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Upper middle class

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Vacations to destinations such as Hawaii, shown above, may be seen as a hallmark of the upper middle class.

The upper middle class is a sociological concept referring to the social group constituted by higher-status members of the middle class. This is in contrast to the term lower middle class used for the group at the other end of the middle class scale and the regular middle class. There is considerable debate as to how the upper middle class might be defined. By most peoples standards the upper middle class are those who enjoy well above average lifestyles and most of the time don't have to worry about things like car payments and other bills commonly the stress of lower members of the middle class. According to Max Weber the upper middle class consists of well-educated professionals with graduate degrees and comfortable incomes.

The American upper middle class is defined similarly using income, education and occupation as main indicators.[1] In the United States, the upper middle class is defined as mostly consisting of white-collar professionals who not only have above-average personal incomes and advanced educational degrees[1] but also a high degree of autonomy in their work, leading to higher job satisfaction.[2] The main occupational tasks of upper middle class individuals tend to center on conceptualizing, consulting, and instruction.[3]

Professions

Certain professions can be judged as "upper middle class" though any such measurement remains somewhat subjective because of people's differing perception of class. Most people in the upper-middle class strata are highly educated white collar professionals such as physicians, lawyers, economists, accountants, university professors, architects, scientists, engineers, dentists, upper management civil servants and the intelligentsia. Other common professions include corporate executive and business owner. Generally, people in these professions have an advanced post-secondary education and a comfortable standard of living. In most cases an individual making anywhere from $125,000 to $200,000 a year [1]

Values

Most people encompassing this station in life have a high regard for higher education, and probably more than any other socio-economic class strive for themselves and their children to obtain graduate or at least four-year undergraduate degrees.

In the U.S., the upper middle class is rather divided in terms of political ideology. Education commonly increases the chance of a person's subscribing to liberal beliefs once they have reached the college level.[4] In terms of income, liberals tend to be tied with pro-business conservatives.[5] Most mass affluent households tend to be more right-leaning on fiscal issues but more left-leaning on social issues.[6] The majority, between 50% and 60%, of households with incomes above $50,000 overall, not all of whom are upper middle class,[7] supported the Republican Party in the 2000, 2004 and 2006 elections.[8][8][9]Nevertheless, those with graduate degrees overall favor the Democratic Party.[10][9][11] In 2005, 72% of surveyed full-time faculty members at four-year institutions, the majority of whom would be considered upper middle class,[1] identified themselves as liberal.[12]

Education plays a major role in determining tastes and ideologies in this class. A graduate degree, and often even higher education, is a prerequisite to work in one of the traditional "professions" and as a result this segment of the upper middle class is generally more liberal in their political ideologies and more urbane in their tastes. Corporate members of the upper middle class, on the other hand, may have a less advanced higher education (they may have worked their way up to their current social station from an entry-level corporate position). It should be noted, however, that many business persons do have advanced post-secondary education, most notably those with MBAs. Furthermore, in some cases professionals such as chemists or economists may be employed by private businesses and have managerial duties aside from their professional research duties.

The upper middle class is often the group that shapes society and brings social movements to the forefront. Movements such as the Peace Movement, The Anti-Nuclear Movement, Environmentalism, the Anti-Smoking movement, and even in the past with Blue laws and the Temperance movement are all products of the upper middle class. Some claim this is because this is the largest class (and the lowest class) with any true political power for positive change, while others claim some of the more restrictive social movements (such as with smoking and drinking) are based upon "saving people from themselves."[3]

American upper middle class

See American Professional/Managerial middle class for a complete overview of the American middle classes.
Advanced education is one of the most distinguishing features of the upper middle class.
The American upper middle class consists mostly of salaried white collar professionals.

In the United States the term middle class and its subdivisions are an extremely vague concept as neither economists nor sociologists have precisely defined the term.[13] There are several perceptions of the upper middle class and what the term means. In academic models the term applies to highly educated salaried professionals whose work is largely self-directed. Many have graduate degrees with educational attainment serving as the main distinguishing feature of this class. Household incomes commonly may exceed $100,000, with some smaller one-income earners earning incomes in the high 5-figure range.[1][7]

"The upper middle class has grown...and its composition has changed. Increasingly salaried managers and professionals have replaced individual business owners and independent professionals. The key to the success of the upper middle class is the growing importance of educational certification...its lifestyles and opinions are becoming increasingly normative for the whole society. It is in fact a porous class, open to people...who earn the right credentials. "- Dennis Gilbert, The American Class Structure, 1998.[7]

In addition to having autonomy in their work, above-average incomes, and advanced educations, the upper middle class also tends to be influential, setting trends and largely shaping public opinion.[7][3] Overall, members of this class are also secure from economic down-turns and, unlike their counterparts in the statistical middle class, do not need to fear downsizing, corporate cost-cutting, or outsourcing -- an economic benefit largely attributable to their graduate degrees and comfortable incomes, likely in the top income quintile or top third.[1] Typical professions for this class include professors, accountants, architects, urban planners, engineers, economists, physicians, political scientists, lawyers, and civilian contractors.[3][14]

Income

Further information: Affluence in the United States, Household income in the United States, and Personal income in the United States

