Jacob Wackerhausen / Getty Images If your contribution rate falls short, consider setting up automatic annual increases of just 1%—a small change that adds up over time. Key Takeaways The typical employee contribution rate falls between about 8% and 10%, depending on the data source. When employer matches are added, total savings climb to about 12% to 14% of an employee's salary. Contribution rates climb with age: workers under 25 save a combined 9.3% of income, according to Vanguard, while those 55 ...