Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2025 reference period
60 Highest Paying Jobs in Bakersfield, CA (2026)
The highest-paying job in Bakersfield, CA, California is Family Medicine Physician with a median salary of $332,530 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data. Across all 60 tracked occupations the average median is $114,605, with 35 occupations paying a six-figure ($100K+) median. Bakersfield, CA has a cost-of-living index of 100.6 (national average = 100), so a $114,605 nominal salary equals $113,921 in average-cost-metro buying power.
The 60 occupations below are ranked by median wage in Bakersfield, CA, CA, from BLS OEWS data. Bakersfield, CA's cost-of-living index runs 100.6 (national baseline = 100), which shapes the headline-wage interpretation. Top-paying occupations in any U.S. metro typically cluster around physicians, dentists, executives, tech specialists, and licensed professionals. The specific top of the list varies with local industry concentration: tech-heavy metros boost software-engineering ranks, finance-heavy metros boost banking ranks.
Each role on the ranking links to the per-role-and-city page with full percentile distribution (p10 to p90), employment count, and cost-adjusted wage. For workers comparing offers within Bakersfield, CA, the percentile data is the most decision-relevant.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Bakersfield, CA
Ranked by median (50th percentile) salary. The COL-Adjusted column rebases each nominal salary to Bakersfield, CA's cost-of-living index of 100.6 so you can compare buying power against an average-cost U.S. metro.
Median $332,530 · 10th–90th $107,650–$434,630 · 190 jobs in metro
Family Medicine Physicians in Bakersfield, CA earn $332,530 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $434,630.
Median $290,420 · 10th–90th $93,350–$375,700 · 70 jobs in metro
Pediatricians in Bakersfield, CA earn $290,420 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $375,700.
Median $198,070 · 10th–90th $126,200–$219,990 · 350 jobs in metro
Physician Assistants in Bakersfield, CA earn $198,070 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $219,990.
Median $172,120 · 10th–90th $99,850–$346,300 · 220 jobs in metro
Dentists in Bakersfield, CA earn $172,120 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $346,300.
Median $165,580 · 10th–90th $106,710–$205,450 · 430 jobs in metro
Nurse Practitioners in Bakersfield, CA earn $165,580 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $205,450.
Median $164,470 · 10th–90th $101,820–$271,190 · 430 jobs in metro
Computer and Information Systems Managers in Bakersfield, CA earn $164,470 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $271,190.
Median $161,930 · 10th–90th $125,170–$200,850 · 600 jobs in metro
Pharmacists in Bakersfield, CA earn $161,930 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $200,850.
Median $153,030 · 10th–90th $90,070–$276,790 · 900 jobs in metro
Financial Managers in Bakersfield, CA earn $153,030 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $276,790.
Median $150,900 · 10th–90th $77,490–$245,020 · 610 jobs in metro
Lawyers in Bakersfield, CA earn $150,900 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $245,020.
Median $150,780 · 10th–90th $61,270–$276,250 · 100 jobs in metro
Veterinarians in Bakersfield, CA earn $150,780 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $276,250.
