What If Scenario
What If You Invested Your First Paycheck in Bitcoin?
The average American earns about $1,500 in their first paycheck. What if instead of spending it, you had invested it all in Bitcoin?
3 min read
First paycheck in 2015
Best$1,500 invested in 2015
Worth today
$551,022
11.4 years
+67.8% annualized
First paycheck in 2020
$1,500 invested in 2020
Worth today
$12,815
6.4 years
+39.7% annualized
First paycheck in 2023
$1,500 invested in 2023
Worth today
$5,178
3.4 years
+43.7% annualized
First paycheck in S&P 500 (2015)
$1,500 invested in 2015
Worth today
$6,678
11.4 years
+14.0% annualized
First paycheck in Ethereum (2020)
$1,500 invested in 2020
Worth today
$19,081
6.4 years
+48.6% annualized
Based on price data through 2026-05-01. Price return only (no dividends).
About this calculation
Average first paycheck estimate based on BLS median weekly earnings for workers aged 16-24.
Returns are based on price appreciation only (no dividends reinvested). Past performance does not guarantee future results. Not financial advice.
Try the calculator
Pick any stock, any year, any amount. See the result instantly.
Compare two stocks
See which investment would have won head-to-head.
Numbers worth sharing
Occasional data drops when something interesting surfaces. No schedule, just signal.
More scenarios
We calculated what your college tuition would be worth today if you had invested it in the S&P 500 instead.
What If You Invested Your Wedding Budget in Amazon?The average wedding costs $30,000+. What if you had invested that in Amazon instead?
What If You Invested During the 2020 Crash?The March 2020 crash was terrifying. Here is what happened if you invested $10,000 at the bottom.
What If You Invested $100/Month for 20 Years?Dollar-cost averaging $100/month into the S&P 500 or top stocks. We calculated the real returns over 20 years.
What If You Had $10,000 Invested Before Liberation Day?On April 2, 2025, Trump announced sweeping tariffs. Markets panicked. Here is what happened to Bitcoin, Gold, and the S&P 500 if you had stayed invested through it all.