Every month, the Social Security Administration (SSA) releases a report called the Monthly Statistical Snapshot, which includes information about the number of Social Security beneficiaries and how much money the average person receives.

In the most recent month reported (May), the average Social Security benefit paid to a retired worker reached an all-time high of $2,002.39. This is the first time the average has exceeded $2,000 per month and is a significant increase from the average retired worker's benefit of $1,917 a year ago.

There are a few important things to unpack here. For one thing, benefits for retired workers are only one type of Social Security benefit. Out of the 69.6 million Social Security beneficiaries in the United States, nearly 17 million get other types of benefits, such as survivors' benefits, spousal benefits, and disability benefits.

Furthermore, this is a 4.5% increase in the average benefit since the end of 2024, significantly more than the 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, that was enacted for 2025. So, where did the extra increase come from?

Finally, keep in mind that this is just an average. Many Social Security recipients receive significantly more or less than the average. Now, let's take a closer look at all of these things.

Image source: Getty Images.

The average Social Security benefit right now

As mentioned, benefits for retired workers are just one part of Social Security. There are several other types of benefits, all of which have their own averages. Here's the latest data for several other common benefit categories:

Data source: Social Security Administration. Benefit data as of May 2025, and numbers of beneficiaries rounded to the nearest 0.1 million.

Why has the average Social Security benefit increased so much?

As mentioned, the average retired worker's benefit has increased by 4.5% in May 2025 compared with the same month in 2024.

Of course, the 2.5% Social Security cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, has a lot to do with it. But it doesn't explain the entire increase all by itself.

A big driving factor is the Social Security Fairness Act, which increased benefits for several million people (mainly former government employees) whose benefits had been reduced by the Windfall Elimination Provision and other rules. Much of the headlines about this legislation have to do with the one-time retroactive payments being made, but beneficiaries in this group also saw substantial increases in their monthly payments. In fact, the average beneficiary affected saw their monthly check increase by $360.

How can you get more than the average?

Of course, the $2,002 monthly average benefit is just that – an average. There are some retirees who get significantly less, and some that get significantly more. In fact, the highest possible monthly Social Security benefit for someone turning 70 in 2025 is $5,108.

If you haven't yet claimed Social Security, there might be some things you can do to set yourself up for an above average monthly benefit. And the first step is knowing how the Social Security formula works. You can read our full Social Security benefits formula description for all the details, but in general, there are two main factors that influence your retirement benefit.

• Your work record – The SSA will adjust every year of your lifetime earnings for inflation and consider the 35 highest-earning years when calculating your benefit. So, it could be worth working an extra year or two if you're able, especially if you're in the highest-earning part of your career or if you don't have 35 years of work.
• Your claiming age – Americans who qualify can start collecting Social Security at any point between the ages of 62 and 70, but the earlier you apply, the lower your benefit will be. You don't have to wait until 70 – even a few months can make a meaningful difference. Keep in mind that any time you choose to wait will make your benefit permanently higher, which is particularly important because Social Security is the only inflation-protected income source most retirees have.

As a final thought, it's a smart idea to log into the SSA's web portal (or create an account if you haven't already), where you can view an estimate of the retirement benefit that you're on track to receive based on your actual work record. That way, you'll know where you stand and if it's in your best interest to adjust your retirement strategy accordingly.