A $100,000 salary in January 2020 has the same buying power as $124,353 in April 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In other words, if you haven’t received a raise since 2020, higher inflation feels like losing $24,000 of your salary, per YF.

More than one-quarter of the 2,260 respondents said they would need to earn $150,000 or more annually to feel financially secure and comfortable. Read more: