MigrantoAverage salary in the USA
What people take home per month and earn per year, by industry and against other countries
Wages in the USA
76% of gross pay stays in hand after income tax and employee contributions
Per employee, all industries
Take-home / mo
$4,972
Gross / yr
$78,696
Salaries in the USA by industry
Take-home pay by industry against the national average
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Key facts
Salaries in the USA in numbers
Out-earns every neighbour
No neighbouring country pays more. The closest is the Bahamas at $3,425 a month against $4,972 here. The widest gap is to Guatemala, where pay is 10× lower.
Among the highest-paying countries in the world
#3 of 169 by average take-home pay, at $4,972 a month and #2 in North America.
7× the world median wage
Take-home averages $4,972 a month, against $715 in the middle country worldwide.
IT & communication pays the most, and by an unusual margin
It averages $9,071 a month, +82% against the national average, where the same industry usually sits at +47%.
Industries pay 3.7× apart
Hospitality & food sits at the bottom on $2,421 a month, against a national average of $4,972.
How salaries in the USA compare
Neighbours, region and the world on the same take-home figure
Industries against the world
Where this country pays an industry more, or less, than that industry is usually paid
Pays more than usual here
- IT & communication+82% here, usually +47%
- Real estate+29% here, usually +5%
- Manufacturing+12% here, usually -6%
Pays less than usual here
- Education-9% here, usually +16%
- Hospitality & food-51% here, usually -27%
- Arts & recreation-30% here, usually -13%
“Usually” is what the same industry pays above or below the national average in a typical country
Data source: Mean monthly earnings 2024 (ILOSTAT), adjusted to 2026 using IMF GDP-per-capita growth
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What you could earn in the USA
Tell us what you do and what you earn today — we'll estimate what someone with your background could earn in the USA, what your living costs might be, and what you could save
- What someone in your field earns
- What you could spend and save
- How it compares with today
Take-home in the USA
$3,628/mo
vs $1,200 in your country
Cost of living
$1,325
vs $800 in your country
Potential savings
$2,303
more than in your country
Standard of living
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Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary in the USA?
The average salary in the USA is $6,558 a month before tax, or $4,972 take-home after tax and social contributions. Over a year that's $78,696 before tax and $59,664 after.
What are the highest-paying jobs in the USA?
The highest-paying jobs in the USA are in IT, finance, and professional. Take-home pay in these industries averages around $9,071 a month (about $143,604 gross a year), roughly 82% above the national average.
What is a good salary in the USA?
A good salary in the USA is generally one above the national average — more than $4,972 take-home a month, or $78,696 gross a year. But a lot depends on your spending, where you live, and your financial goals.
What salary do you need to live comfortably in the USA?
A typical person in the USA spends about $3,839 a month, while the average take-home pay is $4,972. How much you need to live comfortably depends on the city, your family situation, and how you usually spend. See the cost of living in the USA for the full picture.
What are the lowest-paying jobs in the USA?
Hospitality is the lowest-paying industry in the USA. Pay there averages around $2,421 a month take-home (about $38,316 gross a year). For comparison, the highest-paying industries pay about 3.7 times more.
Is the USA a high-salary country?
Yes. By average after-tax pay, The USA is ahead of 99% of countries worldwide and ranks 2nd out of 3 countries in North America.
Where to live?
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Living in the USA
See the full country overview