If Your Income Is Above This Number, You Make More Than The Average Gen Zer

Gen Zers are people born between the years 1997 and 2012, and who fall within the age group of 13 to 28 in 2025. Being accustomed to the influence of smart phones and social media, this generation is not shy about expecting a higher annual salary than previous generations. However, according to a July 2025 survey from Self Financial, the average Gen Zer is only making around $2,100 per month, which adds up to around $25,204 annually. Having said that, there are some significant variations in numbers, with Boldin estimating an annual income between $30,000 to $45,000, and a 2023 GOBankingRates survey placing the median figure at $35,050 annually. With that said, lower figures are understandable since many members of this generation — including middle, high, and college students as well as early professionals — are not yet contributing much to the generation's total earnings.   

Nonetheless, the U.S. Bureau for Labor Statistics says that the median weekly income for the working population in the age range of 16-19 and 20-24 years for Q3 2025 falls around $622 and $796 respectively. This adds up to annual incomes of around $32,344 and $41,392 respectively. However, the highest earning segment of Gen Z falls into the mixed-Millennial 25-34 age range — which boasts of a higher annual income of $59,800. With that said, if you're earning these figures than you have beat the average Gen Zer. On the other hand, if you're making between $75,000 and $200,000, Gen Z considers you "upper class".

Between high student debt and less than favorable economic circumstances, Gen Z often feels crushed by money-phobia –  a feeling of immense financial insecurity. According to TransUnion, those who were 22 to 24 years old in December 2023 were making even less money than their millennial counterparts did at the same stage ten years prior when adjusted for inflation. As things stand, you have a better chance of making more than the average Gen Zer if you belong to an older generation. However, you also have a better chance in certain states because of the variations in incomes across the U.S. For instance, Alaska pays an average median income of $60,279 to Gen Z –- the highest of all states, per Scholaroo. On the other hand, with an average income of $27,380, West Virginia pays the least.

With that said, Gen Z is different from other generations in their spending habits and in their means of income generation. Unlike their older counterparts, many Gen Zers augment their income with side hustles as a way to increase their income. In fact, more than 57% of the Gen Z population have some sort of side project they are focusing on, apart from their regular day job, per The Harris Poll.