* ...estimated the threshold for being in the top 1 percent in household income at about $380,000, 7.5 times median household income, using census data from 2008 through 2010.
* But for net worth, the 1 percent threshold for net worth in the Fed data was nearly $8.4 million, or 69 times the median household’s net holdings of $121,000.
>There are 3 million people in America earning more than $500K a year
There aren't nearly that many people earning $500k a year regularly. A huge percentage of the people in a given year who earn that much did so because of a one time real estate sale. Then you have another large chunk who some kind of temporary windfall--particularly good bonuses, commissions etc... And people who sold a business.
Basically if you look at people who regularly make $500k+ from a job, the percentage from top schools is going to be very high.