How Much The Average American Really Makes In Their 30s

The 2025 Usual Weekly Earnings report from the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that in the first quarter of 2025, workers aged 25 to 34 earned a median of $1,125 per week. For those aged 35 to 44, the median was $1,332. Multiply that by 52 weeks and it comes out to about $58,500 a year for people in their early-30s and around $69,300 for those in their late-30s.

When you look at the weekly earnings as yearly income, the difference between early and late 30s becomes clear. The average paycheck rises by $10,764 from one age group to the next, an 18.4% increase. In simple terms, the average income for Americans in their 30s goes up as they gain more experience on the job. At the start of the decade, most workers earn just under $60,000 a year. By age 39, that number moves closer to $70,000. When you reach this point, you will be doing yourself a disservice if you are not investing or meeting the realistic savings threshold for a 30-year old.

According to a Bureau of Labor Statistics' report from April 16, 2025, men aged 25 to 34 earn a median of $1,183 per week, while women in the same age group earn $1,038. That's a 12% gap early in their thirties. In the next age bracket, 35 to 44, the gap gets wider. Men earn $1,448 a week, while women earn $1,212. That's about 16% less, roughly a $12,000 difference when you add it up over a full year.

Several factors help explain why the pay gap between men and women in their 30s continues. First, promotion rates differ. McKinsey's 2024 Women in the Workplace report shows that for every 100 men promoted from entry level to manager, only 81 women make the same move. That slows down women's progress into higher-paying roles early on.

Second, caregiving plays a role. Pew Research data from March 2023 shows that mothers aged 25 to 44 are less likely to be working and tend to work fewer hours than women without children. Meanwhile, fathers often earn more, which widens the gap even further. Lastly, women continue to earn less across most job types. A March 2024 update from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that women's weekly pay overall is 83.6% of men's, showing that even with the same education, women still earn less in many fields.

In major metros and some of the most expensive cities, paychecks for workers in their 30s often go well above the national average. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' May 2024 wage data, released in July 2025, the average worker in San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara earns $58.25 an hour, that's about $121,100 a year, more than twice the national median of $59,000 for people in their early 30s. Workers in Washington, D.C. also earn well above average, with hourly wages at $43.47, which adds up to $90,400 a year. Cost-of-living reports show the same pattern. SmartAsset's March 2025 study says a single adult needs about $147,430 a year to live comfortably in San Jose and around $122,000 in San Francisco.

In lower-wage states, the numbers are different. According to the May 2024 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average hourly wage in Jackson, Mississippi is $25.86, which comes to about $53,800 a year. In Little Rock, Arkansas, the average is $26.70 an hour, or roughly $55,500 a year, both far below what workers earn in places like San Jose or even the national average for people in their early 30s. At the same time, the cost of living is lower. SmartAsset's June 2025 publication says a single adult can live comfortably on $80,829 in West Virginia, and a family of four can do so on $186,618 in Mississippi.