If you are interested in the salary of a particular job, see below for salaries for specific job titles.

Distribution of Salaries in United States

Median and salary distribution yearly United States
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The median, the maximum, the minimum, and the range

  • Salary Range

    Salaries in United States range from 24,000 USD per year (minimum salary) to 423,000 USD per year (maximum average salary, actual maximum is higher).

  • Median Salary

    The median salary is 92,800 USD per year, which means that half (50%) of the population are earning less than 92,800 USD while the other half are earning more than 92,800 USD. The median represents the middle salary value. Generally speaking, you would want to be on the right side of the graph with the group earning more than the median salary.

  • Percentiles

    Closely related to the median are two values: the 25th and the 75th percentiles. Reading from the salary distribution diagram, 25% of the population are earning less than 52,600 USD while 75% of them are earning more than 52,600 USD. Also from the diagram, 75% of the population are earning less than 253,000 USD while 25% are earning more than 253,000 USD.


What is the difference between the median and the average salary?

Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both of the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people are earning more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios. How to compare your salary

Salary Comparison by Years of Experience

How does a person's salary progress over time?

Salary Comparison By Experience Level
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The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher the wage.

Generally speaking, employees having experience from two to five years earn on average 32% more than freshers and juniors across all industries and disciplines.

Professionals with experience of more than five years tend to earn on average 36% more than those with five years or less of work experience.


Change in salary based on experience varies drastically from one location to another and depends hugely on the career field as well. The data displayed here is the combined average of many different jobs. To view accurate figures, choose a specific job title.

As you hit the ten years mark, the salary increases by 21% and an additional 14% for those who have crossed the 15 years mark.

Those figures are presented as guidelines only. The numbers become more significant if you consider one job title at a time.

On average, a person's salary doubles their starting salary by the time they cross the 10 years* experience mark.
* Based on the average change in salary over time. Salary variations differ from person to person.

Salary Comparison By Education

How does the education level affect your salary?

Salary Comparison By Education
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It is well known that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We compared the salaries of professionals at the same level but with different college degrees levels across many jobs, below are our findings.


Change in salary based on education varies drastically from one location to another and depends hugely on the career field as well. The data displayed here is the combined average of multiple jobs. To view accurate figures, choose a specific job title.

Workers with a certificate or diploma earn on average 17% more than their peers who only reached the high school level.

Employees who earned a Bachelor's Degree earn 24% more than those who only managed to attain a cerificate or diploma.

Professionals who attained a Master's Degree are awarded salaries that are 29% more than those with a Bachelor's Degree.

Finally, PhD holders earn 23% more than Master's Degree holders on average while doing the same job.


Is a Master's degree or an MBA worth it? Should you pursue higher education?

A Master's degree program or any post-graduate program in United States costs anywhere from 39,500 US Dollar(s) to 118,000 US Dollar(s) and lasts approximately two years. That is quite an investment.

You can't really expect any salary increases during the study period, assuming you already have a job. In most cases, a salary review is conducted once education is completed and the degree has been attained.

Many people pursue higher education as a tactic to switch into a higher paying job. The numbers seem to support this tactic. The average increase in compensation while changing jobs is approximately 10% more than the customary salary increment.

The decision really depends on your situation and experience among many other factors. Putting all variables aside, if you can afford the costs of higher education then the return on investment is definitely worth it. You should be able to recover the costs in roughly a year or so.



Salary Comparison By Gender

Salary comparison by gender yearly United States
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Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? Male employees in United States earn 6% more than their female counterparts on avergae across all sectors.

Male
97,500 USD
Female-6%
92,100 USD
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value

Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in United States

How much are annual salary increments in United States? How often do employees get salary raises?

United States

Employees in United States are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 8% every 16 months.

Annual Salary Increment Rate United States
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The figures provided here are averages of numbers. Those figures should be taken as general guidelines. Salary increments will vary from person to person and depend on many factors, but your performance and contribution to the success of the organization remain the most important factors in determining how much and how often you will be granted a raise.

The term 'Annual Salary Increase' usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rarely that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.

How to calculate the salary increment percentage?

The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 ÷ Increase Frequency

The average salary increase in one year (12 months) in United States is 6%.

