Q1: Social scientists do not just dwell in their own neck of the woods but also examine the economic realities in other global locations.
Watch how the rich and the poor fare in Germany.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFjJYLZtPtQ (Links to an external site.)
Next, address these questions. (1 point for own response)
Q2: 5 points for answering 5 questions below
Use the chart below and record your answers to the following questions.
To the extent that you are comfortable doing so, you should discuss difficulties you encountered and brainstorm advantages and disadvantages of your social class or social class in general.
You do not have to disclose your personal information, but you can always talk about social class in general.
Social Class in the US
Education
Occupation
Annual Individual Income
Other
Upper class
Four-year degree or more, usually from an Ivy League University
No financial need to work; may work for other reasons in any field (e.g., businessperson, entrepreneur, investor)
$2 million +
Socially exclusive; typically come from generations of wealth
Upper-middle class
Graduate degree
Professional (e.g., doctor, lawyer, professor)
$150,000–
$2 million
Have lots of autonomy at work, good work benefits (e.g., health insurance); income may be somewhat lower in some cases
Middle-middle class
Four-year college degree
Nonmanual job or management (e.g., accountant, computer programmer, pharmacist)
$70,000–$150,000
Have good work benefits and live comfortably
Lower-middle class
Two-year college degree or high school diploma
Lower paid nonmanual job (e.g., grade school teacher, data entry clerk)
$40,000–$70,000
May or may not have work benefits; less prestigious work
Working class
High school diploma, sometimes with technical training
Skilled manual labor job (e.g., plumber, electrician, paramedic)
$25,000–$40,000
May or may not have work benefits; may struggle to pay bills; income may be much higher in some cases
Working poor
High school diploma or GED
Unskilled manual labor (e.g., child care worker, cashier)
$15,000–$25,000
No benefits; serious struggle to pay bills
Underclass
Less than high school diploma
Unskilled manual labor (e.g., day laborer)
< $15,000
Come from generations of poverty and impoverished communities; may have long periods of unemployment