Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2025 reference period
Sacramento, CA Average Salary 2026
Cost of living, occupation-by-occupation pay, and percentile ranges from official BLS data.
The average salary in Sacramento, CA, California is $126,232 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (2025 reference period) covering 64 occupations and roughly 216,530 workers. Adjusted for Sacramento, CA's cost-of-living index of 124.7, that nominal average translates to $101,229 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. The highest-paying tracked occupation is Pediatrician at $395,040; the lowest is Welder at $57,290.
Sacramento, CA, CA has cost-of-living above the national baseline (index 124.7). The 64 occupations reported here average $126,232 in median wages.
Highest-paying role in Sacramento, CA on BLS data is Pediatrician at $395,040 median. Top-paying roles in any U.S. city skew toward physicians, executives, tech specialists, and licensed professionals; the specific ranking varies with the local industry mix. Workers comparing Sacramento, CA to other regional centers should look at both gross and cost-adjusted wages. The cost-of-living index is uniform across the city but actual household costs vary widely by neighborhood and lifestyle.
Salaries by Occupation in Sacramento, CA
| Role | Category | Median | Range (10th–90th) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pediatrician | Healthcare | $395,040 | $239,060 – $395,050 | 100 |
| Family Medicine Physician | Healthcare | $345,310 | $180,250 – $440,330 | 830 |
| Lawyer | Legal | $178,540 | $80,540 – $284,610 | 7,620 |
| Pharmacist | Healthcare | $172,680 | $104,420 – $213,820 | 2,310 |
| Nurse Practitioner | Healthcare | $172,010 | $105,540 – $240,100 | 1,170 |
| Registered Nurse | Healthcare | $171,460 | $100,630 – $218,780 | 23,590 |
| Dentist | Healthcare | $170,500 | $121,630 – $266,300 | 970 |
| Computer and Information Systems Manager | Technology | $165,270 | $126,650 – $277,490 | 4,070 |
| Veterinarian | Healthcare | $165,260 | $87,220 – $294,620 | 830 |
| Marketing Manager | Management | $164,270 | $98,100 – $303,070 | 1,610 |
| Financial Manager | Finance | $163,090 | $96,990 – $304,580 | 4,840 |
| Physician Assistant | Healthcare | $161,470 | $72,440 – $225,400 | 1,070 |
| Medical and Health Services Manager | Healthcare | $159,350 | $74,070 – $243,260 | 4,500 |
| Human Resources Manager | Management | $155,360 | $86,210 – $295,790 | 1,300 |
| Computer Network Architect | Technology | $141,350 | $79,140 – $201,590 | 580 |
| Software Developer | Technology | $139,640 | $100,040 – $209,140 | 7,460 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analyst | Technology | $139,210 | $83,450 – $256,140 | 140 |
| Optometrist | Healthcare | $139,020 | $105,860 – $219,070 | 510 |
| Electrical Engineer | Engineering | $136,190 | $81,140 – $196,930 | 1,420 |
| Audiologist | Healthcare | $134,990 | $75,310 – $164,840 | 0 |
| Information Security Analyst | Technology | $133,570 | $72,800 – $210,600 | 570 |
| Physical Therapist | Healthcare | $131,430 | $99,240 – $159,250 | 1,610 |
| Civil Engineer | Engineering | $130,150 | $81,680 – $175,940 | 5,590 |
| Personal Financial Advisor | Finance | $127,950 | $68,640 – $315,050 | 1,260 |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | Healthcare | $126,360 | $85,030 – $148,300 | 1,030 |
| Architect | Engineering | $125,980 | $77,670 – $171,050 | 640 |
| Engineers (Other) | Engineering | $124,220 | $57,070 – $171,770 | 1,390 |
| Occupational Therapist | Healthcare | $122,780 | $94,910 – $154,940 | 810 |
| Dental Hygienist | Healthcare | $122,540 | $119,720 – $127,610 | 2,200 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | Technology | $122,330 | $72,070 – $162,800 | 3,170 |
| Mechanical Engineer | Engineering | $120,970 | $82,990 – $170,600 | 1,480 |
| Database Architect | Technology | $120,500 | $62,410 – $165,340 | 410 |
| General and Operations Manager | Management | $118,460 | $51,520 – $248,800 | 17,980 |
| Statistician | Technology | $117,870 | $79,020 – $153,390 | 140 |
| Sales Manager | Management | $113,980 | $60,510 – $243,410 | 4,910 |
| Business Professor (Postsecondary) | Education | $113,550 | $78,240 – $207,700 | 170 |
| Web Developer | Technology | $112,840 | $59,240 – $199,990 | 480 |
| Computer Occupations (Other) | Technology | $110,980 | $55,220 – $174,240 | 2,700 |
| Industrial Engineer | Engineering | $110,190 | $68,080 – $169,460 | 910 |
| Secondary School Teacher | Education | $105,060 | $66,570 – $125,920 | 6,040 |
| Network Architect | Technology | $104,800 | $73,490 – $158,700 | 1,330 |
| Software Quality Assurance Tester | Technology | $104,410 | $58,870 – $158,940 | 930 |
| Operations Research Analyst | Technology | $104,210 | $72,030 – $163,040 | 510 |
| Financial Analyst | Finance | $103,980 | $74,170 – $177,470 | 1,590 |
| Data Scientist | Technology | $103,700 | $77,430 – $160,740 | 2,710 |
| Elementary School Teacher | Education | $103,390 | $60,980 – $117,100 | 10,480 |
| Financial Examiner | Finance | $102,630 | $62,290 – $135,110 | 410 |
| Computer Programmer | Technology | $102,600 | $67,200 – $167,300 | 580 |
| Web Designer | Technology | $98,560 | $59,340 – $166,620 | 190 |
| Accountant | Finance | $92,110 | $61,350 – $131,840 | 13,170 |
| Public Relations Specialist | Creative | $89,640 | $55,920 – $135,460 | 2,620 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | Technology | $83,420 | $57,140 – $145,890 | 590 |
