Average Salaries in California
Explore salaries across 806 occupations in California. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $77.6K, +26.1% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates. Coverage: 806 occupations and 17,975,210 total jobs in California.
How the state compares
California is one of the higher-paying states in the country. Average wages here run meaningfully above the national level, though local cost of living often offsets some of that premium.
California has one of the largest labor markets in the country, with a deep pool of employers and workers across virtually every occupation.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Chief Executives. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in California
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Top wages
Highest-paid occupations in California
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | $220.6K | 36,980 |
| Computer And Information Systems Managers | $211.3K | 100,020 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $204.1K | 14,120 |
| Architectural And Engineering Managers | $201.8K | 30,690 |
| Physicians, All Other | $201.5K | 20,750 |
| Lawyers | $197.8K | 92,580 |
| Nurse Midwives | $196.7K | 880 |
| Podiatrists | $193.5K | 930 |
| Physicists | $180.9K | 6,220 |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | $179.9K | 24,200 |
Most jobs
Largest occupations in California
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 875,110 | $34.6K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 438,950 | $37.0K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 382,740 | $42.7K |
| Retail Salespersons | 352,860 | $37.3K |
| Cashiers | 349,300 | $36.3K |
| Registered Nurses | 326,720 | $140.3K |
| Office Clerks, General | 306,000 | $47.9K |
| Software Developers | 292,630 | $170.9K |
| General And Operations Managers | 292,300 | $125.2K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 267,340 | $39.5K |
What California specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in California than in the country as a whole, which signals what this state is known for.
Location quotient
Most concentrated occupations in California
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Farmworkers And Laborers, Crop, Nursery, And Greenhouse | 5.72 | $35.8K |
| Media And Communication Workers, All Other | 4.35 | $97.6K |
| Marriage And Family Therapists | 4.16 | $63.8K |
| Agents And Business Managers Of Artists, Performers, And Athletes | 3.57 | N/A |
| Plasterers And Stucco Masons | 3.42 | $60.4K |
| Counselors, All Other | 3.41 | $47.0K |
| First-Line Supervisors Of Farming, Fishing, And Forestry Workers | 3.09 | $57.6K |
| Special Effects Artists And Animators | 3.08 | $128.4K |
| Food Preparation And Serving Related Workers, All Other | 3.03 | $36.2K |
| Material Moving Workers, All Other | 3.02 | $37.5K |
Peer markets
Comparable states
| State | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $86.2K | Obstetricians And Gynecologists |
| Washington | $77.0K | Podiatrists |
| New York | $76.7K | Physicians, All Other |
| Massachusetts | $75.6K | Dentists, All Other Specialists |
| New Jersey | $73.7K | Physicians, All Other |
| Alaska | $73.0K | Dentists, General |
| Connecticut | $72.7K | Nurse Anesthetists |
| Maryland | $72.0K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
Metros inside California
Salaries can vary a lot within a single state. Urban metro areas typically pay more than rural regions, and specific industries cluster in particular cities. Drill into any metro below for its own full salary breakdown.
Inside this state
Major metros in California
| Metro | Average median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $76.1K | 6,108,670 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $89.2K | 2,381,660 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $72.2K | 1,678,100 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $75.7K | 1,503,720 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $90.4K | 1,115,600 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $77.2K | 1,047,540 |
| Fresno, CA | $67.9K | 456,450 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $69.8K | 323,120 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $71.1K | 311,100 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $68.4K | 276,940 |
Common salary questions for California
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other states with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.