How Much Wealth Do You Need To Be Financially Successful in the US? This Study Has The Answer

Being financially successful in today’s age seems to be the goal that most of us are chasing. But have you ever wondered what financial success looks like for an average American citizen?

Thanks to a recently conducted survey by Empower that took into consideration 2,200 American adults, we got the answer. They were asked to give their input about financial success concerning yearly salary plans and combined net worth.

The survey shared how the average American citizen’s salary being a little above $270k was enough to attain financial success but we have to agree that the replies varied from one generation to the next.

Gen Z who was born between 1997 to 2012 felt they required at least $600K each year to get that kind of success. Meanwhile, those coming under the Boomers category thought salaries of just $100K per year were enough to get what they wanted easily. Clearly, those with older mindsets were more optimistic than realistic, it seems.

Today, the average American adult earns $63,795 annually as per the latest stats taken from the Social Security Administration. When we look at net worth, Gen Z feels that a $9.5M net worth is enough to delineate financial success. This figure is nine times bigger than where the average net worth stands today.

Generation (Birth Years)	Annual Salary	Net Worth
Gen Z (1997–2012)	$587,797	$9,469,847
Millennials (1981–1996)	$180,865	$5,638,205
Gen X (1965–1980)	$212,321	$5,295,072
Boomers (1946–1964)	$99,874	$1,049,172

It’s interesting to note that that survey showed how 47% of all Americans feel they could never attain the level of financial success that they want. Only 37% were confident to call themselves successful in terms of wealth. Males dominated in terms of this opinion with 42% while only 33% of women felt this way. Furthermore, 50% of respondents felt optimistic that they were or will be financially better than either one of their parents.

These insights hint at an intriguing psychological aspect often overlooked in discussions of financial success — how perceptions of wealth are influenced by cultural and emotional factors.

Beyond the numbers, financial success often embodies a sense of security, independence, and the ability to pursue life on one’s terms.

For Gen Z, this might mean a reaction to uncertainty from global crises and economic disruptions they’ve witnessed growing up, leading to ambitious financial goals. Meanwhile, Boomers’ more conservative benchmarks could stem from lived experiences that taught them to value stability over extravagance.

This psychological interplay suggests that financial success is not merely a reflection of income or net worth but a deeply personal measure, shaped by individual resilience and generational priorities.

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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World