AnswerAt age 27 with $25k income, the median US net worth is $1,500. The 75th percentile is $14,000. You can see where you rank below.
Median: $1,500 · 75th percentile: $14,000
Source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, 2022 data (released Sept 2023)
Am I behind at age 27 on $25k?
Median net worth for US households age 27 earning $25k is $1,500; top 10% starts at $52,000. Sourced from the Federal Reserve's 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances.
By 27, someone earning $25K has typically been in the workforce five years, yet SCF data shows a median net worth of only $1,500 for this income tier. This cell is dominated by long-tenure service workers, late-career grad students, and people navigating health or caregiving constraints that limit earning potential.
Your numbers
Used to pick your SCF age bracket (Under 35).
Your SCF income tier: $25,000 – $50,000. Use gross household income, not take-home.
Total assets minus total liabilities. Negative values are allowed.
- 25th percentile
- $500
- Median (50th)
- $13,000
- 75th percentile
- $58,000
- Top 10% (90th)
- $175,000
- Top 1% (99th)
- $720,000
Your ranking
How this number is calculated
We look up your age and income in the Federal Reserve's 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances (the most recent SCF, released Sept 2023), then interpolate your position between published 25th/50th/75th/90th/99th percentile breakpoints for that age×income cell. Figures are nominal 2022 USD. Households with similar age and income show meaningful net-worth variance — the percentile reflects how your balance sheet compares to theirs, not to the full US population.
What these numbers mean for age 27, $25k
At 27, a $25K income usually signals one of three situations: a long-running graduate or professional program with a stipend, a service-sector career path with limited promotion ladders, or a transitional period after a layoff or health event. Unlike the 25-year-old in this cell, who is often early-career by default, a 27-year-old here has had more time for compounding to either help or hurt — but on $25K, the surplus available to invest is minimal regardless of timing.
The negative 25th percentile (-$2,000) at this age suggests that student loan balances persist into the late twenties for this income tier, often because income-driven repayment plans keep monthly payments low while letting interest accrue. The median of $1,500 indicates that most have either stabilized at break-even or made small progress through small employer-sponsored retirement contributions.
The 90th percentile of $52,000 at 27 with $25K income usually reflects life situations rather than savings discipline: a 27-year-old in medical or doctoral programs with no debt due to scholarships, someone living with family while pursuing a creative or entrepreneurial path, or a person whose primary household income comes from a partner not captured in this slice.
Benchmarks for age 27, $25k
Source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, 2022 (released September 2023). Figures in 2022 USD. Your seeded percentile if net worth equals the median for this cell: 27th.
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Frequently asked questions
Why hasn't compounding kicked in more by age 27 at this income?
Compounding requires capital to compound. On $25K, after rent and basic costs, the monthly investable surplus is often under $100. Even five years of $100/month at 7% returns produces only about $7,200 — close to the actual median observed.
Are there many doctoral or medical students in this group at 27?
Yes. PhD candidates, MD-PhD students in their middle years, and law school students often earn stipends or work part-time at this income level well into their late twenties, particularly in expensive academic programs.
Does the SCF account for loan forgiveness programs like PSLF?
It records balances at the time of survey, not anticipated forgiveness. A 27-year-old with $80K in loans on track for PSLF appears with full liability today, even if practical net worth at year 10 will be much higher post-forgiveness.
What changes financially between 25 and 27 at this income?
Mostly job tenure benefits: vesting into a small 401(k) match, two extra years of slow loan paydown, and a modest emergency fund accumulating. The SCF data is identical because both ages fall in the under-35 cell, but real-life trajectories diverge.
Is staying at $25K at 27 a sign of a career problem?
Not necessarily. It depends entirely on context — a third-year PhD student is on a different track than a 27-year-old still hourly retail without a clear path forward. The income figure alone tells you very little about long-term trajectory.
What is a reasonable five-year goal from this point?
Reaching a stable positive net worth, building three months of expenses in liquid savings, and either completing the degree program or transitioning to a higher-income role are the typical milestones. The biggest lever is income growth, not saving rate.
Methodology & data sources
Calculations on this page use published benchmarks from US federal statistical agencies. Percentile breakpoints are interpolated linearly between published cells. Figures are in current-year USD unless noted. Numbers are educational estimates, not personalized financial advice.