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Compared to many countries, Robert Reich, former U.S. secretary of labor for the Clinton administration and a professor of public policy at the University of California, Berkeley, says America doesn't have a strict class structure. If you're born into a low-class family in the United States, he says you can improve your social status by focusing on two factors—income and education.
Generally, Robert says the typical middle-class family earns about $50,000 a year. "Most economists assume that if you are earning, as a family, between $30,000 and $70,000 or $80,000, you're solidly middle class," he says. "Although, it does vary in different parts of the country."
Robert says getting a college education or having a respected profession can also improve a person's class.
Related Resources
- Robert Reich's book is Supercapitalism
- Read Jamie Johnson's weekly column, The One Percent, on VanityFair.com
- Learn how to download Skype™
From The Oprah Winfrey Show The Taboo Topic: What Social Class Are You Now?
