Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
There are 51 occupations in California with a median salary above $150K per year. The highest-paying is Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric at $400,150/year. Based on 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025
Average salaries across all 50 states. Click a state to see its $150K+ jobs.
Ranked by median annual salary. Click any job to see the full salary breakdown.
| # | Occupation | Median Salary | Mean Salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $400,150 | $347,690 | 820 |
| 2 | Neurologists | $357,080 | $306,860 | 1,090 |
| 3 | Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $353,900 | $310,190 | 10,670 |
| 4 | Psychiatrists | $353,500 | $315,380 | 5,420 |
| 5 | General Internal Medicine Physicians | $313,890 | $273,270 | 6,370 |
| 6 | Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $301,240 | $272,520 | 1,610 |
| 7 | Nurse Anesthetists | $292,410 | $283,780 | 2,230 |
| 8 | Radiologists | $270,560 | $309,990 | 690 |
| 9 | Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $253,430 | $258,550 | N/A |
| 10 | Family Medicine Physicians | $252,010 | $252,930 | N/A |
| 11 | Chief Executives | $218,600 | $272,920 | 34,700 |
| 12 | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $218,290 | $238,440 | 94,720 |
| 13 | Pediatricians, General | $214,140 | $221,480 | 6,680 |
| 14 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $210,280 | $213,110 | 29,630 |
| 15 | Natural Sciences Managers | $210,230 | $223,850 | 14,950 |
| 16 | Physicists | $207,490 | $201,930 | 5,930 |
| 17 | Nurse Midwives | $203,840 | $194,730 | 870 |
| 18 | Podiatrists | $201,300 | $212,350 | 1,000 |
| 19 | Lawyers | $195,080 | $230,040 | 95,770 |
| 20 | Marketing Managers | $193,620 | $207,860 | 54,660 |
| 21 | Physicians, Pathologists | $186,300 | $221,080 | 1,790 |
| 22 | Cardiologists | $185,610 | $296,940 | 630 |
| 23 | Computer Hardware Engineers | $185,180 | $190,590 | 19,820 |
| 24 | Financial Managers | $180,770 | $210,490 | 93,310 |
| 25 | Materials Scientists | $177,030 | $189,460 | 1,030 |
| 26 | Software Developers | $174,410 | $186,770 | 284,390 |
| 27 | Nuclear Engineers | $172,400 | $160,980 | 1,070 |
| 28 | Database Architects | $170,160 | $175,330 | 6,210 |
| 29 | Human Resources Managers | $170,080 | $191,920 | 27,450 |
| 30 | Nurse Practitioners | $168,520 | $176,760 | 25,120 |
| 31 | Public Relations Managers | $167,980 | $185,180 | 9,400 |
| 32 | Advertising and Promotions Managers | $167,230 | $183,200 | 3,080 |
| 33 | Compensation and Benefits Managers | $166,730 | $180,130 | 2,970 |
| 34 | Radiation Therapists | $166,450 | $161,890 | 1,720 |
| 35 | Dentists, General | $165,950 | $170,690 | 16,770 |
| 36 | Physician Assistants | $165,650 | $169,110 | 13,600 |
| 37 | Commercial Pilots | $165,590 | $202,040 | 4,900 |
| 38 | Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $165,110 | $196,500 | 17,350 |
| 39 | Pharmacists | $164,610 | $162,340 | 34,030 |
| 40 | First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $163,960 | $163,210 | 13,200 |
| 41 | Veterinarians | $163,920 | $169,860 | 9,170 |
| 42 | Nuclear Medicine Technologists | $162,380 | $160,110 | 1,500 |
| 43 | Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | $160,520 | $161,520 | 20,830 |
| 44 | Air Traffic Controllers | $160,080 | $156,910 | 2,290 |
| 45 | Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | $159,950 | $152,480 | 31,370 |
| 46 | Purchasing Managers | $159,830 | $165,780 | 7,470 |
| 47 | Computer and Information Research Scientists | $159,100 | $168,580 | 8,440 |
| 48 | Computer Network Architects | $158,870 | $161,350 | 14,870 |
| 49 | Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers | $158,130 | $143,080 | 520 |
| 50 | Aerospace Engineers | $157,620 | $159,960 | 9,170 |
| 51 | Training and Development Managers | $156,260 | $169,950 | 6,680 |
The $150K+ jobs in California are concentrated in Healthcare Practitioners, Management, and Transportation fields.
7.0% of all tracked occupations in CA earn a median salary above $150K. The entry point for this group is $156,260/year (Training and Development Managers), while the top earner makes $400,150/year.
California ranks #1 among all 50 states for the number of $150K+ jobs.
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These are gross salaries. After federal, state, and FICA taxes, take-home pay is lower.
This list includes all occupations with BLS-published state-level median salary data above $150K per year. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates. See our Methodology page for details.