Average salary in America in 2021 per month by profession. Who is better to work in the USA

Special national wages in America

Traditionally, in the United States of America, there are three types of remuneration:

• time wages of an employee;
• annual salary of government and other employees;
• one-time remuneration for department heads.

However, American companies are constantly looking for new and better ways to pay their workers in order to reduce costs and stimulate productivity and quality of work.

If a company employee has a fixed salary, then his work can be stimulated with bonuses, which are calculated based on his personal contribution to the business. Flexible payment systems are widely used in industry, banking, health care and social services, and others.

US researchers divide incentive methods into two large groups, allowing to achieve different goals:

• to maintain the prestige of the company (pension and insurance contributions, the right to purchase shares of the company on special terms, increasing the level of qualifications of workers at the expense of the organization);
• to stimulate high performance (bonuses, promotions, moral encouragement).

Based on the extensive experience of American employers, the most effective methods are bonuses, especially for those holding responsible positions, ownership of company shares, participation in the management of the organization in various forms, etc.

The average salary in America, therefore, consists not only of direct wages, but also of various additional payments.

Features of employment in the USA

If you are planning to find a job in the USA, then you need to clearly understand that, unlike Russia, labor relations here are more market than labor. It is not always the case that an American employee can count on paid leave, the right to go on sick leave for a cold, or even on maternity leave. The Russian 3 years granted to women to care for a child is an unaffordable luxury for American women.

The undoubted advantage of American labor relations is their openness and continuous improvement. In America, much attention is paid to personal qualities and merits, and not to a diploma and other achievements on paper.

The average salary in America is quite high, and finding a job there is easier than in Russia. However, you need to read the contract very carefully, which should stipulate the terms of payment for processing. In addition, job responsibilities are divided into basic and additional, and, therefore, they are paid differently.

Weekends and vacations should also be specified in the contract, since not all American states regulate this issue, leaving it at the discretion of the employer.

Unfortunately, many American employers have a negative attitude towards migrants from Russia, forcing them to work more than they should and without paying extra. At the same time, Americans take advantage of foreigners’ poor knowledge of local legislation and their rights.

If a person has worked officially in the United States for more than 6 months and remains unemployed, he can count on benefits by filling out a special form on the official website of the Department of Labor.

After this, you need to be prepared for various checks and confirmation of your unemployed status. The amount of the benefit will depend on your last place of work. The benefit is accrued for six months, after which payments stop.

Features of the work of teachers in the USA

For American teachers, the work process is approximately the same as for their Russian colleagues. Their responsibilities include teaching lessons and grading tests and homework.

The main source of problems for teachers in the United States is licensing. You need to confirm your qualifications every year. At the same time, there is no unified certification program: the teacher himself must decide what diplomas and certificates he needs. This choice depends on:

• permission to work in certain types of schools: primary, secondary, etc.;
• obtaining the right to work in specific states;
• salary size.

Figure 7. Example of a license in Utah

As in Russia, teachers in the United States have the right to 2 months of paid leave. This rule is enshrined at the federal level and does not depend on a particular state.

High and low paid jobs

As in all developed countries, the most in demand are the services of specialized specialists who have received a higher specialized education and have work experience. Sometimes, due to an acute shortage of one or another type of professional, their wages are artificially increased.

Thus, several years ago in the United States there was a shortage of qualified nursing services, so a special simplified procedure for obtaining a work visa was introduced for foreigners capable of working in this area.

Medicine remains the most profitable field of activity today. The highest salaries are for surgeons and dentists. Their hourly wages are 12-15 times higher than the national average.

In second place in terms of income are lawyers and advocates, and experienced programmers and engineers close the top three.

Service personnel traditionally earn the least. Students often work part-time in cafes and restaurants, and their hourly wages are legally reduced (until their work experience exceeds 3 months or they reach 20 years).

The income of nurses, nannies, couriers and signalmen is also low. Low wages for agricultural and fishing workers due to the seasons.

How much money do you need to live

This question interests all immigrants, because you need to know the required living wage in order to predict whether it is realistic to earn it.

There are a number of main expense items that are worth considering:

• rental of property. It varies greatly by state and size of locality. For example, a good but small studio in the center of Los Angeles will cost $2,500, but in Texas for this money you can rent an excellent two-room apartment in a house with an equipped gym;

  
  The average salary in America allows you to rent housing and enjoy a quiet life.

