How this is calculated
your percentile = position of your income between known percentile thresholds (linear interpolation)
We keep a table of income thresholds at known percentiles — for example, the US median (50th percentile) for full-time workers is around $60,000, and the 90th percentile is around $140,000. Your income is placed between the two nearest thresholds and the exact percentile is interpolated. Above the highest threshold we simply say "top 1%" rather than inventing precision the data doesn't have.
The global comparison works the same way but on purchasing-power-adjusted distributions, where the world's median income is only a few thousand dollars a year. This is the perspective most people find startling: an ordinary rich-country paycheck sits in the world's top 5-10%. It doesn't mean life feels easy on that paycheck — costs differ enormously — but it's a true statement about where the world's income actually sits.
These figures are an approximate model refreshed from public statistics; treat single-percentile precision with healthy skepticism.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the ranking data come from?
Country percentiles are modeled on public statistics for full-time workers (US Census-style distributions); the global comparison uses purchasing-power-adjusted income distribution research in the spirit of the World Inequality Database and World Bank data. Sources and caveats are on our methodology page.
Is my income sent anywhere?
No. The percentile tables are downloaded with the page and the lookup happens entirely in your browser. Your number never touches our servers.
Why does a normal rich-country salary rank so high globally?
Because global income is extremely unevenly distributed. The world's median individual income is a few thousand dollars a year, so a typical full-time salary in the US, UK or Germany lands in the top decile worldwide — even when it doesn't feel that way at home.
Does this account for cost of living?
The global comparison uses purchasing-power-adjusted figures, which partly accounts for prices. But rent in San Francisco and rent in rural India are different universes — treat the result as a perspective tool, not a verdict on how wealthy you feel.
Before tax or after tax?
Enter your gross (before tax) yearly income — the reference distributions are gross figures too.