California Average Salary 2026
Average pay, top-paying occupations, and cost of living across California.
The average salary in California is $128,117 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2024 data aggregated across 4 metropolitan areas (San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose). The highest-paying tracked occupation in the state is Obstetrician/Gynecologist at $235,930 median; 38 occupations pay six-figure ($100K+) medians. Adjusted for the state's average cost-of-living index of 175, the average median equates to $73,210 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in California
Obstetrician/Gynecologist
Healthcare · 0 jobs in state · top metro: Los Angeles ($235,930)
Computer and Information Systems Manager
Technology · 58,520 jobs in state · top metro: San Francisco ($221,810)
Lawyer
Legal · 66,920 jobs in state · top metro: San Francisco ($215,090)
Marketing Manager
Management · 43,980 jobs in state · top metro: San Jose ($228,580)
Financial Manager
Finance · 71,170 jobs in state · top metro: San Jose ($218,920)
Nurse Practitioner
Healthcare · 13,430 jobs in state · top metro: San Jose ($225,730)
Software Developer
Technology · 242,910 jobs in state · top metro: San Jose ($208,270)
Human Resources Manager
Management · 17,040 jobs in state · top metro: San Francisco ($206,420)
Pharmacist
Healthcare · 21,390 jobs in state · top metro: San Jose ($196,250)
Medical and Health Services Manager
Healthcare · 21,550 jobs in state · top metro: San Francisco ($168,750)
Cities in California
San Jose, CA
49 occupations tracked · COL index: 195.8
San Francisco, CA
51 occupations tracked · COL index: 179.6
Los Angeles, CA
53 occupations tracked · COL index: 166
San Diego, CA
50 occupations tracked · COL index: 160.2
Frequently Asked Questions
The average salary in California is $128,117 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2024 release aggregated across 4 BLS-tracked metros. The figure is employment-weighted, so larger occupations contribute proportionally more to the average. The top-paying role in the state is Obstetrician/Gynecologist at $235,930 median.
The top five highest-paying occupations in California, ranked by employment-weighted median across all tracked metros, are Obstetrician/Gynecologist ($235,930), Computer and Information Systems Manager ($205,504), Lawyer ($202,732), Marketing Manager ($189,654), Financial Manager ($187,963). See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/state/california.
38 of the 53 BLS-tracked occupations in California have a state-aggregated median salary of $100,000 or higher. That places this state in the upper tier nationally.
San Jose, CA leads California with an average median salary of $143,453 across 49 BLS-tracked occupations.
The average cost-of-living index across California's tracked metros is 175 (national avg = 100). The state average median of $128,117 translates to $73,210 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. The high COL absorbs much of the nominal pay premium.
State aggregates are employment-weighted across the BLS-tracked metros in California, using the OEWS 2024 reference period.
203 data points · BLS OEWS 2024 · last refreshed 2026-05-08