Annual Increment Rate By Industry 2022

Banking
4%
Energy
8%
Information Technology
3%
Healthcare
7%
Travel
2%
Construction
6%
Education
1%

Listed above are the average annual increase rates for each industry in United States for the year 2022. Companies within thriving industries tend to provide higher and more frequent raises. Exceptions do exist, but generally speaking, the situation of any company is closely related to the economic situation in the country or region. These figures tend to change frequently.


Average Salary Increase Rate by Experience Level

Junoir Level
3% - 5%
Mid-Career
6% - 9%
Senior Level
10% - 15%
Top Management
15% - 20%

The difference in increment rates is somehow justified because employers put more effort to retain more experienced staff since they are harder to acquire than less experienced ones.

Worldwide Salary Raises: All Countries and All Jobs

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Bonus and Incentive Rates in United States

How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?Annual Salary Bonus Rate United States
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47% of surveyed staff in United States reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 53% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.

Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 3% to 6% of their annual salary.

Received Bonus
53%
No Bonus
47%

Types of Bonuses Considered

Individual Performance-Based Bonuses

The most standard form of bonus where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.

Company Performance Bonuses

Occasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.

Goal-Based Bonuses

Granted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.

Holiday / End of Year Bonuses

These types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.

Bonuses Are Not Commissions!

People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.


Bonus Rates Comparison by Career Field

Finance
High
Architecture
High
Sales
High
Business Development
High
Marketing / Advertising
High
Information Technology
Moderate
Healthcare
Moderate
Insurance
Moderate
Customer Service
Moderate
Human Resources
Moderate
Construction
Low
Transport
Low
Hospitality
Low

What makes a position worthy of good bonuses and a high salary?

The main two types of jobs

Revenue GeneratorsSupporting Cast

Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business.

Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations.

Example:
A graphics designer working for a graphics designing company.

Example:
A graphic designer in the marketing department of a hospital.


Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.

Try to work for companies where your skills can generate revenue. We can't all generate revenue and that's perfectly fine.

Bonus Comparison by Seniority Level

Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.

Salaries for popular jobs

Job TitleAverage Salary
Accounting and Finance
Accountant65,700 USD
Accounting Assistant52,900 USD
Accounting Manager141,000 USD
Bookkeeper43,400 USD
Chartered Accountant90,400 USD
Corporate Treasurer128,000 USD
Financial Analyst126,000 USD
Financial Manager181,000 USD
Internal Auditor92,000 USD

Administration / Reception / Secretarial
Administrative Assistant51,800 USD
Office Manager83,900 USD
Receptionist45,700 USD
Secretary44,100 USD

Advertising / Grapic Design / Events
Art Director92,000 USD
Creative Director92,300 USD
Graphic Designer61,400 USD
Photographer51,900 USD

Airlines / Aviation / Aerospace / Defense
Aerospace Engineer128,000 USD
Air Traffic Controller103,000 USD
Flight Attendant67,900 USD
Pilot161,000 USD

Architecture
Architect120,000 USD
CAD Drafter47,000 USD

Automotive
Mechanic36,400 USD
Service Advisor64,200 USD

Banking
Bank Branch Manager166,000 USD
Teller36,100 USD

Bilingual
Teacher74,400 USD
Translator90,400 USD

Business Planning
Business Analyst125,000 USD
Business Development Manager147,000 USD
Project Manager124,000 USD

Care Giving and Child Care
Nanny40,300 USD
Nursery Teacher34,500 USD

Construction / Building / Installation
Civil Engineer88,700 USD
Construction Project Manager163,000 USD
Health and Safety Officer43,600 USD

Customer Service and Call Center
Call Center Representative35,900 USD
Customer Service Manager124,000 USD
Customer Service Representative35,600 USD

Engineering
Civil Engineer85,600 USD
Electrical Engineer89,900 USD
Engineer91,700 USD
Mechanical Engineer86,500 USD

Executive and Management
Chief Executive Officer218,000 USD
Chief Financial Officer194,000 USD
General Manager161,000 USD
Project Manager108,000 USD

Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering
Chef57,400 USD
Executive Chef70,400 USD
Hotel Manager172,000 USD
Receptionist34,800 USD
Travel Agent61,300 USD
Waiter / Waitress31,500 USD

