MW The average Wall Street bonus is three times the typical American household's income

By Steve Goldstein

On Wall Street, the typical bonus is nearly $250,000, according to data released on Friday.

After a strong year on Wall Street fueled by market turmoil from President Donald Trump's tariff changes, the average bonus last year was three times the typical American household's income.

The New York City comptroller's office, as it does annually, on Friday calculated the average bonus on Wall Street rose 6% to $246,900. Wall Street's profits totaled $65.1 billion last year, up 30%, the office said.

The median household made $83,730 in 2024, according to the Census Bureau. Wages and salaries for private industry workers rose 5.8% last year, according to the Labor Department's employment cost index.

"Wall Street saw strong performance for much of last year, despite all of the ongoing domestic and international upheavals," New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli said. "When Wall Street does well, it's good for our state and city budgets, which are reliant on the industry's significant tax contributions."

He warned geopolitical turmoil could hit markets and the economy this year.

The estimate is based on personal income tax withholding trends and includes cash bonuses paid for work performed in 2025 and bonuses deferred from prior years that have been cashed in.

-Steve Goldstein

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March 27, 2026 06:16 ET (10:16 GMT)

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