Top 1% income by country
The estimated income needed to reach the top 1% in each country we cover, converted to USD so you can compare them side by side.
In the United States, the estimated top 1% income threshold is about $620,000 per year.
Worldwide, the estimated top 1% income threshold is about $200,000 per year.
Estimated, pre-tax. To check your own income, use the Income Percentile Calculator.
The income needed to reach the top 1% varies enormously between countries. These are estimated thresholds, not official cut-offs, and the top of any income distribution is the hardest part to measure precisely. Treat them as directional.
Ranking
11 countries · USDTap any country to see its full income breakdown. USD values are approximate, converted at mid-2024 exchange rates.
Where would you rank?
Wealth Rank takes your income and shows your exact percentile, nationally and worldwide.
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Common questions
What income is the top 1%?
It depends on the country. Worldwide, an individual income near $200,000 a year is roughly the global top 1%. In higher-income countries the threshold is much higher, as the ranking below shows.
What income is the top 1% in the United States?
In the United States, the estimated top 1% income threshold is about $620,000 a year. This is an approximate, pre-tax figure based on public survey and tax data.
Is top 1% income the same in every country?
No. It varies enormously. The top 1% threshold in a high-income country can be several times higher than in a middle-income one, which is why the worldwide number is far lower than the US number.
Is this before or after tax?
Before tax. These are gross (pre-tax) individual income estimates, so they are not the same as take-home pay.
How is this different from the income percentile calculator?
This page shows the top 1% threshold by country. The income percentile calculator takes your own salary and tells you your exact percentile, including how far you are from the top 1%.
How is this different from Wealth Rank?
Wealth Rank combines your income and net worth, plus your age and country, into a full personal ranking. This page is just the top 1% income threshold, with no input needed.
This ranking covers 11 countries and grows as we vet more data. We only add a country once its income figures clear our accuracy bar, so the list stays trustworthy rather than complete.
Educational tool: Global Wealth Explorer shows approximate income estimates based on public data from national statistics offices, the World Bank, and published research. Figures are for perspective and learning, not official determinations. Incomes are pre-tax and individual where possible. Amounts are converted to USD at approximate mid-2024 exchange rates for comparison, so dollar figures shift with currency moves.