Millennials Earn $190,000 Less Than They Need to Feel Successful

Earning about $80,000 a year, millennials need to double their income and add $30,000 to hit their American Dream.

God, my headline sucks, but I didn’t write it. That’s what the source article gave me to work with. “Feel successful.” Whatever that means. My headline is also a more accurate description of the data cited in the MSNBC story than the actual paid journalist’s. Essentially, the original article stated the average American earns about $80,000 per year but believes $270,000 would make ol’ Jack and Diane “feel successful.” Why not dig further? Because it’s not journalism, it’s corporate content published on a news website.

And look, I’m not here to pick on the reporter for her piece. It’s very well written, but the perspective is off. That, and the study was done by a financial services company trying to “empower people to financial freedom.” More like let’s do some research to get our name in national headlines to attract potential new customers to our products and services. The number one rule of journalism? Check your sources. Why is someone sharing this information? If you take what you’re told at face value, regardless of who’s saying, you won’t make a good reporter. Ever.

Okay, so here’s why this story stinks. It’s written from a business perspective, not human. After reading the article, I realized Americans are either delusional about money or severely underpaid. The average American needs $270,000 to feel successful. Too bad that’s more than triple the average American’s salary. And again, that’s for the average American. The median. But, hey if you work hard every day, you’ll still probably never get there!

Isn’t the point of work to feel successful? That’s the American Dream, the one that died with the Boomers. This article paints an aspirational picture and there’s nothing wrong with optimism. Working hard does have benefits. It’s important. But where this article misses the mark is a lack of balance. Why didn’t the reporter dive deeper into wage stagnation or economic inequality? Perhaps a bit more research on why Americans expectations are so far behind wages and income? Why can’t Americans temper expectations and have wages meet us halfway? It’s a half-baked article missing a critical component. The other side of the data. This is a reason why people distrust the media. An article about income expectations doesn’t paint the whole picture. It says work harder, slave.

The U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 report found that the top 20% of households earned 52.2% of total household income, while the bottom 20% earned just 3.1%. Even households in the top 20% (earning above $240,000 in 2024) often fall below the $270,000 American Dream.

So, where’s our money going? Why is there such a difference between what American workers are paid versus what they need to feel successful? Not many people will ever hit that $270,000 in their lifetime. No matter how hard they work. Maybe including that in the article could have been a little more honest and a better piece.

Journalists need to highlight both sides of a story, not just one, regardless of the topic. It’s more honest and accurate. For an educated bunch, journalists often forgot their schooling. It’s the job of the media to educate and inform, not peddle aspirations like a $270,000 income. We deserve better. Stories that highlight the inequalities in our country, not sweep them under the rug. Don’t regurgitate talking points from corporations. Challenge the information you’re receiving. A healthy America believes its media is working for them. It’s really hard for our country to see that right now. And they’re right. This article is a tiny example of a larger problem. Do your part journalists. Paint the whole picture. That could start to rebuild public trust. Write things for the American people not for your bosses, advertisers, or businesses. That’s your job isn’t it?