This is how much do Gen Zers make per average in every state (2024)
Members of Gen Z are considered to be those who were born between 1996 and 2016 and people in this cohort are beginning to make their presence in the employment market felt. Workers between the ages 16 and 24, the first wave of Gen Z, now make up 12.8 percent of the civilian labor force in 2021 according to the most recent data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
As a whole, Gen Z is forecast to be the “most disruptive generation ever” because as consumers, they are much more aware of their buying habits than previous generations. And their purchasing power is expected to grow fast, quintupling during this decade according to a study by the Bank of American published in 2020. Gen Z workers’ income is estimated that it will increase to $33 trillion by 2030, accounting for more than a quarter of global income. The following year they are forecast to overtake millennials in economic power and will account for nearly 34 percent of the labor force.
The current median income, half earn more and half earn less, for a Gen Z worker nationwide is around $37,300 according to an analysis by GoBankingRates. That accounts for the incomes of all workers from the Gen Z cohort between 16 and 24, but the outlet broke the data down to split it into two groups, those workers that are 16-19 and 20-24. Each group’s respective median income level is $31,800 and $38,300 as of May 2023.
However, the United States is a large country with a diverse economy so incomes vary from state to state. Here is a look at the top and bottom ten states for Gen Z workers’ median income.
Ten states where Gen Z workers earn the most
State
State’s median hourly income
Annual meidan income 16-24 years old
Massachusetts
$28.10
$47,065.61
Washington
$27.08
$45,357.18
New York
$25.23
$42,258.55
Alaska
$25.00
$41,873.32
Connecticut
$24.90
$41,705.82
Maryland
$24.72
$41,404.33
New Jersey
$24.56
$41,136.35
Colorado
$24.16
$40,466.37
California
$23.91
$40,047.64
Rhode Island
$23.73
$39,746.15
Ten states where Gen Z workers earn the least
State
State’s median hourly income
Annual meidan income 16-24 years old
Mississippi
$17.36
$29,076.83
Arkansas
$17.92
$30,014.79
West Virginia
$18.16
$30,416.78
Alabama
$18.50
$30,986.25
South Carolina
$18.69
$31,304.49
Louisiana
$18.74
$31,388.24
Oklahoma
$18.80
$31,488.73
South Dakota
$19.17
$32,108.46
New Mexico
$19.19
$32,141.96
Tennessee
$19.20
$32,158.71
For the full list of median incomes for Gen Z workers you can check out the analysis of all 50 states.
Millennials were somewhat better off than Gen X—those born between 1965 and 1980—when they were the same age. Zoomers, however, are much better off than millennials were at the same age. The typical 25-year-old Gen Z-er has an annual household income of over $40,000, more than 50% above baby-boomers at the same age.
Millennials were somewhat better off than Gen X—those born between 1965 and 1980—when they were the same age. Zoomers, however, are much better off than millennials were at the same age. The typical 25-year-old Gen Z-er has an annual household income of over $40,000, more than 50% above baby-boomers at the same age.
Born between 1997 and 2012, Gen Z represents about 20% of the US population as of 2023, per the US Census Bureau. In 2021, Bloomberg cited data from Gen Z Planet estimating the cohort had $360 billion in buying/spending power, a number which has most certainly grown as more and more Gen Zers join the workforce.
Born between 1995 and 2009, Generation Z – or Gen Z – currently accounts for about 2 billion of the world's population and is expected to represent 27 percent of the workforce by 2025. This could compound the changes to work as we know it, as employers seek to attract and retain new talent.
According to the study, 47% of Gen Z who earn money on social media say they earn more money through content creation than they do working a traditional 9-to-5 job. This makes sense when you consider 61% of Gen Z don't believe their pay has kept pace with the cost of living.
The majority of American Gen Z have strong credit scores and less school debt than previous generations. They're ready and able to deploy capital at unprecedentedly young ages. This influx of affluence is radically transforming lifestyles of America's young and wealthy.
But the state where workers earn the highest median annual wage is actually Massachusetts, where the median income as of 2023 is about $60,690, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Workers in the District of Columbia have a higher annual median wage at $84,450, but Massachusetts is the highest-earning state.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics's most recent data (May 2022), the average salary nationwide is $61,900, which means that $70,000 is a common salary — but above the national average.
Gen Z is the generation born in the 15-year span from 1997 to 2012. In 2024, they will turn between 12 and 27 years old. This is the newest generation to gain influence in the world, from joining the workforce to being old enough to vote.
The members of Generation Z, the oldest of which are now in their 20s, on average are expected to live to 100 and beyond. Health technology may or may not eventually lift Gen Zers well past that. They could be the generation that collectively hits the biological ceiling.
In addition to feeling the least engaged in work, Gen Z also finds their responsibilities uninspiring. Gen Z workers report having the least meaningful work (14%) and least autonomy at work (21%) compared to other generations, who are more fulfilled and have more autonomy.
According to the data, Gen X has the highest median incomes in the country. And according to Statistica, in 2022, 45-54 year-olds also had the highest U.S. median household income by age — $101,500.
Gen Z is making less than millennials made a decade ago at the same age. As of the fourth quarter of 2023, Gen Zs aged 22 to 24 were making an average of $45,493. At that same age 10 years ago, adjusted for inflation, millennials were making $51,825, according to a recent study by TransUnion.
One commonly used definition from the Pew Research Center sets a middle-class income between two-thirds and twice the national median income, or $67,819 to $203,458 for a family of four in 2022. Most Americans consider the lower end of that range, $75,000 and $100,000, to be middle class, according to the Post poll.
Business Insider reported that millennials earn more money than any other generation at their age. However, they still hold less wealth than prior generations due to higher costs of living, recessions and student loan debt.
Introduction: My name is Errol Quitzon, I am a fair, cute, fancy, clean, attractive, sparkling, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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