The difference between personal and household income can be explained by considering that 76% of households with incomes exceeding $90,000 (the top 20%, $140,000 to cross this threshold in 2020 dollars) had two or more income earners. Using the 15% figure one may conclude that the American upper middle class consists, strictly in an income sense, of professionals with personal incomes in excess of $62,500 ($83,000 in 2020 dollars), who commonly reside in households with six-figure incomes.
Sociologists Dennis Gilbert, William Thompson and Joseph Hickey estimate the upper middle class to constitute roughly 15% of the population. To illustrate, two nurses each making $55,000 per year can out-earn, in a household sense, a single attorney who makes a median of $95,000 annually. In 2005, 42% of US households (76% among the top quintile) had two or more income earners as a result, 18% of households but only 5% of individuals had six-figure incomes. There are also differences between household and individual income. Qualifying for such higher income often requires that individuals obtain the necessary skills (e.g., by attending law, medical, or postgraduate school) and demonstrate the necessary competencies. An occupation that requires a scarce skill set which is attained through higher educational degree, and which involves higher autonomy, responsibility and influence, will usually offer higher economic compensation. Income is in part determined by the scarcity of certain skill sets. While many Americans cite income as the prime determinant of class, occupational status, educational attainment, and value systems are equally important variables. who earn the right credentials.įurther information: Affluence in the United States, Household income in the United States, and Personal income in the United States It is in fact a porous class, open to people. its lifestyles and opinions are becoming increasingly normative for the whole society. The key to the success of the upper middle class is the growing importance of educational certification. Increasingly salaried managers and professionals have replaced individual business owners and independent professionals.
Typical professions for this class include lawyers, physicians, military officers, psychologists, certified public accountants, pharmacists, optometrists, financial planners, dentists, engineers, scientists, professors, architects, urban planners, civil service executives, and civilian contractors. Many have postgraduate degrees, with educational attainment serving as the main distinguishing feature of this class. In academic models, the term "upper middle class" applies to highly educated, salaried professionals whose work is largely self-directed. The American middle class (and its subdivisions) is not a strictly defined concept across disciplines, as economists and sociologists do not agree on defining the term. Main article: Upper middle class in the United States The main occupational tasks of upper-middle-class individuals tend to center on conceptualizing, consulting, and instruction. In the United States, the upper middle class is defined as consisting mostly of white-collar professionals who not only have above-average personal incomes and advanced educational degrees but also a higher degree of autonomy in their work. The American upper middle class is defined similarly using income, education, and occupation as the predominant indicators. According to sociologist Max Weber, the upper middle class consists of well-educated professionals with postgraduate degrees and comfortable incomes. There is considerable debate as to how the upper middle class might be defined. This is in contrast to the term lower middle class, which is used for the group at the opposite end of the middle-class stratum, and to the broader term middle class. In sociology, the upper middle class is the social group constituted by higher status members of the middle class. Higher education is one of the most distinguishing features of the upper middle class. ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) ( October 2017) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) You can help to improve it by introducing citations that are more precise, and providing page numbers for existing citations. This article cites its sources but does not provide page references.
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