Ivy League Professor Stunned To Learn What Her Students Think The Average U.S. Worker Makes Per Year

No, Wharton students, the average U.S. worker does not make $800,000https://trib.al/97jaHpz

— MarketWatch (@MarketWatch) 1642730072

I asked Wharton students what they thought the average American worker makes per year and 25% of them thought it was over six figures. One of them thought it was $800k. Really not sure what to make of this (The real number is $45k)

— Nina Strohminger (@Nina Strohminger) 1642646435

A lot of people want to conclude that this says something special about Wharton students\u2014 I\u2019m not sure it does. People are notoriously bad at making this kind of estimate, thinking the gap between rich and poor is smaller than it is.

— Nina Strohminger (@Nina Strohminger) 1642685150

This was indeed why I asked bschool students: I was curious if they were as biased as everyone else. Further reading: https://tinyurl.com/45cefuwt\u00a0 and https://tinyurl.com/dxpumce5

— Nina Strohminger (@Nina Strohminger) 1642685150

We wanted to know how much money the average American makes each year. So we asked a group of students at the Wharton business school.

— New York Times Pitchbot (@New York Times Pitchbot) 1642708868

Methinks a bunch of Wharton students might have had a slightly different experience with relation to familial wealth growing up than the average American as well.https://twitter.com/ninastrohminger/status/1483992827482804224\u00a0\u2026

— Nat Burroughs (@Nat Burroughs) 1642782627

If you think Wharton students are bad, Wharton graduates who help run the world will disappoint you at twice the rate for ten times the cost

— Brandon Bradford (@Brandon Bradford) 1642664633

The average Wharton students' parents probably do make $800k per year...https://twitter.com/NinaStrohminger/status/1483992827482804224\u00a0\u2026

— John Lundin \ud83c\udf0a (@John Lundin \ud83c\udf0a) 1642778386

Only wealthy people think the gap between rich and poor is smaller than it is. Ask any poor person.

— Extra Smith (@Extra Smith) 1642686430

This is why the wealth gap is so toxic to our society. The rich literally have no concept of how anyone actually lives. And most people I've met do not make even 45k a year. |:

— Embersign (@Embersign) 1642666100

and the annual average income in west philly where Wharton is located is $34,579https://twitter.com/ninastrohminger/status/1483992827482804224\u00a0\u2026

— Maggie Hart (@Maggie Hart) 1642685758

If you think Wharton students are bad, Wharton graduates who help run the world will disappoint you at twice the rate for ten times the cost

— Brandon Bradford (@Brandon Bradford) 1642664633

Don't you think business students at Wharton should have to do one of those simulations where they have to live like people on 45k for a week? A reality show? That's my pitch. You can take it, if you want.

— LLStephens (@LLStephens) 1642658728

I think you could deduce from this that there are a lot of legacy admits at Wharton. (Notable ones: the Trump kids, including Ivanka who, when told that libertarian and liberal were not the same thing, replied, 'I'll take it under advisement'")https://twitter.com/NinaStrohminger/status/1483992827482804224\u00a0\u2026

— Elizabeth Spiers (@Elizabeth Spiers) 1642678718

It tells me that these Wharton students grew up in privilege and never experienced an eviction notice.

— Sandra Bucciero (@Sandra Bucciero) 1642686202