How much salary would you need to earn to be considered successful in US?

The price of success? About $270,000 a year.

That’s the annual salary it takes to be considered financially successful, according to a survey released Friday by financial services company Empower. The hurdle for net worth is $5.3 million, according to respondents.

Those numbers are well beyond the reach of most Americans. The average US salary in 2023 was about $67,000, according to the Social Security Administration, and the mean 401(k) balance at Fidelity Investments as of this year’s second quarter this year was $127,100. While home ownership can send one’s net worth soaring, affordability remains a major issue for Americans who don’t own property.

Fewer than four in 10 people surveyed consider themselves financially successful, and 47% don’t expect to reach the level of success they’d like. The greatest obstacles were identified as the economy (35%) and “irregular or insufficient income streams” (30%).