• health insurance . In 2014, the United States introduced a mandatory requirement for everyone to have insurance, and a fine for not having it. Usually it is provided by the employer, but you will still have to pay for it, but it costs the employee less than buying it yourself, since the company pays most of it. There are a number of subsidies available for low-income people, which can be found on the Department of Health website. The lower the income, the more assistance the state provides in purchasing a medical policy;
• spending on food . This amount is purely individual and depends on the person’s food preferences and habits. On average, a family of two will have to spend about $1,000 a month, subject to expenses for fresh meat, fish, vegetables and fruits. If you eat in cafes and restaurants, you will have to save about 500-600 dollars extra for food. If you really want, this amount can be reduced by almost a third. For example, chicken in the US is inexpensive (about 2-5 dollars per pound). The average bill in a cafe (main dish with side dish, salad and coffee) is approximately $40 for two;
• car payments . The vast majority of Americans drive credit cars. The average monthly payment in this case is $300-400 per month. However, it should be taken into account that for newly arrived immigrants who do not have a positive credit history in the country, it is unrealistic to get a profitable car loan, and banks will offer an interest rate of 20% or higher. Therefore, it is better to save money and buy a used car in cash. Gasoline in the USA is quite expensive and refueling costs from $100 to $200 per month.
• Many Americans do not buy a personal car , but use taxis and public transport. Whether it is convenient or not depends on where you live and where you work;
• Gym. In recent years, there has been a boom in healthy lifestyles in America and many Americans visit gyms, the subscriptions to which are expensive. There are both budget options ($30 per month) and more “promoted” gyms, where classes will cost 10 times more;

• travel and entertainment . A trip to the cinema for two will cost 10-12 $, the average cost of a ticket to museums is 5-10 $. Each state has its own attractions that can be seen almost free of charge. These are natural wonders and architectural creations;
• utility bills are usually paid by the owner of the property, and tenants pay for gas, electricity and internet, which averages $70-80;

For a comfortable life in the USA you will need from $2,000 to $4,000, excluding travel costs and major expenses (clothing and furniture).

Salary by field of activity

If we consider wages in the USA, they vary depending on professional level, work experience, and education. Wages vary greatly among people in different professions.

Thus, doctors (especially narrow specialists) earn tens of times more than unqualified personnel. The most promising areas in 2021 are real estate rental, insurance, programming and legal services.

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Average salary depending on school and length of service

American schools are traditionally divided into 2 categories:

• Public (public) - run by the state or state, provide free education.
• Private (private) - belong to independent owners, education in these schools is paid.

Figure 1. Private educational institution in Connecticut

When talking about average salaries, American sociologists prefer to use data on public schools. For some reasons, these numbers more accurately reflect the real picture:

• 90% of American children study in free schools;
• The workload of teachers in private schools can vary greatly;
• Tuition-based education is not standardized, making meaningful comparisons extremely difficult.

We will adhere to official statistics, which are based on information about public schools. To begin with, let’s highlight the main criterion for the amount of remuneration—teaching experience. In the first year of work, a specialist earns on average $38,617. This rate remains the same for the first 3–4 years, after which the employee’s value begins to increase.

Figure 2. Salary depending on length of service. Earnings in private schools are highlighted in dark colors, in public schools in light colors.

A teacher who has worked in schools for about 15 years can apply for an average salary of $59.6 thousand. Teachers with 20 years of experience usually exceed the $60 thousand mark. To more accurately determine how much teachers earn in the United States, let’s look at a more detailed picture for individual states.

Maximum and average salary in the USA in 2021

Salary

As of May 2021, the average teacher salary in the United States is $38,343 per year. This equates to approximately $18.43 per hour or $737 per week. Thus, it turns out that a teacher’s monthly salary in America is $3,195.

US job site ZipRecruiter.com lists annual salaries between $17,500 and $61,500. Most American school teacher salaries currently range from $30,000 to $45,000 (bottom and top 25% of income). The highest earners (the top 10% of well-paid teachers) average $54,500 annually.

As we can see, the average salary range for an elementary school teacher varies greatly (by as much as $15,000).