Health and Medical
Dentist238,000 USD
Dietitian182,000 USD
Laboratory Technician68,700 USD
Nurse77,500 USD

Human Resources
Human Resources Manager148,000 USD
Human Resources Officer60,200 USD

Information Technology
Computer Technician71,100 USD
Database Administrator97,400 USD
Developer / Programmer89,600 USD
Information Technology Manager163,000 USD
Network Engineer83,200 USD

Law Enforcement / Security / Fire
Police Officer55,600 USD

Legal
Attorney192,000 USD
Legal Assistant48,200 USD

Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment
Journalist110,000 USD

Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology
Biomedical Engineer83,900 USD
Pharmacist128,000 USD

Sales Retail and Wholesale
Cashier34,200 USD
Sales Manager165,000 USD
Sales Representative64,000 USD

Teaching / Education
Elementary School Teacher65,900 USD
Secondary School Teacher77,800 USD

Average Hourly Wage in United States


46 USD per hour

The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in United States is 46 USD. This means that the average person in United States earns approximately 46 USD for every worked hour.


Hourly Wage = Annual Salary ÷ ( 52 x 5 x 8 )

The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fix amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.

Salary Comparison By City

CityAverage Salary
Atlanta95,600 USD
Austin111,000 USD
Baltimore97,100 USD
Boston103,000 USD
Bristol80,300 USD
Chicago110,000 USD
Cincinnati81,100 USD
Cleveland83,800 USD
Dallas113,000 USD
Denver102,000 USD
Detroit103,000 USD
Honolulu80,000 USD
Houston118,000 USD
Indianapolis100,000 USD
Iowa City78,200 USD
Jacksonville109,000 USD
Kansas City92,300 USD
Kent79,100 USD
Las Vegas96,600 USD
Long Beach91,200 USD
Los Angeles115,000 USD
Memphis101,000 USD
Miami92,800 USD
Minneapolis84,300 USD
New Orleans88,100 USD
New York121,000 USD
Oakland89,300 USD
Oklahoma City95,000 USD
Orlando85,100 USD
Philadelphia112,000 USD
Phoenix110,000 USD
Sacramento94,000 USD
San Antonio115,000 USD
San Diego109,000 USD
San Francisco104,000 USD
San Jose107,000 USD
Seattle100,000 USD
Tampa87,900 USD
Vancouver79,600 USD
Washington D.C.104,000 USD

Salary Comparison By State

StateAverage Salary
Alabama101,000 USD
Alaska88,700 USD
Arizona106,000 USD
Arkansas97,700 USD
California112,000 USD
Colorado101,000 USD
Connecticut98,000 USD
Delaware91,200 USD
District of Columbia89,300 USD
Florida111,000 USD
Georgia109,000 USD
Hawaii93,500 USD
Idaho93,600 USD
Illinois111,000 USD
Indiana106,000 USD
Iowa97,900 USD
Kansas98,000 USD
Kentucky101,000 USD
Louisiana101,000 USD
Maine93,200 USD
Maryland105,000 USD
Massachusetts105,000 USD
Michigan110,000 USD
Minnesota104,000 USD
Mississippi97,700 USD
Missouri105,000 USD
Montana92,900 USD
Nebraska96,000 USD
Nevada98,100 USD
New Hampshire94,100 USD
New Jersey109,000 USD
New Mexico97,400 USD
New York114,000 USD
North Carolina100,000 USD
North Dakota81,900 USD
Ohio101,000 USD
Oklahoma92,200 USD
Oregon92,300 USD
Pennsylvania103,000 USD
Rhode Island84,200 USD
South Carolina94,500 USD
South Dakota84,400 USD
Tennessee98,400 USD
Texas105,000 USD
Utah89,300 USD
Vermont82,900 USD
Virginia101,000 USD
Washington99,800 USD
West Virginia88,700 USD
Wisconsin97,200 USD
Wyoming82,400 USD

Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison

Where can you get paid more, working for a private company or for the government? Public sector employees in United States earn 5% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.

Private Sector
92,400 USD
Public Sector+5%
97,100 USD
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value

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