| Clinical Laboratory Technologist | Healthcare | $83,150 | $49,310 – $127,360 | 2,020 |
| Management Analyst | Management | $82,990 | $61,320 – $113,940 | 25,600 |
| Writer/Author | Creative | $82,690 | $41,540 – $152,670 | 240 |
| Loan Officer | Finance | $79,190 | $39,800 – $161,480 | 1,580 |
| Market Research Analyst | Management | $78,630 | $38,110 – $138,400 | 4,470 |
| Paralegal | Legal | $78,550 | $51,980 – $113,290 | 2,590 |
| Electrician | Trades | $74,830 | $46,230 – $130,020 | 6,340 |
| Graphic Designer | Creative | $74,680 | $46,870 – $117,870 | 920 |
| Carpenter | Trades | $74,440 | $45,640 – $114,760 | 9,730 |
| Automotive Technician | Trades | $72,020 | $41,040 – $96,030 | 4,870 |
| Plumber | Trades | $65,210 | $46,620 – $131,100 | 3,120 |
| Welder | Trades | $57,290 | $47,220 – $79,950 | 1,530 |
What These Numbers Tell You
The single highest-paying occupation tracked in Sacramento, CA is Pediatrician, with a median of $395,040 and a 90th-percentile reading of $395,050. That $155,990 spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles is typical for a role of this seniority — entry-level workers cluster near the bottom of the band, while senior specialists and managers earn at the top.
Across all 64 BLS-tracked occupations in Sacramento, CA, the average median salary is $126,232. The top five roles average $252,716 — about 2.0× the citywide average — which is the expected shape for a U.S. metro economy: a small concentration of high-skill, high-credential occupations sits well above the broader middle.
Sacramento, CA carries an above-average cost of living (index 124.7, roughly 25% above the U.S. average), driven mostly by housing and transportation. Most professional roles here pay enough premium to compensate, but lower-percentile and mid-percentile workers see materially less purchasing power than nominal salaries suggest.
Salary Negotiation in Sacramento, CA
For salary negotiation in Sacramento, CA, the practical input is the percentile band for your role and city, not the citywide average. The OEWS publishes 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile wages for every metro and occupation; you can find your role's exact percentile in the table above and use the SalaryTruth percentile calculator to anchor your offer. Cost-of-living index 124.7 should also factor in any cross-metro comparison.
For city-vs-city moves, the right benchmark is COL-adjusted pay rather than nominal pay. Our COL-adjusted salaries guide shows the exact math; the negotiation playbook covers how to use BLS percentile bands to anchor offers.
How Sacramento, CA Salary Data Is Built
Wages on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — a federal survey of more than 1.2 million U.S. establishments, published once per year by Metropolitan Statistical Area and Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code. We pull the BLS data file for Sacramento, CA, match each occupation against our role catalog, and surface percentile wages alongside employment counts. The cost-of-living index (124.7) is a composite of housing, food, transportation, and utility data from public sources, calibrated to a U.S. national average of 100. Read the full methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average salary in Sacramento, CA in 2026?
The average salary in Sacramento, CA is $126,232 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release covering 64 occupations. The mean (employment-weighted average) gives slightly more weight to large occupations; the median across roles is also close to $126,232. The top-paying role is Pediatrician at $395,040.
Is $100,000 a good salary in Sacramento, CA?
In Sacramento, CA, $100,000 has the purchasing power of $80,192 in an average-cost U.S. metro (COL index 124.7). That is roughly in line with what $100K buys in a typical U.S. city. Compared to the city's average median of $126,232, $100K is below the typical worker.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Sacramento, CA?
The top-paying tracked occupations in Sacramento, CA are Pediatrician ($395,040), Family Medicine Physician ($345,310), Lawyer ($178,540), and Pharmacist ($172,680). Across the top 10, median salaries range from $164,270 to $395,040. See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/sacramento.
How does Sacramento, CA's cost of living affect salaries?
Sacramento, CA has a cost-of-living index of 124.7, 25% above the U.S. national average. A nominal salary of $126,232 in this metro has the equivalent purchasing power of $101,229 in an average-cost U.S. city. Housing is the dominant driver of this gap; in higher-COL markets, mortgage or rent typically eats 5–15 percentage points more of pre-tax pay than in average-cost metros.
How many people are employed in Sacramento, CA?
Across the 64 BLS-tracked occupations on this page, total employment in the Sacramento, CA metro is approximately 216,530. BLS OEWS sample-based estimates cover all major occupational categories but exclude very small or volatile fields where the sample is too thin to publish.
Where does this Sacramento, CA salary data come from?
Every wage figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — public domain federal survey data covering about 1.2 million U.S. employers. The same data is used by the U.S. Department of Labor for prevailing wage determinations.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Sacramento, CA MSA, 2026 release. Public domain. See bls.gov/oes. Cite as: "SalaryTruth, BLS OEWS 2026."
Last refreshed 2026-05-21 · 64 occupations · COL Index 124.7.