United States

United States — Median salary

US desk: United States first; United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, euro-area members, Korea, Taiwan and New Zealand alongside.

$4,481

+$147 (+3.4%)

As of 2025 | 2021 PPP $ per month

Latest
$4,481 2025
Previous year
$4,333 2024
Min
$1,733 1994
Max
$4,481 2025
YearMedian salary
2025$4,481
2024$4,333
2023$4,167
2022$4,000
2021$3,750
2020$3,640
2019$3,380
2018$3,278
2017$3,120
2016$3,033
2015$2,947
2014$2,902
2013$2,817
2012$2,773
2011$2,704
2010$2,667
2009$2,665
2008$2,665
2007$2,600
2006$2,500
2005$2,427
2004$2,383
2003$2,301
2002$2,253
#CountryMedian salaryChangeYear
9Germany$5,248+$305 (+6.2%)202215United States$4,481+$147 (+3.4%)202518Canada$3,988+$54 (+1.4%)202519United Kingdom$3,861+$78 (+2.1%)202529Australia$3,324+$216 (+7.0%)2021

What median monthly earnings are

Median monthly earnings of employees (ILOSTAT EAR_EMTM_SEX_CUR_NB) are the midpoint of the employee pay distribution, both sexes, in 2021 PPP dollars. Latest for United States: $4,481 in 2025.

The median is less pulled by high earners than the mean. Coverage still varies by national source. From 1994 to 2025 (32 years): latest $4,481 (2025), previous year $4,333 (2024); low $1,733 (1994), high $4,481 (2025).

Source: ILOSTAT. Licence: CC BY 4.0 (International Labour Organization) (terms).

Reading this series

This series is the median of the monthly earnings distribution for employees: the pay level at which half of employees earn more and half earn less. It comes from ILOSTAT indicator EAR_EMTM_SEX_CUR_NB, for both sexes, published annually and converted by the ILO to 2021 PPP dollars. Values are gross employee earnings, before income tax and social contributions, and they are not take-home pay. The median is less influenced by a few very high earners than the mean, so it often sits below the average.

Each point is a national published figure, not a Younivi estimate. Coverage, survey design and the treatment of part-time work differ between economies, so rankings are indicative rather than exact. The chart shows the years you select; the table gives the same values as numbers. Compare economies by direction and by broad level, and read the year label, because economies do not all report the same latest year. Sources revise their series, so a later rebuild can change a past reading.

About this desk

United States appears first, with comparison economies where the producer publishes them. This desk filters the same official series as the all-countries view; it does not recalculate values.

Average and median monthly earnings come from ILOSTAT, in 2021 PPP dollars. These are gross employee earnings before tax, not take-home pay. National coverage differs.

Chart and Table show the same observations. Range buttons change only the displayed years; use Country to switch desks. Each page names its source and licence.