For years, hitting a six-figure salary was considered a major milestone, a sign that you had officially “made it.” But in 2025, that benchmark doesn’t mean what it used to. A widely shared post on X citing the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics calculator noted that a $100,000 salary in January 2020 has the same buying power as $124,353 in April 2025.
Despite inflation cutting into its value, many people still treat $100,000 as a symbol of success.
A Cultural Milestone, But Not A Financial One Anymore
In a Reddit thread that shared the tweet and asked, “Why do people continue to use ‘six figures’ as their standard of success for a given career?” one user put it simply: “Because it’s still hard to make 100K.” Another noted, “Only 18% of individual Americans and only 34% of households make six figures or more.”
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Yet, the emotional weight attached to that number hasn't kept pace with economic reality. As one person said, “Emotions haven't kept up with inflation. If you're working towards six figures for 10 years, your emotions may not register that last year’s inflation made $100K more like $80K.”
People who recently crossed the six-figure mark expressed mixed feelings. “I hit six figures in 2024 and it made a huge positive impact on my life,” one person said. Another added, “I hit six figures pre-pandemic and it didn't feel as comfortable as I thought it would. It was a nice benchmark, but as I got older bills got higher, etc.”
A lot of the disillusionment comes from rising costs, especially housing, healthcare and childcare. “The childcare’s the killer,” one parent shared. “$2,500 per month with pickup before 5:30 or it's an additional fee. It was literally more cost-effective to retire my mother-in-law.”
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For those in high-cost areas, the situation is even more stark. “That is almost exactly the median individual income in San Francisco,” one commenter said. “That makes sense,” they added, implying that even six figures just gets you by in some cities.
Still Symbolic, Still Out Of Reach For Many
Some argued the term still holds weight because of its cultural significance. “Same reason people use six feet to denote a tall person. People like round numbers,” one person commented. Others mentioned it as an emotional or generational touchstone: “It was kind of the gold standard for a lot of us growing up.”
But many agreed it’s time to update expectations. “$150K is the new ‘six figures,'” one person claimed. Another said, “Even $180K feels like the new $100K.”
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Still, the thread was filled with reminders that six figures remain out of reach for most Americans. “I make 48K a year and I think six figures sounds really, really good,” one commenter said. Another added, “I’ve lived off of 30K for nearly a decade. 100K is more than enough to live off of when you consider just how poor you can actually be.”
Even those doing well financially recognized the disconnect. “I make six figures. 102K to be exact. I have a small house, a reliable car, and live comfortably,” one said. “Six figures is absolutely success, if you’re smart with your money.”
At the end of the day, six figures may no longer signal wealth, but it still signals something important: security. “$100K still puts you in the top 20% of individual incomes,” one person pointed out. “Just because it doesn’t have the same purchasing power as five, 10, or 20 years ago doesn’t mean it isn’t a lot more than most people are getting.”
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