Social class in the US at a glance

Main article: Social class in the United States

Academic class models

William Thompson & Joseph

Dennis Gilbert, 2002 Leonard Beeghley, 2004
Hickey, 2005

Typical Typical
Class Class Class Typical characteristics
characteristics characteristics

Top-level
Multi-millionaires whose
executives,
Top-level executives, incomes commonly exceed
Upper celebrities, heirs;
Capitalist high-rung politicians, The super- $350,000; includes
class income of
class (1%) heirs. Ivy League rich (0.9%) celebrities and powerful
(1%) $500,000+
education common. executives/politicians. Ivy
common. Ivy league
League education common.
education common.

Highly-educated Households with net worth

Highly-educated (often with of $1 million or more;
The rich
(often with graduate graduate degrees) largely in the form of home
(5%)
Upper degrees), most Upper professionals & equity. Generally have
middle commonly salaried, middle managers with college degrees.
class[1] professionals and class[1] household incomes
(15%) middle management (15%) varying from the
with large work high 5-figure range
autonomy. to commonly above
$100,000.
College-educated workers
Semi-professionals Semi-professionals Middle with considerably higher-
and craftsmen with and craftsmen with class than-average incomes and
Lower a roughly average some work (plurality/ compensation; a man
middle standard of living. Lower autonomy; majority?; making $57,000 and a
class (30%) Most have some middle household incomes ca. 46%) woman making $40,000
college education class commonly range may be typical.
and are white-collar. (32%) from $35,000 to
$75,000. Typically,
Working Clerical and most
some college
class (30%) blue-collar workers
education.
whose work is highly
routinized. Standard Working Clerical, pink- and Working Blue-collar workers and
of living varies class blue-collar workers class those whose jobs are highly
depending on (32%) with often low job (ca. 40– routinized with low
number of income security; common 45%) economic security; a man
earners, but is household incomes making $40,000 and a
commonly just range from $16,000 woman making $26,000
 to $30,000. High
adequate. High
school education.
school
Service,education.
low-rung
clerical and some may be typical. High school
blue-collar workers. education.
Working
High economic
poor (13%)
insecurity and risk of
Those who occupy
poverty. Some high
poorly-paid
school education.
Lower positions or rely on
Those with limited class (ca. government Those living below the
or no participation in 14–20%) transfers. Some poverty line with limited to
the labor force. high school no participation in the labor
Underclass The poor
Reliant on education. force; a household income
(12%) (ca. 12%)
government of $18,000 may be typical.
transfers. Some high Some high school
school education. education.