What is the average salary for an elementary school teacher in the state?

Below are income statistics for the states with the highest teacher salaries in the country.

College teacher salary

On average, college professors in the United States are paid about $59,000 per year as of 2021.

Monthly income in 2021: table by profession

The average salary in America depends on the profession and work experience.

Minimum wage

In the United States, the minimum wage is set at the federal level. Typically, an employer cannot pay employees less than this level.

As of December 2021, this minimum is $7.25/hour. The issue of increasing the minimum wage is often discussed at Congressional budget meetings, but is met with many objections due to the fact that such a measure would entail significant costs for the state.

The average salary that allows a family of 3 to live comfortably in America is $100,000. It is necessary to take into account the fact that this figure is very average. So, for residents of Oklahoma this is simply a great income, but for New York it is the most ordinary.

List of occupations with data on average salary in the United States per hour in 2021:

Starting salary differs depending on the field of activity.

If a person who has just arrived in the country does not have special knowledge in medicine or engineering, then he can start his working career as a waiter, bartender or office worker with a starting rate of $250/week.

Average salary by industry

Maximum

There is no upper limit on what Americans can earn, and it is not for nothing that they say that America is a country of great opportunity. The elite list of professions is headed by show business, the income in which can be simply stunning. Famous athletes, writers, corporate executives, bank executives and political party leaders also earn hundreds of thousands of dollars a month.

If we consider more mundane professions, then the annual income of a cardiologist is about 8-10,000,000 Russian rubles. Dentists and anesthesiologists earn a third more.

Standard of living and salary distribution

Teachers in the US earn on average about $17/hour. Total income for the month is $5110.

Monthly expenses for a teacher who has a child attending kindergarten:

• taxes - $1030 (about 20% in Mississippi);
• food costs approximately $410 (for a family of 3);
• utilities - $160;
• for kindergarten they pay $810;
• new clothes are inexpensive, you can buy new clothes and shoes worth $205 every month;
• medical care (going to the dentist and other doctors) on average - $105;
• housing – you can pay a mortgage for a 3-room apartment with an area of ​​up to 160 m2 or rent an entire house for $1020;
• car expenses (fuel, spare parts, etc.) - $410 per month.

Only $700 remains for fun and for a nest egg.

With this distribution of profits, teachers are reassigned to other areas of activity. School administrations instead recruit guest workers from the Philippines and other Asian countries.

Education system

In America, 71% of schools are public. The workload per teacher is 15 students.

25% of educational institutions providing secondary education are private, most of them have a religious orientation. The price of education ranges from $6100 to $60.4 thousand per year. One teacher educates 10 or more school-age children.

There are also charter schools around the country.

They are provided from the local budget, but have the right to attract funds from wealthy sponsors.

Children study for free, but becoming a student at such a school is not easy; you have to take exams or hope to win a lottery draw, which is held once a school year. The class consists of 13 students.

Each public school student costs the American budget about $12,100 per year. In New York, this amount reaches $20,300, and in Utah it barely reaches $7,100.

0.5% of children are homeschooled for religious reasons or due to a disability.

Education begins at 5–6 years of age and continues until 18–19 years of age. Those who dropped out of school before the age of 12 take a special exam, the GED.

Income in later life depends on the level of education:

• GED failers earn about $10,000 per year;
• schoolchildren who successfully passed the GED - $18,000;
• high school graduates - $23,000;
• after state college - $30,000;
• persons who have received a bachelor's degree - $47,000;
• master's degree - $60,000;
• Doctor of Science degree – from $100,000.

The same rules apply to teachers - the higher their level of education, the more income they earn.

Pay in other countries

To compare the income level of teachers in different countries, look at the data in the table, in US dollars:

Before you go to work abroad, you need to find out about the cost of living and salary levels in the city of your dreams. Our fantasies quickly break on the rocky shores of reality.

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Salary level for migrants

Considering that wages in America are very decent, not all migrants manage to get a job there. This is due to the high level of competitiveness and risks associated with moving abroad. Lack of American citizenship does not give employers the right to discriminate against migrants.

Despite this, many migrants take unofficial jobs, thereby depriving themselves of many prospects and social guarantees:

• double wages;
• injury benefits;
• health insurance;
• pension benefit.

