Feeling financially secure used to mean a steady job and a good paycheck — but for more Americans, that paycheck needs to be a lot bigger than it used to be.
A new Bankrate Financial Freedom Survey finds more than 1 in 4 Americans now say they’d need to earn at least $150,000 a year just to feel comfortable. That’s nearly double the national average salary, which was about $81,500 for full-time workers in 2023, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
So what’s driving this spike in what people think it takes to feel secure? Blame inflation. After three years of steep price increases, even as the official inflation rate cools, the damage to household budgets is still painfully clear. A $100,000 salary in 2020 buys what $124,353 would today. If your pay hasn’t kept up, it’s like watching $24,000 vanish from your wallet.
Unsurprisingly, 77% of U.S. adults say they don’t feel completely financially secure, up from 72% in 2023. Americans are feeling squeezed by higher prices, tariffs, and concerns about a potential recession.
Yet, for many, finding that bigger paycheck is easier said than done. Companies are scaling back hiring, especially for white-collar jobs, leaving workers with fewer options to switch to a better offer.
“People need to spend more every year, but their income hasn’t kept pace,” says Wookjae Heo, a professor at Purdue.
The reality? Financial security in 2025 often feels like running on a treadmill that won’t slow down. Until wages catch up with the cost of living, millions of Americans will keep chasing that elusive feeling that they’re finally earning enough, and for more people than ever, that number now starts at $150,000.