Full Ranking (60 Occupations)
| Rank | Role | Category | Median | 10th–90th | COL-Adjusted | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Family Medicine Physician | Healthcare | $332,530 | $107,650–$434,630 | $330,547 | 190 |
| 2 | Pediatrician | Healthcare | $290,420 | $93,350–$375,700 | $288,688 | 70 |
| 3 | Physician Assistant | Healthcare | $198,070 | $126,200–$219,990 | $196,889 | 350 |
| 4 | Dentist | Healthcare | $172,120 | $99,850–$346,300 | $171,093 | 220 |
| 5 | Nurse Practitioner | Healthcare | $165,580 | $106,710–$205,450 | $164,592 | 430 |
| 6 | Computer and Information Systems Manager | Technology | $164,470 | $101,820–$271,190 | $163,489 | 430 |
| 7 | Pharmacist | Healthcare | $161,930 | $125,170–$200,850 | $160,964 | 600 |
| 8 | Financial Manager | Finance | $153,030 | $90,070–$276,790 | $152,117 | 900 |
| 9 | Lawyer | Legal | $150,900 | $77,490–$245,020 | $150,000 | 610 |
| 10 | Veterinarian | Healthcare | $150,780 | $61,270–$276,250 | $149,881 | 100 |
| 11 | Marketing Manager | Management | $149,960 | $87,740–$271,050 | $149,066 | 240 |
| 12 | Engineers (Other) | Engineering | $139,980 | $53,440–$195,190 | $139,145 | 670 |
| 13 | Human Resources Manager | Management | $138,130 | $87,960–$216,540 | $137,306 | 240 |
| 14 | Medical and Health Services Manager | Healthcare | $132,670 | $66,700–$220,480 | $131,879 | 1,020 |
| 15 | Software Developer | Technology | $130,330 | $88,670–$203,810 | $129,553 | 740 |
| 16 | Optometrist | Healthcare | $129,370 | $99,980–$197,000 | $128,598 | 100 |
| 17 | Registered Nurse | Healthcare | $128,810 | $87,760–$162,020 | $128,042 | 5,620 |
| 18 | Electrical Engineer | Engineering | $126,960 | $86,610–$163,720 | $126,203 | 460 |
| 19 | Physical Therapist | Healthcare | $125,490 | $98,300–$156,370 | $124,742 | 310 |
| 20 | Occupational Therapist | Healthcare | $123,200 | $79,590–$156,000 | $122,465 | 170 |
| 21 | Computer Network Architect | Technology | $122,910 | $75,260–$199,200 | $122,177 | 100 |
| 22 | Mechanical Engineer | Engineering | $119,790 | $78,490–$171,540 | $119,076 | 560 |
| 23 | Operations Research Analyst | Technology | $119,020 | $64,320–$159,700 | $118,310 | 80 |
| 24 | Speech-Language Pathologist | Healthcare | $117,350 | $98,150–$147,300 | $116,650 | 310 |
| 25 | Software Quality Assurance Analyst | Technology | $116,650 | $87,760–$159,700 | $115,954 | 490 |
| 26 | Dental Hygienist | Healthcare | $114,380 | $97,090–$121,280 | $113,698 | 340 |
| 27 | Personal Financial Advisor | Finance | $111,580 | $58,440–$268,860 | $110,915 | 80 |
| 28 | Architect | Engineering | $111,070 | $73,100–$165,020 | $110,408 | 100 |
| 29 | Computer Occupations (Other) | Technology | $110,180 | $58,100–$159,700 | $109,523 | 1,080 |
| 30 | Information Security Analyst | Technology | $108,020 | $69,530–$159,130 | $107,376 | 160 |
| 31 | Industrial Engineer | Engineering | $104,700 | $71,320–$155,100 | $104,076 | 280 |
| 32 | General and Operations Manager | Management | $104,460 | $53,910–$218,740 | $103,837 | 4,100 |
| 33 | Financial Analyst | Finance | $101,230 | $69,220–$152,990 | $100,626 | 190 |
| 34 | Network Architect | Technology | $100,730 | $70,120–$129,530 | $100,129 | 330 |
| 35 | Computer Systems Analyst | Technology | $100,400 | $63,040–$150,540 | $99,801 | 490 |
| 36 | Civil Engineer | Engineering | $99,300 | $75,580–$163,180 | $98,708 | 870 |
| 37 | Secondary School Teacher | Education | $99,150 | $63,350–$125,170 | $98,559 | 3,300 |
| 38 | Sales Manager | Management | $98,270 | $57,410–$211,000 | $97,684 | 1,220 |
| 39 | Management Analyst | Management | $96,580 | $61,320–$159,700 | $96,004 | 1,530 |
| 40 | Data Scientist | Technology | $92,200 | $65,840–$158,350 | $91,650 | 200 |
| 41 | Database Architect | Technology | $89,070 | $52,760–$136,850 | $88,539 | 90 |
| 42 | Web Designer | Technology | $88,240 | $46,250–$162,910 | $87,714 | 40 |
| 43 | Software Quality Assurance Tester | Technology | $83,290 | $48,900–$162,050 | $82,793 | 180 |
| 44 | Web Developer | Technology | $82,800 | $40,820–$153,070 | $82,306 | 50 |
| 45 | Elementary School Teacher | Education | $79,900 | $61,230–$118,580 | $79,423 | 4,540 |
| 46 | Accountant | Finance | $79,620 | $55,090–$133,810 | $79,145 | 1,870 |
| 47 | Financial Examiner | Finance | $77,610 | $63,340–$125,140 | $77,147 | 30 |
| 48 | Public Relations Specialist | Creative | $76,580 | $45,860–$126,190 | $76,123 | 270 |
