What if your kid picks a profession that will never make any money?

So many definitions of UMC (United Methodist Church, University Medical Center, Upper Middle Class). And even when talking about Upper Middle Class, there are still so many definitions. Although income is one of the biggest factors, things like education level and socioeconomic factors can play into the nomenclature. But, we’re not interested in such a long-winded discussion. :wink:

One of the simplest ways I’ve seen economic classes broken down is by quintiles.

  • 1st quintile = 0-20th percentile = lower class

  • 2nd quintile = 20th-40th percentile = lower middle class

  • 3rd quintile = 40th-60th percentile = middle class

  • 4th quintile = 60th-80th percentile = upper middle class

  • 5th quintile = 80th-99th percentile = upper class

So, how do all these quintiles break down into income levels? (source)

  • Lower class: < $27,000 household income

  • Lower middle class: $27,000-$52,000 household income

  • Middle class: $52,000-$85,000 household income

  • Upper middle class: $85,000-$142,000 household income

  • Upper class = $142,000+ household income

For reference, a household income of $200k is at the 89th percentile.

The median (50th percentile) household income is about $67k. The average household income is $96,955 (as listed on the chart below). That just goes to show in which direction outliers are pulling the average.

Looking at percentages like this can make some people (including myself) feel uncomfortable. Taking @tsbna44’s teachers in Tennessee, if two teachers married each other a few years after they started teaching, they’d be at the lower end of UMC, by this definition. I strongly suspect that the vast majority of posters on this forum are upper class, by the definitions used above. Then again, I don’t think most people on this thread are using the term UMC to describe a household income between $85-142k.

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