While many Americans see income as the prime determinant of class, occupational status, educational attainment, and value systems are equally important. Income is in part determined by the scarcity of certain skill sets.[1] As a result an occupation that requires a scarce skill, the attainment of which is often achieved through an educational degree, and entrusts its occupant with a high degree of influence will usually offer high economic compensation. The high income is meant to ensure that individuals obtain the necessary skills (e.g. medical or graduate school) and complete their tasks with the necessary valor.[15] There are also differences between household and individual income. In 2005, 42% of US households (76% among the top quintile) had two or more income earners; as a result, 18% of households but only 5% of individuals had six figure incomes.[16] To illustrate, two nurses each making $55,000 per year can out-earn, in a household sense, a single attorney who makes a median of $95,000 annually.[17][18]

Sociologists Dennis Gilbert, Willam Thompson and Joseph Hickey estimate the upper middle class to constitute roughly 15% of the population. Using the 15% figure one may conclude that the American upper middle class consists, strictly in an income sense, of professionals with personal incomes in excess of $62,500, who commonly reside in households with six figure incomes.[16][19][1][7] The difference between personal and household income can be explained by considering that 76% of households with incomes exceeding $90,000 (the top 20%) had two or more income earners.[16]

Data Top third Top quarter Top quintile Top 15% Top 10% Top 5%
Household income[20]
Lower threshold (annual gross income) $65,000 $80,000 $91,705 $100,000 $118,200 $166,200
Exact Percentage of households 34.72% 25.60% 20.00% 17.80% 10.00% 5.00%
Personal income (age 25+)[21]
Lower threshold (annual gross income) $37,500 $47,500 $52,500 $62,500 $75,000 $100,000
Exact Percentage of individuals 33.55% 24.03% 19.74% 14.47% 10.29% 5.63%

SOURCE: US Census Bureau, 2006[21][20]

The English upper middle class

This is a very specific class in Britain and is, in many respects, peculiar to England as its characteristics do not fit easily into the social gradations of the other constituent nations of the United Kingdom.

In England this class of people is less easily defined, and personal wealth is not a necessary criterion. Frequently its members are members of professions (traditionally academia, law and medicine), although merchants too were able to penetrate its ranks. However, being a member of a profession does not automatically elevate a person to this class, and it is quite common for an upper middle class person not to work in a traditional profession.

Instead, accent, language, education (usually at a good public school), family background and understatement, in both behavior and taste, are defining characteristics of the upper middles. Although not of the landowning class, its members may aspire to the characteristics of, or be described as, gentlemen.

The character of Charles Ryder in Evelyn Waugh's novel, Brideshead Revisited is a fine example of an early twentieth-century upper middle class Englishman. His language, accent and manners are similar to an aristocrat's, but in place of the aristocrat's self-assuredness there is an air of slight uncertainty and diffidence. A more modern day example is Charles in Four Weddings and a Funeral, played by Hugh Grant.

See also

United States

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Thompson, William (2005). Society in Focus. Boston, MA: Pearson. ISBN 0-205-41365-X. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help) Cite error: The named reference "Society in Focus" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  2. ^ Eichar, Douglas (1989). Occupation and Class Consciousness in America. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-26111-3. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  3. ^ a b c d Ehrenreich, Barbara (1989). Fear of Falling, The Inner Life of the Middle Class. New York, NY: Harper Collins. ISBN 0-06-0973331. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help) Cite error: The named reference "The Inner Life of the Middle Class" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  4. ^ "O'Bannon, B. R. (27 August, 2003). In Defense of the 'Liberal' Professor. Indianapolis Star". Retrieved 2007-07-02.
  5. ^ "Pew Reasearch Center. (10 May, 2005). Beyond Red vs. Blue". Retrieved 2007-07-12.
  6. ^ ", R. & Saad, L. (9 December, 2004). Marketing to the Mass Affluent. Gallup Management Journal". Retrieved 2007-07-19.
  7. ^ a b c d e Gilbert, Dennis (1998). The American Class Structure. New York: Wadsworth Publishing. ISBN 0-534-50520-1. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  8. ^ a b "CNN. (2000). Exit Poll". Retrieved 2008-05-27.
  9. ^ a b "CNN. (2004). Exit Poll". Retrieved 2008-05-27. Cite error: The named reference "CNN. (2004). Exit Poll." was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  10. ^ [1] "Exit polls"
  11. ^ "CNN. (2006). Exit Poll". Retrieved 2007-07-11.
  12. ^ "Kurtz, H. (29 March, 2005). College Faculties A Most Liberal Lot, Study Finds. The Washington Post". Retrieved 2007-07-02.
  13. ^ "Middle class according to The Drum Major Institute for public policy". Retrieved 2006-07-25.
  14. ^ "Professional Occupations according to the US Department of Labor". Retrieved 2006-07-26.
  15. ^ Levine, Rhonda (1998). Social Class and Stratification. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 0-8476-8543-8. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  16. ^ a b c "US Census Bureau, income quintile and top 5% [[Household income in the United States|household income distribution]] and demographic characteristics, 2006". Retrieved 2006-12-28. {{cite web}}: URL–wikilink conflict (help)
  17. ^ "US Department of Labor, median income of registered nurses". Retrieved 2007-01-02.
  18. ^ "Bureau of Labor statistics data published by Monster.com, 20 highest paying jobs". Retrieved 2006-12-27.
  19. ^ "US Census Bureau, distribution of personal income, 2006". Retrieved 2006-12-09.
  20. ^ a b "US Census Bureau, overall household income distribution, 2006". Retrieved 2006-12-28.
  21. ^ a b "US Census Bureau, personal income distribution, age 25+, 2006". Retrieved 2006-12-28.


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