Millennials came of age during a tough economic time: Student debt has reached an all-time high, and the job market is more competitive than ever. As a result, young people today aren't earning as much money as their parents did when they were young. So how much are they making?
Using data from the Minnesota Population Center's 2014 American Community Survey in the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series, we found the median annual total personal income for employed millennials. We used the Pew Research Center's definition of millennials: Americans born between 1981 and 1997.
The medians ranged from a low of $18,000 per year in Montana to a high of $43,000 in the District of Columbia. How do you stack up?
Note that the youngest millennials are college-aged and may only be working part time, which may skew the median downward.
Below, we included the median annual personal income by state for all employees over age 17, also from the American Community Survey.
Read on to see how millennials compare with earners of all ages:
Alabama
Median personal income for all employees: $31,100
Median income for millennials: $20,000
Alaska
Median personal income for all employees: $44,000
Median income for millennials: $27,500
Arizona
Median personal income for all employees: $33,000
Median income for millennials: $20,800
Arkansas
Median personal income for all employees: $30,000
Median income for millennials: $20,000
California
Median personal income for all employees: $35,000
Median income for millennials: $21,900
Colorado
Median personal income for all employees: $38,000
Median income for millennials: $24,000
Connecticut
Median personal income for all employees: $44,000
Median income for millennials: $23,300
Delaware
Median personal income for all employees: $38,000
Median income for millennials: $25,000
District of Columbia
Median personal income for all employees: $55,000
Median income for millennials: $43,000
Florida
Median personal income for all employees: $30,000
Median income for millennials: $20,000
Georgia
Median personal income for all employees: $33,000
Median income for millennials: $20,000
Hawaii
Median personal income for all employees: $37,000
Median income for millennials: $25,900
Idaho
Median personal income for all employees: $30,000
Median income for millennials: $19,000
Illinois
Median personal income for all employees: $37,500
Median income for millennials: $23,000
Indiana
Median personal income for all employees: $33,000
Median income for millennials: $20,000
Iowa
Median personal income for all employees: $35,000
Median income for millennials: $23,000
Kansas
Median personal income for all employees: $35,000
Median income for millennials: $21,000
Kentucky
Median personal income for all employees: $31,000
Median income for millennials: $20,000
Louisiana
Median personal income for all employees: $33,000
Median income for millennials: $22,000
Maine
Median personal income for all employees: $33,400
Median income for millennials: $19,200
Maryland
Median personal income for all employees: $45,000
Median income for millennials: $26,000
Massachusetts
Median personal income for all employees: $44,000
Median income for millennials: $25,000
Michigan
Median personal income for all employees: $33,700
Median income for millennials: $19,300
Minnesota
Median personal income for all employees: $39,000
Median income for millennials: $24,000
Mississippi
Median personal income for all employees: $30,000
Median income for millennials: $19,400
Missouri
Median personal income for all employees: $32,900
Median income for millennials: $20,000
Montana
Median personal income for all employees: $30,000
Median income for millennials: $18,000
Nebraska
Median personal income for all employees: $34,400
Median income for millennials: $23,000
Nevada
Median personal income for all employees: $33,000
Median income for millennials: $24,000
New Hampshire
Median personal income for all employees: $40,000
Median income for millennials: $21,000
New Jersey
Median personal income for all employees: $44,000
Median income for millennials: $25,000
New Mexico
Median personal income for all employees: $30,000
Median income for millennials: $19,200
New York
Median personal income for all employees: $40,000
Median income for millennials: $25,000
North Carolina
Median personal income for all employees: $31,900
Median income for millennials: $20,000
North Dakota
Median personal income for all employees: $36,000
Median income for millennials: $25,000
Ohio
Median personal income for all employees: $35,000
Median income for millennials: $20,000
Oklahoma
Median personal income for all employees: $32,000
Median income for millennials: $22,000
Oregon
Median personal income for all employees: $32,000
Median income for millennials: $20,000
Pennsylvania
Median personal income for all employees: $36,000
Median income for millennials: $23,400
Rhode Island
Median personal income for all employees: $37,200
Median income for millennials: $20,000
South Carolina
Median personal income for all employees: $30,000
Median income for millennials: $19,700
South Dakota
Median personal income for all employees: $32,200
Median income for millennials: $21,000
Tennessee
Median personal income for all employees: $31,000
Median income for millennials: $20,000
Texas
Median personal income for all employees: $34,000
Median income for millennials: $22,000
Utah
Median personal income for all employees: $31,000
Median income for millennials: $20,000
Vermont
Median personal income for all employees: $35,500
Median income for millennials: $24,000
Virginia
Median personal income for all employees: $40,000
Median income for millennials: $25,000
Washington
Median personal income for all employees: $40,000
Median income for millennials: $24,000
West Virginia
Median personal income for all employees: $31,000
Median income for millennials: $19,000
Wisconsin
Median personal income for all employees: $35,000
Median income for millennials: $20,000
Wyoming
Median personal income for all employees: $37,000
Median income for millennials: $24,400
