Fastest growing jobs in California, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in California. Percent growth favours small occupations, so the openings column is often the more useful number — a fast-growing job with few openings is harder to enter than a flat one with many.

State projections are produced by California's own workforce agency and collected by Projections Central — the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes projections only at the national level. Methodology varies by state, so these are not directly comparable with the national figures. Wages remain BLS OEWS.

Cost of living: prices in California run 10.7% above the national average (2024), so a California salary is worth about 0.90× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in California.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in California

OccupationMedian, California · Growth 2024–34

1Nurse Practitioners$168,520
Master's degree
$120,340 – $240,830+52.2%
2Taxi Drivers$39,260
No formal educational credential
$39,050 – $39,260+48.0%
3Solar Photovoltaic Installers$60,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,070 – $83,770+42.0%
4Home Health and Personal Care Aides$34,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,320 – $39,260+41.3%
5Physical Therapist Assistants$83,110
Associate's degree
$59,500 – $102,800+41.1%
6Data Scientists$141,590
Bachelor's degree
$77,480 – $224,920+37.1%
7Medical and Health Services Managers$141,480
Bachelor's degree
$72,800 – $274,660+34.9%
8Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$54,490
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,780 – $101,700+33.3%
9Occupational Therapy Assistants$81,770
Associate's degree
$65,680 – $104,990+32.4%
10Marriage and Family Therapists$67,300
Master's degree
$46,350 – $130,340+30.7%
11Information Security Analysts$138,570
Bachelor's degree
$66,070 – $221,000+29.1%
12Counselors, All Other$48,850
Master's degree
$39,140 – $99,760+28.1%
13Psychiatric Technicians$49,140
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,880 – $88,090+27.5%
14Nurse Anesthetists$292,410
Master's degree
$200,530 – $335,550+27.3%
15Occupational Therapists$124,510
Master's degree
$85,550 – $158,560+26.7%
16Physician Assistants$165,650
Master's degree
$99,380 – $225,190+26.7%
17Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$59,250
Master's degree
$44,640 – $111,080+26.1%
18Computer and Information Research Scientists$159,100
Master's degree
$88,920 – $275,320+26.1%
19Physical Therapists$124,190
Doctoral or professional degree
$85,580 – $163,960+26.0%
20Chiropractors$75,470
Doctoral or professional degree
$51,990 – $179,230+25.6%
21Speech-Language Pathologists$118,970
Master's degree
$79,750 – $160,900+24.0%
22Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$116,000
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,900 – $188,050+24.0%
23Audiologists$114,910
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,090 – $158,640+23.5%
24Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$128,530
Associate's degree
$62,890 – $177,780+23.1%
25Medical Assistants$49,660
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,290 – $77,300+22.7%
26Operations Research Analysts$102,100
Bachelor's degree
$65,510 – $168,030+22.5%
27Respiratory Therapists$104,820
Associate's degree
$77,010 – $145,510+22.2%
28Optometrists$136,300
Doctoral or professional degree
$99,890 – $213,710+22.2%
29Massage Therapists$45,970
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,320 – $89,880+20.9%
30Therapists, All Other$81,760
Bachelor's degree
$59,880 – $166,300+20.8%
31Community Health Workers$58,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,320 – $88,590+20.4%
32Physical Therapist Aides$38,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,690 – $60,200+20.3%
33Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$79,000
Master's degree
$46,450 – $147,300+20.1%
34Hearing Aid Specialists$80,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,770 – $97,010+20.0%
35Continuous Mining Machine Operators$62,790
No formal educational credential
$56,340 – $82,250+20.0%
36Epidemiologists$110,760
Master's degree
$71,910 – $168,220+20.0%
37Orthotists and Prosthetists$91,820
Master's degree
$59,570 – $125,590+20.0%
38Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs$44,730
No formal educational credential
$35,240 – $61,750+19.9%
39Commercial Pilots$165,590
Postsecondary nondegree award
$63,890 – $500,170+19.6%
40Logisticians$92,890
Bachelor's degree
$57,720 – $153,220+19.5%
41Healthcare Social Workers$89,660
Master's degree
$54,220 – $134,880+19.4%
42Social and Community Service Managers$83,210
Bachelor's degree
$56,510 – $149,280+19.3%
43Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$165,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,510 – $381,560+19.2%
44Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars$90,750
Associate's degree
$57,770 – $167,650+18.8%
45Acupuncturists$75,530
Master's degree
$37,810 – $186,300+18.6%
46Cooks, Restaurant$44,880
No formal educational credential
$37,100 – $55,580+18.5%
47Occupational Health and Safety Technicians$61,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,170 – $105,950+18.5%
48Mechanical Door Repairers$59,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,520 – $80,600+18.5%
