Americans Reach Their Highest-Earning Years At Different Ages. Women Peak A Decade Earlier Than Men.

Americans typically see their paychecks grow as they gain experience, but the highest-earning years arrive at different stages of life for men and women, according to federal earnings figures.

Women ages 35 to 44 earned a median $1,263 a week during the third quarter of 2026, while men's earnings peaked in the 45–54 age group at $1,563, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

That translates to approximately $65,676 annually for women in their highest-earning age bracket and $81,276 for men, assuming 52 weeks of pay.

The figures come from a survey covering approximately 122.2 million full-time wage and salary workers. Across the workforce, median weekly earnings reached $1,232, up 1.5% from a year earlier.

The biggest increases in median pay occur between workers' early careers and middle age. Women ages 25 to 34 earned $1,103 a week, rising to $1,263 in the following decade. Their median earnings then declined to $1,230 among those ages 45 to 54 and $1,177 for workers ages 55 to 64.

Men followed a different pattern, with weekly pay increasing from $1,228 among workers ages 25 to 34 to $1,536 for those ages 35 to 44.

Earnings continued rising to $1,563 in the 45–54 age group before easing slightly to $1,545 among men ages 55 to 64.

The BLS age and earnings data also show a considerable difference at the beginning and end of working life. Among workers ages 16 to 19, median weekly earnings were $704 for men and $621 for women. For those ages 65 and older who were still working full time, the figures were $1,278 and $1,042, respectively.

These comparisons capture different groups of workers at one point in time rather than following individuals throughout their careers. They also exclude people who are retired, unemployed or working part time.

The results therefore identify the highest-paying age brackets among current full-time workers, rather than predicting when an individual will earn the most over a lifetime.

Women earned a median $1,127 a week across all age groups, compared with $1,352 for men, putting their earnings at 83.4% of men's.

The difference was relatively small among younger workers. Women ages 16 to 24 earned approximately 88.6% as much as men, with weekly earnings of $720 compared with $813.

Among workers ages 45 to 54, that ratio fell to 78.7%. The figures are not adjusted for differences in occupation, industry, experience or working hours beyond full-time status. They therefore do not measure differences in pay for identical jobs.

Education also has a substantial influence on earnings. Full-time workers ages 25 and older with at least a bachelor's degree earned a median $1,752 a week, compared with $993 for high school graduates who had not attended college. Those without a high school diploma earned $819.

Occupation also makes a difference. Men in management, professional and related roles earned a median $1,910 weekly, compared with $1,493 for women in the same broad category.

In service occupations, the figures were considerably lower, at $876 for men and $760 for women. The report also recorded differences across racial and ethnic groups. Asian full-time workers had median weekly earnings of $1,633, followed by White workers at $1,261, Black workers at $1,012 and Hispanic workers at $981.

The BLS collects these figures through the Current Population Survey, which measures workers' usual earnings before taxes and deductions, including regular overtime, commissions and tips.

The estimates cover full-time wage and salary employees, including workers at incorporated businesses, but exclude people who are self-employed in unincorpor businesses.

The latest figures also show that wage growth is struggling to keep pace with living costs. While median weekly earnings increased 1.5% from a year earlier, consumer prices rose 3.5% over the same period, reducing the purchasing power of the typical paycheck.