US Salary Statistics 2026
A data-driven overview of US wages in 2026 — covering national median pay, top-paying metros, sector-level salary gaps, wage growth trends, and the highest-paying occupations. All base data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) programme, supplemented by Federal Reserve and Census Bureau data.
US Salary Key Statistics (2026)
US Median Annual Wage Trend (2019–2026)
US median wages accelerated sharply from 2021 to 2023 as the post-COVID labour market tightened. Growth has moderated in 2024–2026 as the Fed's rate cycle cooled the economy, but nominal wages remain well above pre-pandemic baselines.
| Year | Median Annual Wage | YoY Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $48,672 | — |
| 2020 | $49,764 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $52,340 | +5.2% |
| 2022 | $54,132 | +3.4% |
| 2023 | $57,500 | +6.2% |
| 2024 | $60,580 | +5.4% |
| 2025 (est.) | $62,800 | +3.7% |
| 2026 (est.) | $63,500–$65,000 | +1–3.5% |
Sources: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) historical data. 2025–2026 figures are estimates based on Atlanta Fed Wage Growth Tracker and ECI data.
Top-Paying US Metro Areas (All Occupations, 2024)
| Metro Area | Mean Annual Wage | Key Industries | CoL-Adjusted Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $112,000–$120,000 | Tech, semiconductors | #4 (high CoL) |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | $98,000–$108,000 | Tech, finance, healthcare | #6 (very high CoL) |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $88,000–$96,000 | Tech, aerospace, logistics | #3 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC | $86,000–$94,000 | Government, defence, consulting | #2 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $84,000–$92,000 | Finance, media, legal | #8 (very high CoL) |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA | $80,000–$88,000 | Biotech, education, finance | #5 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | $74,000–$80,000 | Tech, manufacturing | #1 (best CoL-adj.) |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | $72,000–$78,000 | Tech, energy, healthcare | #7 |
Sources: BLS Metro Area and Division Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, May 2024. CoL-adjusted rank uses MIT Living Wage Calculator and Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) data.
Tech vs. Non-Tech Salary Gap (US, 2024)
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage (BLS May 2024) | vs. National Median |
|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $132,270 | +118% |
| Information Security Analysts | $124,910 | +106% |
| Data Scientists | $115,240 | +90% |
| Cloud Architects (Computer Network) | $130,000+ | +115% |
| Registered Nurses | $86,070 | +42% |
| Teachers (K-12, median) | $61,310 | +1% |
| Retail Sales Workers (median) | $33,680 | -44% |
| Food Preparation Workers | $31,990 | -47% |
| US Median (all occupations) | $60,580 | Baseline |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median salary in the US in 2026?
Which US city has the highest average salary?
What is the salary gap between tech and non-tech workers in the US?
What is the highest-paying occupation in the US in 2026?
How much has US wage growth been from 2022 to 2026?
Sources & Methodology
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024
- Bureau of Labor Statistics — Employment Cost Index (ECI) 2024–2025
- Atlanta Fed Wage Growth Tracker — Individual nominal wage growth data
- US Census Bureau — Current Population Survey (CPS) 2024
- Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) — Average Hourly Earnings series
- MIT Living Wage Calculator — Cost-of-living benchmarks by metro
- Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) — Cost of Living Index
All wage figures are pre-tax. Median wages represent the 50th percentile, meaning half of workers earn more and half earn less. Cost-of-living adjustments are based on C2ER composite indices and are approximations.