In addition, illegal migration is punishable by law in the United States and is fraught with deportation from the country without the right to re-enter for 10 years. Also, illegal business borders on criminal activity. It is not uncommon for a young girl to come to the United States to work as a maid or caretaker, but instead ends up working as an escort.

Some differences in work standards

In most cases, teaching licenses and certifications are required by government agencies in certain jurisdictions. The level of education must be at least a bachelor's degree.

Working hours, based on the 40 hours per week standard, are slightly different in some countries:

• In the UK = 37 hours;
• In Australia, primary school teachers spend 41.5 hours a week at work.

Time spent by the teacher exclusively on teaching:

• In Norway, about 3 hours a day;
• In the USA, about 6 hours a day.

In primary classes, the number of working hours is higher than in secondary classes.

English source:

https://salarieswiki.com/teacher/

https://www.niche.com/blog/teacher-salaries-in-america/

Features of salaries by state

Income levels in different regions of the country can vary greatly.

Recent studies indicate that the most stable situation and high wages are observed in the following states:

• Washington;
• Virginia;
• Alaska;
• Maryland;
• Connecticut;
• New Jersey.

In the listed states, the average wage per hour is (translated into rubles) from 700 rubles, and this minimum is prescribed at the legislative level. The US Labor Code prohibits any discrimination against workers based on race, religion or gender. Professional rights are the same for everyone.

Cost to income ratio

A person’s comfort is largely determined by his level of income. In Russia, everyday life is much more accessible and profitable than in the United States, but American politics and the social sphere make it much more profitable to save and make deposits. If we compare the wages of these two countries, then in the same field of activity the difference in income can be tens of times.

However, Americans' expenses in everyday life exceed Russian ones by 250-300%.

Monthly loan payments, health insurance, education and medical services are very expensive. Also, about 10% of the salary is spent on servicing personal vehicles.

Housing is a separate expense item. American realities are such that even a person with a low income can afford to buy real estate. If you have a positive credit history, most banks offer mortgages on very favorable terms.

Wage fluctuations by gender and race

Despite the fact that labor legislation directly prohibits discrimination against workers based on gender, race, nationality and religion, employers often infringe on the rights of foreigners and women. Of course, they do this not openly, but in various veiled ways.

So, despite the assurance that America is the most feminist country in the world, statistics show that the average salary of women is approximately 21% less than that of men. Also, income levels still depend on the race of workers. Thus, Latinos and African Americans earn several times less than their “white” colleagues.

Asians are recognized as the richest race in the United States, who are traditionally more hardworking and strive to obtain a quality education in their chosen field of activity. The level of income also depends on the age of the person.

Persons under 25 years of age and over 65 years of age earn less than an average-aged employee. Workers aged 26-64 earn significantly more, but they also work longer.

Salaries in other countries

There are only 2 countries in the world in which teacher salaries are even higher than in the USA. Oddly enough, Mexico tops this list. The country from which President Trump was planning to fence himself off due to the flow of immigrants is not so poor by Russian standards. The average salary here is $1 thousand per month, but teachers and doctors receive more than $5 thousand.

Speaking of Trump: US Presidential Income 2021.

Table 3. Income of teachers in different countries

Sources: OECD, Rosstat

The situation in Greece is no less interesting. Despite the severe debt crisis, citizens' incomes remain quite high. Earning $1.48 thousand a month, local teachers can afford a comfortable life.

In Russia, the average salary of a teacher is 42.2 thousand rubles. or $639. In practice, this level is rarely achieved in the province, even with overtime and additional classes.

Social contributions and other taxes in the USA

The United States has a taxation system that is different from Russia. Different professions and specialties have their own tax rates and deductions. The average American pays about 1/3 of his salary to the government.

Residents whose income is subject to taxation are those living in the United States for more than 180 days. They are subject to various taxes, including income taxes. Federal tax is 15-35% of income, social security tax is 6%, old age health insurance is 1.7%, state tax can range from 0 to 11%.

Late payment of taxes is fraught with a fine equal to three times the amount of tax. It will be very difficult to prove in court that the defendant could not pay the tax due to some personal circumstances.

