Most Americans say they work mainly for the money
Core finding
Money is the reason most Americans give for going to work: 55% say they go to work to make money, according to a January 2025 Verasight survey.
About a third (34%) say they need to support their household, and 27% cite benefits such as health insurance. Roughly a fifth (22%) say they neither work nor look for work, 17% like their status at work, and smaller shares are out of work but looking (9%) or name another reason (7%).
Selected responses
Most Americans say they work mainly for the money.
Why do you go to work?
n = 1,000 · Jan 16–27, 2025 · MoE ±3.3%
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | United States adults |
| Field dates | Jan 16–27, 2025 |
| Base (unweighted) | 1,000 |
| Margin of error | ±3.3% |
| Module | Verasight AEA Omnibus Survey #2025-002 |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- verasight-aea-2025.tiiny.co
Why do you go to work?
Cite this question
Verasight AEA Omnibus Survey #2025-002, fielded January 16-27, 2025, N=1,000 United States adults, +/- 3.3%.