The middle class is a description given to individuals and households who typically fall between the working class and the upper class within a socio-economic hierarchy. In Western cultures, persons in the middle class tend to have a higher proportion of college degrees than those in the working class, have more income available for consumption, and may own property. Those in the middle class often are employed as professionals, managers, and civil servants.
Key Takeaways
- The middle class is a socio-economic strata that falls in between the working class and the upper class.
- The middle class constitutes a slim majority of the U.S. population (around 52%), but that is still the least it has been as it has declined over nearly half a century.
- Those in the middle class have enough disposable income to afford minor luxuries like vacations or restaurants, but also rely on borrowing for big-ticket items like homes and cars.
Middle Class Explained
The word "middle" may be misleadingin thatit suggests that those in the middle class have earnings within the middle of the population's income distribution, which may not be the case. Middle class families tend to own their own home (although with a mortgage), own a car (although with a loan or lease), send their kids to college (although with student loans or scholarships), are saving for retirement, and have enough disposable savings to afford certain luxuries like dining out and vacations.
Karl Marx referred to the middle class as part of the bourgeoisie (i.e. the "petit bourgeoisie:, or small business owners) when he described the way in which capitalism operates - in opposition to the working class, which he termed the "proletariat". The term "middle class" itself has shifted in meaning over time, having once referred to persons who had the means to rival nobles to the contemporary meaning that is more akin to the upper end of the working class.
Recently, there has been talk of a "disappearing middle class" in modern society, as income inequality has tended to "hollow out the middle" and largely benefit the top (e.g. the top 1%). At the same time, the term has shifted to include upper-middle and lower-middle classes to account for the increased stratification.
What Constitutes the Middle Class
The birth of the middle class, in some respects, has been linked to federal funding and support through programs such as the G.I. Bill, which offered funds for education and the start of businesses created by veterans who were discharged. The combination of incentives and salary increases helped elevate working class citizens into the newly forming middle class.
The income parameters that define the middle class continue to change and not solely based on the rate of inflation. Regional disparities in income and the cost of living mean that salary-based measures of the middle class can vary greatly. Different income barometers describe the middle class as having income from $50,000 to $150,000 or, in some instances, $42,000 to $125,000. Other measures of middle class set the upper-income mark at $250,000.
Middle Class Attributes
The concept of middle-class society may include a presumption of earning a salary that supports owning a resident in a suburban or comparable neighborhood in rural or urban settings, along with discretionary income that allows for access to entertainment and other flexible expenses such as travel or dining out. While it is assumed that middle-class households generate sufficient income for retirement savings along with standard expenses, an increasing segment of this portion of the American population is also living paycheck to paycheck.
An ideal commonly held among the middle class is that it is possible to increase their income to higher economic strata through career advancement and salary upgrades. The pace of such upward mobility aspirations, however, have changed over the decades with the costs of goods and services, in some cases outpacing the growth of salaries.
FAQs
In Western cultures, persons in the middle class tend to have a higher proportion of college degrees than those in the working class, have more income available for consumption, and may own property. Those in the middle class often are employed as professionals, managers, and civil servants.
What are 3 characteristics of the middle class? ›
The Bottom Line
There is no official financial standard for what constitutes middle class. For most it's more about a standard of living—including owning a home, being able to afford to pay for a college education for your kids, and having enough disposable income to take a family vacation.
What describes a middle class person? ›
a social group that consists of well-educated people, such as doctors, lawyers, and teachers, who have good jobs and are not poor, but are not very rich: The upper middle class tend to go into business or the professions, becoming, for example, lawyers, doctors, or accountants. Compare. lower class old-fashioned.
What is the middle class mindset? ›
Middle class people tend to operate with a scarcity mindset: They believe there will never be enough of something. As a result, they're extremely conservative with their finances; they fear that if they lose money, they won't be able to make it back.
What traits did the middle class value? ›
The term middle-class values is used by various writers and politicians to include such qualities as hard work, self-discipline, thrift, honesty, aspiration and ambition.
What is an example of the middle class? ›
Meaning of middle class in English. a social group that consists of well-educated people, such as doctors, lawyers, and teachers, who have good jobs and are not poor, but are not very rich: The upper middle class tend to go into business or the professions, becoming, for example, lawyers, doctors, or accountants.
How do I know if I'm upper middle class? ›
Upper middle class household incomes exceed $100,000 dollars, and can range as high as a $450,000.
What jobs are middle class? ›
22 middle-class careers to consider
- Massage therapist. National average salary: $44,268 per year. ...
- Interpreter. National average salary: $47,825 per year. ...
- Office manager. National average salary: $51,358 per year. ...
- Electrician. ...
- Police officer. ...
- Social media specialist. ...
- Truck driver. ...
- Professor.
Working Class vs Middle Class
| Basis | Working Class | Middle Class |
|---|
| Control and Power | They lack control and power. | They are in charge of their lives, including how many hours they work each week. |
| Income | Earns less compared to the middle class. | Earns more compared to the laboring class. |
2 more rowsOn this page you'll find 15 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to middle class, such as: bourgeois, and ordinary.
Nearly three-quarters, or 72%, of middle-income families say their earnings are falling behind the cost of living, up from 68% a year ago, according to a separate report by Primerica based on a survey of households with incomes between $30,000 and $100,000.
What is good about middle class? ›
Households that move into the middle-class segment create a rippling effect in society. These families look for ways to help those who live in poverty. They may volunteer at shelters, offer free educational services such as tutoring, or donate non-perishable food items to families in need.
What are middle class values and attitudes? ›
They find that people who perceive themselves as middle class are found to have values that are more likely to contribute to economic growth than the lower class for six indices, but generally have less liberal values and attitudes than the upper class in terms of market competition, gender equality, upward mobility, ...
What were three middle class values? ›
The term middle-class values is used by various writers and politicians to include such qualities as hard work, self-discipline, thrift, honesty, aspiration and ambition. Thus, people in lower or upper classes can also possess middle-class values, they are not exclusive to people who are actually middle-class.
What are 3 characteristics of the upper middle class? ›
Home Ownership: They tend to be homeowners, and not pay rent monthly. Excellent Health: They have better health quality, and statistically a longer average lifespan, than the majority of society who occupy lower-ranked classes. University Educated: They tend to possess advanced educational degrees and certifications.
What are 3 characteristics of the upper class? ›
Members of the upper class carry a considerable amount of power—politically, economically, and financially. This class was historically dominated by land-owning nobility and aristocrats. People who fell into these groups didn't have to work for a living.
What are the 3 characteristics of lower middle class? ›
In developed nations across the world, the lower-middle class is a sub-division of the middle class that refers to households and individuals who are somewhat educated and usually stably employed, but who have not attained the education, occupational prestige, or income of the upper-middle class.
