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Is $30,000/year a Good Salary in United States?

Honest answer first: it's below what most full-time workers in United States take home, and it leaves very little room for savings or unexpected costs.

Below Average~16th percentile · 50% below median

A gross salary of this level in United States sits around the 16th percentile — below average for the country. After estimated tax, take-home is roughly 26,089 USD/year.

Net / year
$26,089
Net / month
$2,174
Vs. median
0.50×
Big-city rent
high pressure

What does this salary mean?

In United States, $30,000 per year sits well under what most full-time earners take home. Day-to-day living is workable in cheaper regions; saving and discretionary spending are constrained.

Broken down monthly, that is roughly $2,500 gross per month — and about $2,174/month ($26,089/year) after estimated tax in United States.

Supporting a family on a single income at this level in United States is difficult — most households would need a second earner or significant cost-cutting.

Monthly affordability snapshot

Directional pressure across the main spending categories at this income in United States.

HousingManageable

Rent is workable in mid-cost cities; New York still leaves a narrow margin.

Food & basicsTight

Groceries fit, but eating out and convenience spending need to stay occasional.

TransportTight

A used car or transit pass is realistic; new-car payments would crowd out other essentials.

Savings potentialTight

Realistic savings rate is low single digits — most income is consumed by essentials.

Lifestyle flexibilityTight

Discretionary spending is limited; most months focus on essentials.

Rent pressure

In New York, rent alone could absorb roughly 70% of take-home — the salary will feel meaningfully tighter than in Cleveland. These are directional figures based on typical 1-bedroom rent benchmarks; actual rent depends heavily on neighbourhood, size, and timing.

Take-home pay context

Gross pay is what's listed on the offer; net pay is what arrives after income tax and FICA (Social Security + Medicare). For this level in United States, the combined effective deduction is roughly 13%, leaving about $2,174 per month. Actual take-home varies with state/regional taxes, filing status, retirement contributions, and benefits — treat these as planning figures rather than payroll numbers.

Lifestyle tier

Estimated tier
Survival

Covers only the most essential needs in lower-cost areas. A second income or shared housing is usually required.

Practical interpretation

  • Significantly stronger in lower-cost regions than in New York.
  • Solo living is workable mainly with roommates or smaller-unit rentals.
  • Building meaningful savings is hard without reducing rent or transport costs.
  • A second household income changes the math more than any single deduction.

How it stacks up in United States

Minimum wage$15,080
National median$60,000
National average$73,000
This salary$30,000
Top 10%$173,000

What this salary means in practice

Family support

Supporting a family on a single income at this level in United States is difficult — most households would need a second earner or significant cost-cutting.

Saving potential

Realistic savings rate at this level is in low single digits — most income is consumed by essentials.

Renting in the city

Renting in New York eats a heavy share of net pay; smaller cities like Cleveland feel much more sustainable.

New York vs Cleveland

In New York, costs run roughly 50% above the national baseline — so the same salary feels meaningfully different than it does in Cleveland.

What earners at this level can usually afford

Small apartment (solo)Tight

Tight — likely shared housing

Used car ownershipTight

Stretched — likely a stretch each month

1 vacation per yearTight

Possible only by saving over months

Eating out weeklyTight

Occasional, not routine

Mortgage in mid-cost cityTight

Difficult without dual income

Save 20%+ of net payTight

Hard while covering essentials

Premium housing in metroTight

Generally out of range

Adjust the numbers

Try a different country or amount to see how the verdict shifts.

Below Average~16th percentile · 50% below median
A gross salary of this level in United States sits around the 16th percentile — below average for the country. After estimated tax, take-home is roughly 26,089 USD/year.
Minimum wage$15,080
National median$60,000
National average$73,000
This salary$30,000
Top 10%$173,000
Net / year
$26,089
Net / month
$2,174
Big-city rent
high pressure

Compared against New York cost-of-living baseline. Estimates only — not financial advice.

Other United States salary verdicts

Is $60,000/year good in United States?
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Is $85,000/year good in United States?
Comfortable · ~68th percentile
Is $120,000/year good in United States?
Upper-Middle · ~80th percentile
Is $170,000/year good in United States?
Upper-Middle · ~89th percentile

Go deeper

See full tax breakdownSalary & Tax Calculator
What this means in practice

In United States, $30,000/year is near the entry-level band — about 50% below the median. After ~13% in income tax and social contributions, take-home is around $2,174/month ($26,089/year). Living costs in New York run noticeably higher than the national average, so the same paycheck stretches further in smaller cities.

  • Entry-level income
  • Tight for single person
  • Tight for family of 4
  • High big-city housing pressure
  • Limited savings room
  • Low tax burden

Compare nearby United States salaries

Common questions

Last updated: 2026. Verdict uses simplified national statistics. Estimates only — not financial advice.