Income tax

An American is required to file a correctly completed tax return each year. The deadline for paying income tax is until the end of April of the year following the reporting period.

Persons who hold American citizenship are subject to tax burden even if they reside permanently in another country.

Unemployment rate and migrants' prospects

Gradually, the unemployment rate in the country is declining, but the rate of creation of additional jobs has also slowed down. The United States willingly recruits highly qualified specialists from other countries. Every year, the best graduates of world universities come here with knowledge in the field of nuclear physics, programming, medicine, etc.

The government is interested in the influx of young personnel by providing them with financial support.

If a migrant does not have special knowledge in a particular in-demand area, then he can count on working in the service sector. The average salary for all skilled professions in Russia is significantly lower than in America, which is why the USA is a dream country for many of our compatriots.

Foreigners may be surprised by the high level of taxes and large expenses for medical care and insurance.

Before deciding to move to the USA, you need to carefully weigh all the pros and cons of living in a foreign country. It is important to have a financial safety net that will allow you to live in a foreign country for several months and, if such a situation arises, to return back.

Article design: Oleg Lozinsky

Retirees in the USA standard of living and quality of life

How old is the pension?

The retirement age for US citizens is 62 years. However, differences in gender are not taken into account. However, depending on the state, the retirement age varies. This age depends on the period of time during which a person accumulates the required amount of contributions to pay a pension.

The minimum age of 62 allows you to count on 70% of deductions from the allotted pension, so most pensioners continue to work until an older age.

The maximum retirement age limit depends on the year of birth of the pensioner:

- 1938 and earlier - up to 65 years;

- 1939 to 1943 - up to 65 years old plus 2 months before the standard retirement age;

- 1943-1955 - up to 66 years;

- 1955 -1959 - up to 66 years of age plus 2 months for each subsequent year;

- 1960 and younger - up to 67 years old.

This scheme allows the state fund to receive enough contributions from the worker, which allow, based on the average age of life of the pensioner, to pay the average size of the labor pension.

How much do pensioners receive?

The amount of payments to retired citizens depends on their length of service and the time of retirement. On average, citizens receive $1400-1600 per month, which is only 40% of the average salary.

If a citizen has not made any deductions, then he can only count on the minimum monthly threshold of $733. per person and 1100 for two spouses. For an official working year, the pension increases by $100. Workers in professions that do not require special qualifications receive an average of $850. Rescue service specialists and military personnel receive a pension of more than 3,000 US dollars.

Work for retirees

Due to the increasing age of life, sometimes pension savings for a comfortable old age are not enough. Therefore, some pensioners continue to work. In retirement, citizens begin to engage in entrepreneurial activities and rent out housing.

Many retirees get jobs as drivers or auxiliary workers with wages of 20-30 dollars per hour. Such part-time work strengthens the family budget and allows you to live at a higher quality level.

In general, the approach of retirement age encourages Americans to be socially active. In the United States, there are government programs for training retirees. This category of citizens has the right to study at universities, colleges and even live in dormitories during the study period. Retraining programs exist in the fields of healthcare, education, art, and science.

Benefits for pensioners

Upon retirement, US pensioners have certain benefits that allow them to reduce family budget expenses. The Social Security Service is developing programs in which participation can improve the well-being of pensioners.

Benefits popular among American retirees include the HARP program, which can reduce mortgage payments by more than $4,000. Under this program, the government pays part of the mortgage payments for pensioners.

With retirement, payments for health insurance and some tax payments are reduced, so by saving on such contributions, the income of retirees remains stable.

Most online private enterprises offer numerous discounts for pensioners. These include discounts on food, clothing, household goods, and excursions to national parks.

Pensioners also purchase public transport tickets at a discount. Air and rail carriers offer tickets with significant discounts for booking.

Life expectancy of men and women in 2021

The average age at which Americans die is 81.1 years for women and 76.1 years for men. Thus, the average life expectancy for the average American is 78.7 years (as of 2021). In terms of indicators, the country ranks 33rd in the ranking of countries in terms of life expectancy.

The main reasons for death are heart and vascular diseases, including stroke and coronary heart disease. One of the main factors contributing to the increase in the number of deaths associated with cardiovascular diseases is the increased percentage of excess weight in the population, which causes diabetes mellitus and increased stress on the heart.