WASHINGTON (TNND) \u2014 The American Dream costs $5.3 million in 2026, which is up nearly $2 million from three years ago, according to a report.<\/p>\n
The amount is an estimated lifetime tab by Investopedia<\/a> for milestones such as paying for a wedding, healthcare, and retirement; raising two kids and paying for their college; buying new cars; and owning a home, the New York Post reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n Based on those milestones, the American Dream cost $5 million last year, $4.4 million in 2024, and 3.4 million in 2023, according to Investopedia. This year\u2019s $5.3 million estimate is outpacing Americans\u2019 paychecks<\/a>, per the analysis.<\/p>\n The cost of reaching those milestones rose 4.1% over the past year, but private-sector wages and salaries grew only 3.1% during the same period, according to Investopedia\u2019s analysis of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.<\/p>\n The average full-time worker with a bachelor\u2019s degree can expect to earn a median of $3.6 million over a career spanning from age 25 to 64, which is nearly $2 million short of the needed amount to achieve the American dream, per the report. After adding 20 years of the average Social Security retirement benefit, which is $2,071 a month, that worker reaches about $4.1 million in their lifetime.<\/p>\n