Life Milestones
Where Should I Be at 22?
Compare yourself to real data for 22-year-olds — first salary, student debt, savings, career launch, and mental health.
Twenty-two is the classic graduation age — and with it comes a flood of anxiety about whether you're launching fast enough. Here's what the data actually says about the average 22-year-old in America.
Is my salary normal for my job?
$28,000-$38,000Median entry-level salary for recent graduates (NACE 2024)
💼 Career — Check your percentile →Is my student debt normal?
$28,400Average student loan balance at graduation (Federal Reserve)
🎓 Education — Check your percentile →Is my net worth normal?
-$5,000 to $8,000Many 22-year-olds have negative net worth due to loans
💰 Money — Check your percentile →Are my savings normal for my age?
$2,000-$5,000Median savings for recent grads — having any savings is above average
💰 Money — Check your percentile →Do you have impostor syndrome?
72% experience itPeak impostor syndrome: first years in a professional role
🧿 Psychology — Check your percentile →Is my anxiety normal?
28% elevatedPost-graduation uncertainty drives high anxiety (APA)
🧠 Mental Health — Check your percentile →How burned out are you?
38% report burnoutNew-job overwhelm hits hard in the first 2 years
🧿 Psychology — Check your percentile →Do I sleep enough?
6.7 hoursIrregular schedules from new jobs and social life
❤️ Health — Check your percentile →Do I exercise enough?
2x/weekPost-college fitness drop is real — gym habit fades without campus access
🌟 Lifestyle — Check your percentile →Am I on my phone too much?
7.5 hours/dayJob-hunting and social media drive high screen time
🌟 Lifestyle — Check your percentile →Is my relationship healthy?
50% in a relationshipHalf are single; dating patterns shift after college
💑 Relationships — Check your percentile →Do I work too many hours?
40-45 hours/weekEntry-level roles often demand extra hours to prove yourself
💼 Career — Check your percentile →The Reality of Being 22
Graduating college (or watching your peers graduate) at 22 creates an intense comparison culture. But the numbers tell a more grounded story. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), the median starting salary for Class of 2024 bachelor's graduates was $58,862 — but this figure is heavily skewed by engineering and CS majors. For humanities, education, and social science graduates, starting salaries of $35,000-$42,000 are common and completely normal.
Student debt at 22 is nearly universal among those who attended four-year institutions. The Federal Reserve reports that the average debt at graduation is about $28,400, with 60% of bachelor's degree recipients carrying loans. If you graduated debt-free, you're in the minority. If you carry $20,000-$40,000, you're squarely average.
The career transition is psychologically jarring. Research from the University of London found that the transition from structured education to unstructured work life triggers anxiety in roughly one-third of recent graduates. The phenomenon is so common it has a name: "post-graduation depression." The APA notes that 22-25 year-olds report higher rates of loneliness than any other adult age group — the loss of college social structure is a real factor.
Financially, negative net worth at 22 is mathematically normal if you have student loans and no significant assets. The Federal Reserve SCF data shows that the median net worth for under-25s is just $3,700. If you're underwater, you're in the company of millions.
The first apartment, the first real paycheck, the first time managing your own health insurance — 22 is less about having arrived and more about beginning the process. The benchmarks above are not finish lines. They're starting points.