state record · wages by occupation

Wages by occupation in California

In California, the median annual wage across all occupations was $56,940 in May 2024, with 18,057,850 people employed, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.

REFERENCE: May 2024SOURCE: BLS OEWS784 occupations

Cite: FACTANKER, https://factanker.com/us/ca/wages

What stands out

In California, the median annual wage across all occupations was $56,940 in May 2024, with 18,057,850 people employed, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The highest median among detailed occupations is $220,600 for Chief Executives, the lowest $33,420 for Gambling Dealers. The largest occupation by headcount is Home Health and Personal Care Aides with 875,110 jobs at a median of $34,600. Wages are annual, as published by BLS for May of the reference year; '≥ $239,200' marks BLS's top code. Every value links to its fact record.

Highest-paid occupations

Top 30 by median annual wage among detailed occupations.

Occupation	Employment	Median annual	10th pct	90th pct	Source
Chief Executives 11-1011	36,980	$220,600	$87,070	≥ $239,200	evidence →
Computer and Information Systems Managers 11-3021	100,020	$211,340	$127,220	≥ $239,200	evidence →
Natural Sciences Managers 11-9121	14,120	$204,100	$121,420	≥ $239,200	evidence →
Architectural and Engineering Managers 11-9041	30,690	$201,810	$132,880	≥ $239,200	evidence →
Physicians, All Other 29-1229	20,750	$201,510	$49,770	≥ $239,200	evidence →
Lawyers 23-1011	92,580	$197,790	$101,070	≥ $239,200	evidence →
Nurse Midwives 29-1161	880	$196,700	$111,800	$226,840	evidence →
Podiatrists 29-1081	930	$193,510	$34,590	≥ $239,200	evidence →
Physicists 19-2012	6,220	$180,900	$103,800	≥ $239,200	evidence →
Computer Hardware Engineers 17-2061	24,200	$179,880	$117,180	≥ $239,200	evidence →
Dentists, General 29-1021	14,760	$178,540	$97,280	≥ $239,200	evidence →
Marketing Managers 11-2021	56,300	$178,160	$97,890	≥ $239,200	evidence →
Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other 15-2099	220	$175,170	$49,110	$228,790	evidence →
Financial Managers 11-3031	96,860	$174,920	$98,000	≥ $239,200	evidence →
Software Developers 15-1252	292,630	$170,910	$103,950	≥ $239,200	evidence →
Managers, All Other 11-9199	103,510	$170,740	$96,140	≥ $239,200	evidence →
Human Resources Managers 11-3121	27,680	$169,140	$97,620	≥ $239,200	evidence →
Nuclear Engineers 17-2161	870	$167,660	$132,510	$201,910	evidence →
Nurse Practitioners 29-1171	20,980	$166,610	$124,330	$234,800	evidence →
Physicians, Pathologists 29-1222	2,180	$165,940	$78,450	≥ $239,200	evidence →
Pharmacists 29-1051	34,490	$165,150	$87,170	$208,070	evidence →
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives 33-1012	12,980	$162,740	$123,450	$205,820	evidence →
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1064	330	$162,050	$66,490	≥ $239,200	evidence →
Physician Assistants 29-1071	13,570	$161,080	$94,870	$219,300	evidence →
Compensation and Benefits Managers 11-3111	2,840	$160,740	$97,020	≥ $239,200	evidence →
Radiation Therapists 29-1124	1,240	$160,040	$115,770	$202,910	evidence →
Database Architects 15-1243	5,850	$159,130	$89,080	$226,340	evidence →
Veterinarians 29-1131	8,510	$158,950	$79,710	≥ $239,200	evidence →
Emergency Medicine Physicians 29-1214	—	$158,100	$125,490	≥ $239,200	evidence →
Public Relations Managers 11-2032	9,140	$156,340	$97,120	≥ $239,200	evidence →

Largest occupations by employment

Top 30 by number of jobs.

Occupation	Employment	Median annual	10th pct	90th pct	Source
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 31-1120	875,110	$34,600	$33,280	$38,830	evidence →
Fast Food and Counter Workers 35-3023	438,950	$37,010	$34,530	$46,890	evidence →
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 53-7062	382,740	$42,660	$35,300	$55,720	evidence →
Retail Salespersons 41-2031	352,860	$37,250	$34,290	$53,780	evidence →
Cashiers 41-2011	349,300	$36,270	$33,910	$47,630	evidence →
Registered Nurses 29-1141	326,720	$140,330	$100,120	$208,880	evidence →
Office Clerks, General 43-9061	306,000	$47,920	$35,600	$71,490	evidence →
Software Developers 15-1252	292,630	$170,910	$103,950	≥ $239,200	evidence →
General and Operations Managers 11-1021	292,300	$125,240	$61,780	≥ $239,200	evidence →
Stockers and Order Fillers 53-7065	267,340	$39,450	$35,520	$56,160	evidence →
Waiters and Waitresses 35-3031	243,300	$35,290	$33,310	$70,450	evidence →
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 37-2011	237,680	$38,640	$34,620	$57,880	evidence →
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 53-3032	211,740	$59,950	$38,460	$80,310	evidence →
Security Guards 33-9032	185,510	$43,930	$36,180	$59,320	evidence →
Customer Service Representatives 43-4051	183,350	$47,790	$37,340	$75,160	evidence →
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse 45-2092	175,340	$35,770	$33,980	$45,700	evidence →
Accountants and Auditors 13-2011	173,370	$96,360	$60,920	$162,150	evidence →
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 43-6014	169,670	$53,190	$38,360	$76,110	evidence →
Business Operations Specialists, All Other 13-1199	168,180	$83,820	$44,440	$173,080	evidence →
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers 43-1011	164,320	$75,090	$49,020	$112,140	evidence →
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 25-9045	160,960	$45,460	$36,100	$57,880	evidence →
Cooks, Restaurant 35-2014	160,270	$44,290	$36,430	$54,690	evidence →
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 43-3031	154,980	$57,470	$40,020	$80,730	evidence →
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel 41-3091	146,270	$79,410	$40,910	$164,410	evidence →
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education 25-2021	141,650	$98,190	$60,330	$126,440	evidence →
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products 41-4012	141,300	$73,920	$40,310	$148,150	evidence →
Cooks, Fast Food 35-2011	136,550	$36,410	$34,390	$45,270	evidence →
Management Analysts 13-1111	136,200	$102,110	$61,920	$187,010	evidence →
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 49-9071	132,250	$56,030	$38,220	$82,680	evidence →
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers 35-1012	124,240	$46,140	$36,840	$71,590	evidence →

Metropolitan areas in California

Each has its own wage record.

All occupations →Population of California →All counties →

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