Benchmarks · Retirement savings · 22–25

Retirement savings for people aged 22–25 in the U.S.

Balances across 401(k), 403(b), IRA and other retirement accounts.

Modeled estimate · federal survey data

Median

$4,000

Upper quarter

$14K

Top 10%

$36K

Half of people aged 22–25 in the U.S. have a retirement savings above $4,000. Reaching the upper quarter takes about $14,000, and the top 10% starts at $36,000 — roughly 9.0× the median. The lower quarter sits below $500, and the bottom 10% is under $0.

The full distribution

Percentile	Retirement savings	What it means
Bottom 10%	$0	9 in 10 are above this
Lower quarter	$500	25th percentile
Median	$4,000	half above, half below
Upper quarter	$14,000	75th percentile
Top 10%	$36,000	only 1 in 10 is above this
Average (mean)	$5,000	pulled up by the top end — the median is the better "typical"

Where do you stand?

Connect your accounts and Keeping Up shows your exact percentile against people aged 22–25 in the U.S. — plus savings rate, spending by category and net worth over time. Read-only bank access via Plaid; your numbers are never shown to anyone.

See where you stand →Free to start · no card required

Retirement savings by age

Age	Lower quarter	Median retirement savings	Upper quarter	Top 10%
22–25	$500	$4,000	$14K	$36K
26–29 →	$3,000	$11K	$32K	$75K
30–33 →	$6,000	$22K	$62K	$145K
34–37 →	$10K	$38K	$100K	$220K
38–41 →	$16K	$60K	$160K	$340K
42–45 →	$24K	$88K	$230K	$470K
46–50 →	$36K	$125K	$310K	$620K
50 and over →	$52K	$175K	$420K	$850K

Retirement savings at 22–25 by city

Metro	Lower quarter	Median retirement savings	Upper quarter	Top 10%
New York City →	$638	$5,200	$19K	$50K
San Francisco →	$707	$5,800	$21K	$57K
Los Angeles →	$592	$4,800	$17K	$45K
Chicago →	$546	$4,400	$16K	$41K
Boston →	$583	$4,720	$17K	$44K
Washington, DC →	$592	$4,800	$17K	$45K
Seattle →	$601	$4,880	$17K	$46K
Austin →	$555	$4,480	$16K	$42K

National figures above; metro pages adjust for local incomes and housing costs.

More for people aged 22–25 in the U.S.

Net worth →Income →Investments →Savings rate →Monthly spending →

Common questions

What is the median retirement savings for people aged 22–25 in the U.S.?

The median retirement savings for people aged 22–25 in the U.S. is $4,000. Half of this group is above that figure and half below.

What retirement savings puts you in the top 10% of people aged 22–25 in the U.S.?

About $36,000. The 90th percentile is the level only one in ten people in this group exceeds — roughly 9.0× the median.

Where do these numbers come from?

They are modeled percentile distributions fitted to this cohort from federal survey microdata — the Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances, the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey, Census ACS and BLS wage data — and they blend toward anonymized, aggregated data from Keeping Up members as each cohort grows. Full methodology at keepingup.com/methodology.

How this is built. Percentiles are modeled for this cohort from federal survey microdata — Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey, Census American Community Survey and BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics — with metro cost-of-living and wage adjustments. As Keeping Up members in this cohort grow, the band blends toward anonymized, aggregated live data (minimum cohort sizes apply; no individual is ever identifiable). Amounts are in current dollars. Read the full methodology.

Last updated June 2026. Cohort: people aged 22–25 in the U.S.. Model sample basis: 500.