1 Income Range: There are some economists who say that anyone who makes between $25,000 and $100,000 a year is middle class. That might be surprising to some, though.  Median Income: Others take a look at the median annual income, and then go $20,000 to either side. In 2010, the Census Bureau reports that the median income in the United States was $49,445, so if you go a little lower or higher, you get a middle class range of between about $30,000 and $70,000 a year.