Here’s how much you have to earn in California to qualify as middle class, study says (2024)

FAQs

Here’s how much you have to earn in California to qualify as middle class, study says? ›

As of 2022, middle-class household income ranged between $61,270 and $183,810 in the Golden State, according to a recent analysis from personal finance site GoBankingRates. That's roughly a 50% increase from 2012 when middle-class households earned an annual income of $40,933 to $122,800.

In California, the middle-class household income ranges between $61,270 to $183,810, a nearly 50% increase from where it stood in 2012 when it was $40,933 to $122,800.

Nationally, the middle class in 2022 included households with incomes between $50,100 and $150,300. A decade earlier, the middle class included household incomes between about $35,400 and $106,100.

Your household would need to earn at least $64,224 to be considered middle class in the Garden State, and earning more than $192,692 would put you in the upper class.

Key Findings. In a large U.S. city, a middle-class income averages between $52,000 and $155,000. The median household income across all 345 cities is $77,345, making middle-class income limits fall between $51,558 and $154,590.

Overall, SmartAsset found that to live comfortably in any major city, you need to make about $96,500 annually, up immensely from the nearly $68,500 it estimated last year. A family of four would need to make much more at $235,000 to avoid living paycheck to paycheck. You can view SmartAsset's full list here.

There's no single definition of “middle class.” According to the Pew Research Center, middle class households have an income that's between two-thirds and twice the U.S. median household income of $70,784. (A $75,000 salary falls easily within this range.)

What Income Is Considered Middle Class? The Pew Research Center defines "middle class" as an income that ranges between two-thirds and double the median income. The exact boundaries of a middle-class income vary by family size and location, due to the geographical differences in cost of living.

Many have graduate degrees with educational attainment serving as the main distinguishing feature of this class. Household incomes commonly exceed $100,000, with some smaller one-income earners household having incomes in the high 5-figure range. "The upper middle class has grown...and its composition has changed.

What salary is wealthy? ›

You'll need to earn more than half a million annually to be considered among the highest earning residents in 11 states and Washington, D.C. "This comes down to cost of living," Murray said.

With New Jersey ranking as the top state to make the most money to be considered middle class, other states ranking in the top five requiring salaries exceeding $50,000 to be in this category include Maryland ($63,321) and Massachusetts ($62,986), Hawaii ($61,633) and California ($61,028).

Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau for 2022. To learn more about this study, tap or click here. A separate study by Consumer Affairs published last month tabulated the minimum annual income required for a family of four to be considered middle class in each state, and in California, that income is $69,064.

New study breaks it down. How rich is rich in California? As of 2022, the top 5% of earners in the state made $613,602 a year on average, according to a recent analysis from personal finance site GoBankingRates. That's roughly a 37% increase from 2017, when top earners raked in an average annual income of $447,207.

California ranks number 13 out of 50 states nationwide for $75000 salaries. To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for $75000 jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America. Find your next high paying job as a $75000 on ZipRecruiter today.

The average salary in California is $74,998 per year or $36.06 per hour. Entry level positions start at $39,011 per year while most experienced workers make up to $155,528 per year.

If you make $75,000 a year living in the region of California, USA, you will be taxed $19,714. That means that your net pay will be $55,286 per year, or $4,607 per month.