USA median annual salary
The median individual annual income in the US is $46,151, based on the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. This equates to about $22.19 per hour. This data is pulled directly from the Census Bureau API and refreshed each year when a new ACS 5-Year release is published.
This median salary can be used as a benchmark to compare against as half of Americans in the United States make more money and the other half earn less.
Check out the average income: USA Average Income
National income snapshot
| Metric | 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates |
|---|---|
| Median annual earnings | $46,151 |
| Median hourly earnings | $22.19 |
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates, fetched 2026-08-25.
Median salary by state
This map shows a breakdown of the median salary in the U.S. by state:
Median Salary by State (2020-2024 ACS)
Median annual and hourly salary in the U.S. by state
This table shows the median annual and hourly salary by state in the U.S. as a side by side comparison.
| State | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $40,605 | $19.52 |
| Alaska | $50,262 | $24.16 |
| Arizona | $45,474 | $21.86 |
| Arkansas | $39,422 | $18.95 |
| California | $49,032 | $23.57 |
| Colorado | $52,167 | $25.08 |
| Connecticut | $52,599 | $25.29 |
| Delaware | $46,287 | $22.25 |
| District of Columbia | $82,078 | $39.46 |
| Florida | $41,891 | $20.14 |
| Georgia | $43,815 | $21.06 |
| Hawaii | $48,182 | $23.16 |
| Idaho | $40,170 | $19.31 |
| Illinois | $48,393 | $23.27 |
| Indiana | $43,243 | $20.79 |
| Iowa | $44,180 | $21.24 |
| Kansas | $43,089 | $20.72 |
| Kentucky | $40,635 | $19.54 |
| Louisiana | $40,534 | $19.49 |
| Maine | $44,488 | $21.39 |
| Maryland | $56,984 | $27.40 |
| Massachusetts | $57,232 | $27.52 |
| Michigan | $42,935 | $20.64 |
| Minnesota | $50,838 | $24.44 |
| Mississippi | $37,351 | $17.96 |
| Missouri | $42,774 | $20.56 |
| Montana | $40,712 | $19.57 |
| Nebraska | $44,279 | $21.29 |
| Nevada | $43,016 | $20.68 |
| New Hampshire | $52,410 | $25.20 |
| New Jersey | $55,173 | $26.53 |
| New Mexico | $38,408 | $18.47 |
| New York | $50,891 | $24.47 |
| North Carolina | $43,026 | $20.69 |
| North Dakota | $46,109 | $22.17 |
| Ohio | $44,003 | $21.16 |
| Oklahoma | $40,265 | $19.36 |
| Oregon | $45,919 | $22.08 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,676 | $22.44 |
| Rhode Island | $49,299 | $23.70 |
| South Carolina | $41,521 | $19.96 |
| South Dakota | $43,371 | $20.85 |
| Tennessee | $42,418 | $20.39 |
| Texas | $44,072 | $21.19 |
| Utah | $43,714 | $21.02 |
| Vermont | $45,940 | $22.09 |
| Virginia | $51,121 | $24.58 |
| Washington | $54,551 | $26.23 |
| West Virginia | $40,236 | $19.34 |
| Wisconsin | $46,667 | $22.44 |
| Wyoming | $42,664 | $20.51 |
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates, fetched 2026-08-25.
Which state has the highest median income?
The state with the highest annual income is Massachusetts with an annual salary of $57,232 which is $27.52 per hour. The District of Columbia, though not a state, has an even higher figure at $82,078 per year.
Which state has the lowest median income?
The state with the lowest annual income is Mississippi with an annual salary of $37,351 which is $17.96 per hour.
How does the median income compare to the average income?
The median personal income of $46,151 is lower than the average income. This gap occurs because the average is influenced by extremely high earners. The median is a more representative measure of what a typical American worker earns since exactly half of workers earn more and half earn less.
How does the median personal income compare to household income?
The median personal income is the income of an individual worker, while household income includes the combined income of all earners within a household. The median household income in the US is $80,734, which is significantly higher than the individual median of $46,151.
What can the median income afford in the US?
With a median personal income of $46,151, an individual earner would face challenges affording the median priced home of $419,200 on a single income. The income needed to afford a home in the US is approximately $108,522 which far exceeds the median individual salary. This highlights the importance of dual-income households and the growing mortgage affordability gap in the US.
See also: Income Percentile Calculator | Top 1% of Income | Minimum Wage by State
Sources
- US Census Bureau. “American Community Survey 5-Year Data.” census.gov/data/developers/data-sets/acs-5year.html
- Social Security Administration. “Benefits and Eligibility Information.” ssa.gov/benefits
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