Comprehensive salary overview for California based on 17,886,350 workers across 784 occupations tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024
These are the highest paying occupations in California based on median annual salary from BLS data.
| # | Occupation | Median Salary | Mean Salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chief Executives | $220,600 | $289,530 | 36,980 |
| 2 | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $211,340 | $232,710 | 100,020 |
| 3 | Natural Sciences Managers | $204,100 | $219,470 | 14,120 |
| 4 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $201,810 | $205,610 | 30,690 |
| 5 | Physicians, All Other | $201,510 | $215,710 | 20,750 |
| 6 | Lawyer | $197,790 | $254,170 | 92,580 |
| 7 | Nurse Midwives | $196,700 | $179,630 | 880 |
| 8 | Podiatrists | $193,510 | $175,400 | 930 |
| 9 | Physicists | $180,900 | $187,720 | 6,220 |
| 10 | Computer Hardware Engineers | $179,880 | $183,350 | 24,200 |
| 11 | Dentists, General | $178,540 | $184,350 | 14,760 |
| 12 | Marketing Manager | $178,160 | $206,150 | 56,300 |
| 13 | Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other | $175,170 | $157,580 | 220 |
| 14 | Financial Manager | $174,920 | $210,640 | 96,860 |
| 15 | Software Developer | $170,910 | $185,750 | 292,630 |
| 16 | Managers, All Other | $170,740 | $189,130 | 103,510 |
| 17 | Human Resources Manager | $169,140 | $198,850 | 27,680 |
| 18 | Nuclear Engineers | $167,660 | $170,560 | 870 |
| 19 | Nurse Practitioners | $166,610 | $173,190 | 20,980 |
| 20 | Physicians, Pathologists | $165,940 | $216,910 | 2,180 |
| 21 | Pharmacist | $165,150 | $162,110 | 34,490 |
| 22 | First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $162,740 | $162,570 | 12,980 |
| 23 | Geography Teachers, Postsecondary | $162,050 | $160,400 | 330 |
| 24 | Physician Assistants | $161,080 | $161,980 | 13,570 |
| 25 | Compensation and Benefits Managers | $160,740 | $176,290 | 2,840 |
The 10 lowest paying occupations in California by median annual salary.
| Occupation | Median Salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Gambling Dealers | $33,420 | 16,140 |
| Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers | $34,530 | 650 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $34,600 | 875,110 |
| Manicurists and Pedicurists | $35,000 | 37,730 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $35,290 | 243,300 |
| Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals | $35,310 | 5,760 |
| Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners | $35,440 | 610 |
| Sewers, Hand | $35,550 | 150 |
| Amusement and Recreation Attendants | $35,570 | 51,970 |
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | $35,770 | 175,340 |
The most common jobs in California by total number of workers.
| Occupation | Workers | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 875,110 | $34,600 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 438,950 | $37,010 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 382,740 | $42,660 |
| Retail Salespersons | 352,860 | $37,250 |
| Cashiers | 349,300 | $36,270 |
| Registered Nurse | 326,720 | $140,330 |
| Office Clerks, General | 306,000 | $47,920 |
| Software Developer | 292,630 | $170,910 |
| General and Operations Managers | 292,300 | $125,240 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 267,340 | $39,450 |
See how average salaries in California compare to other states across the country.
All salary data on this page comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024 estimates. The average salary shown is the mean across all tracked occupations weighted by employment. For methodology details, see our Methodology page.