Average Salary by Age in the US (2025): Are You on Track?
See the median US salary for every age group from 22 to 65+, and find out whether your earnings are ahead, behind, or right on pace.
What the Data Actually Shows
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2024 data, median weekly earnings vary significantly by age group. Here is the full picture for full-time US workers:
| Age Group | Median Weekly Earnings | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 20–24 | $748 | $38,896 |
| 25–34 | $1,040 | $54,080 |
| 35–44 | $1,224 | $63,648 |
| 45–54 | $1,248 | $64,896 |
| 55–64 | $1,144 | $59,488 |
| 65+ | $1,040 | $54,080 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers, Q4 2024
The Earnings Curve: What It Means for You
Earnings typically peak in the 45–54 age range, then plateau or slightly decline as workers approach retirement. The steepest growth happens between ages 22 and 35 — the decade where career investments pay off most dramatically.
However, these are all-occupation averages. High-earning fields like technology, medicine, and law see much steeper curves with higher peaks. Service and retail workers see flatter curves with lower ceilings.
How to Tell If You're Behind
The national median is a starting point, but it is not the right benchmark for everyone. A software engineer making $54,000 at age 30 is significantly underpaid. A retail worker making $54,000 at age 30 is above market.
The right benchmark is your specific job title + location + experience level. That is exactly what our salary checker calculates — use it below to see where you actually stand.
The Gender Pay Gap by Age
The pay gap widens with age. At 20–24, women earn approximately 93 cents for every dollar men earn. By 35–44, that drops to 82 cents. By 45–54, it reaches 79 cents. Much of this gap is explained by career interruptions, industry concentration, and negotiation patterns — all of which are addressable.
What to Do If You're Behind
If your salary is below the median for your age and occupation, you have three levers:
- Negotiate now — use market data to make the case (see our negotiation guide)
- Switch jobs — job changers earn 10–20% more on average than those who stay
- Upskill strategically — certifications and skills in high-demand areas (cloud, AI, data) can jump salary bands quickly