49Software Developers$174,410
Bachelor's degree
$105,060 – $272,670+18.4%
50Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists$124,000
Associate's degree
$74,360 – $174,030+18.4%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianCalifornia	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Growth 2024–34
1	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$168,520	$120,340 – $240,830	+52.2%
2	Taxi DriversNo formal educational credential	$39,260	$39,050 – $39,260	+48.0%
3	Solar Photovoltaic InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,600	$47,070 – $83,770	+42.0%
4	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$34,320	$34,320 – $39,260	+41.3%
5	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$83,110	$59,500 – $102,800	+41.1%
6	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$141,590	$77,480 – $224,920	+37.1%
7	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$141,480	$72,800 – $274,660	+34.9%
8	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$54,490	$38,780 – $101,700	+33.3%
9	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$81,770	$65,680 – $104,990	+32.4%
10	Marriage and Family TherapistsMaster's degree	$67,300	$46,350 – $130,340	+30.7%
11	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$138,570	$66,070 – $221,000	+29.1%
12	Counselors, All OtherMaster's degree	$48,850	$39,140 – $99,760	+28.1%
13	Psychiatric TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,140	$40,880 – $88,090	+27.5%
14	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$292,410	$200,530 – $335,550	+27.3%
15	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$124,510	$85,550 – $158,560	+26.7%
16	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$165,650	$99,380 – $225,190	+26.7%
17	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$59,250	$44,640 – $111,080	+26.1%
18	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$159,100	$88,920 – $275,320	+26.1%
19	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$124,190	$85,580 – $163,960	+26.0%
20	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$75,470	$51,990 – $179,230	+25.6%
21	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$118,970	$79,750 – $160,900	+24.0%
22	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$116,000	$62,900 – $188,050	+24.0%
23	AudiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$114,910	$62,090 – $158,640	+23.5%
24	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$128,530	$62,890 – $177,780	+23.1%
25	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,660	$39,290 – $77,300	+22.7%
26	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$102,100	$65,510 – $168,030	+22.5%
27	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$104,820	$77,010 – $145,510	+22.2%
28	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$136,300	$99,890 – $213,710	+22.2%
29	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,970	$34,320 – $89,880	+20.9%
30	Therapists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$81,760	$59,880 – $166,300	+20.8%
31	Community Health WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,050	$46,320 – $88,590	+20.4%
32	Physical Therapist AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,330	$34,690 – $60,200	+20.3%
33	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$79,000	$46,450 – $147,300	+20.1%
34	Hearing Aid SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,060	$50,770 – $97,010	+20.0%
35	Continuous Mining Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$62,790	$56,340 – $82,250	+20.0%
36	EpidemiologistsMaster's degree	$110,760	$71,910 – $168,220	+20.0%
37	Orthotists and ProsthetistsMaster's degree	$91,820	$59,570 – $125,590	+20.0%
38	Shuttle Drivers and ChauffeursNo formal educational credential	$44,730	$35,240 – $61,750	+19.9%
39	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$165,590	$63,890 – $500,170	+19.6%
40	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$92,890	$57,720 – $153,220	+19.5%
41	Healthcare Social WorkersMaster's degree	$89,660	$54,220 – $134,880	+19.4%
42	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$83,210	$56,510 – $149,280	+19.3%
43	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$165,110	$65,510 – $381,560	+19.2%
44	Health Information Technologists and Medical RegistrarsAssociate's degree	$90,750	$57,770 – $167,650	+18.8%
45	AcupuncturistsMaster's degree	$75,530	$37,810 – $186,300	+18.6%
46	Cooks, RestaurantNo formal educational credential	$44,880	$37,100 – $55,580	+18.5%
47	Occupational Health and Safety TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,360	$44,170 – $105,950	+18.5%
48	Mechanical Door RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,560	$41,520 – $80,600	+18.5%
49	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$174,410	$105,060 – $272,670	+18.4%
50	Magnetic Resonance Imaging TechnologistsAssociate's degree	$124,000	$74,360 – $174,030	+18.4%

More for California

Metro areas in California

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in California

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in California to rank honestly.

Fastest growing jobs in California, 2024–34

More for California

Metro areas in California

By field in California

Without a degree

Fastest growing jobs in each state, 2024–34