The median income of Americans by age in 2026. Is it keeping pace or falling behind?

Do you feel like you are falling behind financially? You are not alone.

A survey by Navigator found that 53% of American adults feel behind where they expected financially, and 28% say they are falling “far behind” (1). If you’re experiencing this type of financial anxiety, it’s completely normal.

To get a more accurate perspective, it’s helpful to compare yourself to your peers in your age group. Younger workers have not had as much time to develop the skills or experience necessary to earn higher salaries, while older workers often have more time to move up the corporate ladder.

With that in mind, here is the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on median earnings by age groups (2).

Your 20s are the early stages of your career, so it’s no surprise that most workers in this age group earn less than their older counterparts.

According to BLS data from the third quarter of 2025, the median salary for workers ages 21 to 24 is $41,392, while for those ages 25 to 34, the median is $59,800.

In other words, if you earn more than $60,000 a year and were born in the 2000s, you’re earning more than half as much as your peers.

Read more: The average net worth of Americans is a staggering $620,654. But it almost doesn’t mean anything. Here’s the number that counts (and how to make it fire)

If you’re lucky, your 30s are the best years to kick-start your career. You have enough experience to negotiate higher salaries and still have plenty of energy to handle the additional responsibilities.

Economists expect steady wage growth during this stage. According to the Tax Foundation, this period represents the early onset of the inverted U-curve of income across all age groups (3). This is usually when your salary starts to expand.

For workers between 35 and 44 years old, the median salary is $72,020, according to the BLS. This is the highest median of any age cohort, making it the stage in which many experience peak earnings.

For most people, the 40s are more about stability than growth. You may not have reached the pinnacle of your career, but you’re probably getting close to it.

The median annual wage for people ages 45 to 54 is $71,604, about the same as the 35- to 44-year-old cohort, according to the BLS. Earning six figures at this age puts you far ahead of many peers.

If your income is below average, there is still time to catch up. Alternatively, you can focus on controlling spending and saving aggressively, potentially putting you in a stronger position for retirement than your higher-earning peers.

The data paints a clear picture for people in their 50s: this is often a period of declining income but peak wealth.

Many workers of this age are approaching retirement and are considering reducing their working hours. In fact, the majority of millionaires in the United States reach a seven-figure net worth between the ages of 50 and 60, according to Empower’s analysis of government data (4). This allows many older Americans to transition from active income to passive income around this age.

For some, the decline in income is due more to health and energy limitations than a lack of personal assets. About 52% of retirees reported leaving work earlier than expected, usually for health reasons, according to the Manulife John Hancock Retirement Longevity and Financial Resilience Report (5).

This trend is clearly reflected in BLS income data. The average salary for those between 55 and 64 years old is $68,744, only slightly higher than that of workers between 20 and 30 years old. The decrease is most notable for those over 65, with an average salary of $62,036.

In other words, if you’re in your 50s or 60s and still working full-time at maximum income, you likely earn more than half as much as your peers.

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Browser (1); US Bureau of Labor Statistics (2); Tax Foundation (3); Empower (4); Manulife Retirement (5).

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.