| 49 | Loan Officer | Finance | $76,500 | $38,630–$158,870 | $76,044 | 290 |
| 50 | Electrician | Trades | $75,860 | $46,770–$123,940 | $75,408 | 1,410 |
| 51 | Writer/Author | Creative | $73,600 | $45,380–$123,040 | $73,161 | 40 |
| 52 | Market Research Analyst | Management | $69,910 | $40,630–$125,820 | $69,493 | 740 |
| 53 | Computer Network Support Specialist | Technology | $69,230 | $40,610–$103,980 | $68,817 | 200 |
| 54 | Carpenter | Trades | $66,540 | $45,120–$104,810 | $66,143 | 1,100 |
| 55 | Plumber | Trades | $66,450 | $45,670–$117,840 | $66,054 | 960 |
| 56 | Paralegal | Legal | $63,420 | $45,950–$97,180 | $63,042 | 300 |
| 57 | Clinical Laboratory Technologist | Healthcare | $63,210 | $45,860–$102,210 | $62,833 | 360 |
| 58 | Automotive Technician | Trades | $62,450 | $38,760–$92,810 | $62,078 | 1,250 |
| 59 | Graphic Designer | Creative | $61,970 | $40,690–$108,560 | $61,600 | 160 |
| 60 | Welder | Trades | $57,360 | $38,020–$78,710 | $57,018 | 800 |
Why These Roles Pay the Most in Bakersfield, CA
Bakersfield, CA's pay distribution reflects its mix of regional employers and industries, plus the local cost of living that affects nominal salary levels in the BLS data.
An average median salary above $90K places this metro in the top tier of U.S. cities for nominal pay. Most of that premium accrues to the upper percentiles of skilled and managerial occupations; entry-level and service-sector pay is closer to national norms.
Bakersfield, CA's cost-of-living index of 100.6 is close to the U.S. average. Nominal salaries here translate roughly one-for-one into purchasing power; the COL-Adjusted column will be very close to the median column for every row.
How to Use This Ranking
For salary negotiation, the median is a starting anchor — not the ceiling. A Family Medicine Physician with five-plus years of experience in Bakersfield, CA should be benchmarking against the 75th percentile ($383,580) or 90th percentile ($434,630), not the $332,530 median. Use the salary percentile calculator to place any specific salary into the BLS distribution for any role-and-city pair.
For cross-city comparisons, ignore the nominal Median column and look at COL-Adjusted. A $333K Family Medicine Physician salary in Bakersfield, CA (COL 100.6) translates to $331K of buying power in an average-cost metro — that is the apples-to-apples figure when weighing a relocation. Read the methodology behind these adjustments in our methodology page.
For job hunting, focus on the top-10 ranking above and on the role-by-role detail pages — each links through to a Family Medicine Physician in Bakersfield, CA page with full percentile breakdowns, year-over-year change, and prevailing-wage references for H-1B / PERM applicants.
Frequently Asked Questions
The highest paying job in Bakersfield, CA is Family Medicine Physician with a median salary of $332,530 and a 90th-percentile reading of $434,630. The role employs roughly 190 workers in this metro according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2025 OEWS data.
35 of the 60 BLS-tracked occupations in Bakersfield, CA have a median salary of $100,000 or higher. That is well above what most U.S. metros offer. See the full list ranked by median salary above.
Across 60 BLS-tracked occupations, the average median salary in Bakersfield, CA is $114,605. The cost-of-living index is 100.6, so adjusted to a national-average baseline, the average is $113,921 in equivalent purchasing power.
Bakersfield, CA has a cost-of-living index of 100.6, near the national average. Nominal pay translates roughly to face value, making it a strong choice for many careers — particularly the Family Medicine Physician, Pediatrician, Physician Assistant occupations at the top of the ranking.
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 across all industries. The OEWS publishes 10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentile wages by Metropolitan Statistical Area and Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code. The same data is used by the Department of Labor for prevailing wage determinations.
Related Pages
Rankings based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025 reference period. COL adjustments use a composite cost-of-living index calibrated to U.S. average = 100.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.