AnswerAt age 30 with $100k income, the median US net worth is $26,000. The 75th percentile is $80,000. You can see where you rank below.
Median: $26,000 · 75th percentile: $80,000
Source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, 2025 data (released Oct 2026), computed from public microdata
Am I behind at age 30 on $100k?
Median net worth for US households age 30 earning $100k is $26,000; top 10% starts at $256,000. Computed from the Federal Reserve's 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances.
Six-figure pay at 30 does not guarantee much saved yet: the median household in this cell holds $26,000, about 0.3x of annual income. The 75th percentile is $80,000 and the 90th is $256,000, so the 1x-income milestone of $100,000 sits between them. Where a household lands often depends on when saving started and how raises were used.
Your numbers
Peer group: age under 35 · $50,000 – $100,000Your $26,000 ranks ahead of 50% of US households age under 35 earning $50,000 – $100,000.
Another $230,000 in net worth would put you in the top 10% for your peer group.
How this number is calculated
We look up your age and income in the Federal Reserve's 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances (the most recent SCF, released Oct 2026), then interpolate your position between 25th/50th/75th/90th/99th percentile breakpoints for that age×income cell. The Fed does not publish those cells, so we compute them from its public microdata. Figures are in 2025 USD, and cells with few sampled families are noisy. 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 30, $100k
The $100,000 band at 30 includes engineers outside the largest tech firms, nurses in high-cost metros, accountants working toward a CPA, and project managers in non-tech industries. All are compared with households under 35, where a 30-year-old sits above the youngest members. The rule of thumb of 1x income by 30 would be $100,000 here, which lies between the 75th and 90th percentiles, so meeting it puts a household ahead of at least three quarters of similar earners. Put the other way around, most six-figure households at this age are behind that rule of thumb, which is a reason not to read it as a personal verdict.
The gap between the 25th percentile of $3,000 and the 75th of $80,000 is the most telling part of this cell. Identical pay can lead to very different results depending on whether a household started a 401(k) early, carries student debt, or spent raises on housing and vehicles. As an illustration only, $1,000 a month invested at a 7 percent real return for ten years grows to about $173,000, which shows why the timing of contributions matters so much. In SCF 2025 the under-35 median of $33,000 is lower than in the 2022 survey, though sampling error makes the size of that difference uncertain.
Housing is usually the biggest decision at this stage. A first home builds equity over time but also concentrates savings in one asset and can crowd out retirement contributions, so many households capture the full employer match first and then compare renting and buying in their own market. A cash cushion of several months of expenses matters more once a mortgage is involved. The top of this cell, $256,000 at the 90th percentile and $1.08M at the 99th, is likely to combine retirement accounts, home equity, and taxable investments rather than any single source.
Benchmarks for age 30, $100k
Source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, 2025 (released October 9, 2026); cells computed from public microdata. Figures in 2025 USD. Cells built on fewer than about 100 sampled families are noisy. Your seeded percentile if net worth equals the median for this cell: 50th.
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Frequently asked questions
Is $100,000 a good net worth at 30 for a $100,000 income?
In SCF 2025 data it is a strong result for this cell. The 75th percentile is $80,000 and the 90th is $256,000, so $100,000 puts a household ahead of at least three quarters of similar earners. The median is only $26,000, which shows how many households have not yet reached that rule of thumb.
Should I max my 401(k) or save for a first home?
Capturing the full employer match usually comes first because it is an immediate return on your contribution. Beyond the match, the answer depends on local rent-versus-buy costs, how long you plan to stay, and how much cash you would have left after the purchase. Running both scenarios with your own numbers is worthwhile.
How does an HSA fit into a wealth plan at this income?
For people on a high-deductible health plan, an HSA offers deductible contributions, tax-free growth, and tax-free withdrawals for qualified medical costs. Some households pay current medical bills out of pocket and invest the balance as a long-term account, but that only works if cash flow comfortably allows it.
Will a lender count my RSU income when I apply for a mortgage?
Lenders often want a documented history of vested stock income, commonly around two years with the same employer, before counting it, and some count only part of it. Rules differ by lender and loan type, so ask early rather than assuming RSUs will qualify you for a larger loan.
How much life insurance do I need with a young child?
A common starting rule of thumb is about ten times income plus any mortgage, which would be roughly $1 million at this income before the mortgage. The right amount depends on your spouse's income, existing savings, and debts. Term policies are usually the lowest-cost way to cover a defined number of years.
Can I contribute directly to a Roth IRA at $100,000?
Generally yes for a single filer. Roth IRA eligibility phases out starting in the low $150,000s for single filers, with exact ranges changing slightly each year, and at higher incomes for joint filers. At $100,000 a direct contribution is usually available, so the backdoor conversion steps are not needed. Check current IRS limits.
Methodology & data sources
Calculations on this page use benchmarks from US federal statistical agencies. Percentile breakpoints are interpolated linearly between tabulated cells. Figures are in the dollars of each dataset's reference year unless noted. Numbers are educational estimates, not personalized financial advice.
Net worth figures come from the Federal Reserve SCF 2025 (2025 dollars). Age medians match the Fed's published tables; the age × income cells are computed from the public microdata, and cells with fewer than about 100 sampled families are noisy. Full methodology.