High paying jobs in California

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in California. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

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 · Employed

1Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$353,900
Bachelor's degree
$179,270 – $427,66010,670
2General Internal Medicine Physicians$313,890
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,180 – $441,7106,370
3Physicians, All Other$281,590
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,590 – $431,98025,530
4Chief Executives$218,600
Bachelor's degree
$85,790 – $486,83034,700
5Computer and Information Systems Managers$218,290
Bachelor's degree
$129,970 – $325,97094,720
6Pediatricians, General$214,140
Doctoral or professional degree
$102,600 – $372,4606,680
7Architectural and Engineering Managers$210,280
Bachelor's degree
$137,900 – $296,13029,630
8Natural Sciences Managers$210,230
Bachelor's degree
$130,730 – $330,05014,950
9Physicists$207,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$125,390 – $296,7405,930
10Lawyers$195,080
Doctoral or professional degree
$97,950 – $369,18095,770
11Marketing Managers$193,620
Bachelor's degree
$104,370 – $326,40054,660
12Computer Hardware Engineers$185,180
Bachelor's degree
$126,590 – $281,21019,820
13Financial Managers$180,770
Bachelor's degree
$101,820 – $341,67093,310
14Managers, All Other$174,560
Bachelor's degree
$98,280 – $303,68099,580
15Software Developers$174,410
Bachelor's degree
$105,060 – $272,670284,390
16Database Architects$170,160
Bachelor's degree
$101,200 – $227,9006,210
17Human Resources Managers$170,080
Bachelor's degree
$96,430 – $307,60027,450
18Nurse Practitioners$168,520
Master's degree
$120,340 – $240,83025,120
19Public Relations Managers$167,980
Bachelor's degree
$97,800 – $300,8009,400
20Dentists, General$165,950
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,510 – $272,73016,770
21Physician Assistants$165,650
Master's degree
$99,380 – $225,19013,600
22Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$165,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,510 – $381,56017,350
23Pharmacists$164,610
Doctoral or professional degree
$90,560 – $213,82034,030
24First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$163,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$121,720 – $204,50013,200
25Veterinarians$163,920
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,850 – $286,3309,170
26Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$160,520
Bachelor's degree
$97,140 – $225,40020,830
27Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$159,950
Master's degree
$103,250 – $202,38031,370
28Purchasing Managers$159,830
Bachelor's degree
$99,560 – $241,3407,470
29Computer and Information Research Scientists$159,100
Master's degree
$88,920 – $275,3208,440
30Computer Network Architects$158,870
Bachelor's degree
$97,070 – $224,93014,870
31Aerospace Engineers$157,620
Bachelor's degree
$104,370 – $220,6709,170
32Training and Development Managers$156,260
Bachelor's degree
$96,900 – $274,9606,680
33Electrical Engineers$144,040
Bachelor's degree
$81,840 – $217,76024,230
34Data Scientists$141,590
Bachelor's degree
$77,480 – $224,92039,310
35Medical and Health Services Managers$141,480
Bachelor's degree
$72,800 – $274,66075,090
36Registered Nurses$140,270
Bachelor's degree
$101,260 – $213,320338,940
37Sales Engineers$139,160
Bachelor's degree
$78,850 – $213,3706,310
38Information Security Analysts$138,570
Bachelor's degree
$66,070 – $221,00015,570
39Art Directors$137,780
Bachelor's degree
$81,500 – $249,21012,430
40Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$136,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,320 – $180,06029,830
41Optometrists$136,300
Doctoral or professional degree
$99,890 – $213,7106,890
42Web and Digital Interface Designers$136,110
Bachelor's degree
$68,090 – $219,75027,090
43Sales Managers$134,910
Bachelor's degree
$64,430 – $300,580112,440
44Computer Occupations, All Other$134,440
Bachelor's degree
$58,340 – $222,69080,150
45Construction Managers$133,160
Bachelor's degree
$82,100 – $211,97034,750
46Industrial Production Managers$132,620
Bachelor's degree
$80,950 – $222,02025,130
47Mechanical Engineers$130,900
Bachelor's degree
$82,070 – $203,62030,530
48Engineers, All Other$130,850
Bachelor's degree
$74,950 – $212,13028,610
49Special Effects Artists and Animators$130,540
Bachelor's degree
$71,710 – $206,1607,410
50Personal Financial Advisors$130,330
Bachelor's degree
$67,690 – $393,86032,200

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	Employed
1	Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersBachelor's degree	$353,900	$179,270 – $427,660	10,670
2	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$313,890	$74,180 – $441,710	6,370
3	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$281,590	$80,590 – $431,980	25,530
4	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$218,600	$85,790 – $486,830	34,700
5	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$218,290	$129,970 – $325,970	94,720
6	Pediatricians, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$214,140	$102,600 – $372,460	6,680
7	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$210,280	$137,900 – $296,130	29,630
8	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$210,230	$130,730 – $330,050	14,950
9	PhysicistsDoctoral or professional degree	$207,490	$125,390 – $296,740	5,930
10	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$195,080	$97,950 – $369,180	95,770
11	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$193,620	$104,370 – $326,400	54,660
12	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$185,180	$126,590 – $281,210	19,820
13	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$180,770	$101,820 – $341,670	93,310
14	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$174,560	$98,280 – $303,680	99,580
15	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$174,410	$105,060 – $272,670	284,390
16	Database ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$170,160	$101,200 – $227,900	6,210
17	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$170,080	$96,430 – $307,600	27,450
18	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$168,520	$120,340 – $240,830	25,120
19	Public Relations ManagersBachelor's degree	$167,980	$97,800 – $300,800	9,400
20	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$165,950	$74,510 – $272,730	16,770
21	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$165,650	$99,380 – $225,190	13,600
22	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$165,110	$65,510 – $381,560	17,350
23	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$164,610	$90,560 – $213,820	34,030
24	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$163,960	$121,720 – $204,500	13,200
25	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$163,920	$74,850 – $286,330	9,170
26	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$160,520	$97,140 – $225,400	20,830
27	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$159,950	$103,250 – $202,380	31,370
28	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$159,830	$99,560 – $241,340	7,470
29	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$159,100	$88,920 – $275,320	8,440
30	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$158,870	$97,070 – $224,930	14,870
31	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$157,620	$104,370 – $220,670	9,170
32	Training and Development ManagersBachelor's degree	$156,260	$96,900 – $274,960	6,680
33	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$144,040	$81,840 – $217,760	24,230
34	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$141,590	$77,480 – $224,920	39,310
35	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$141,480	$72,800 – $274,660	75,090
36	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$140,270	$101,260 – $213,320	338,940
37	Sales EngineersBachelor's degree	$139,160	$78,850 – $213,370	6,310
38	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$138,570	$66,070 – $221,000	15,570
39	Art DirectorsBachelor's degree	$137,780	$81,500 – $249,210	12,430
40	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$136,990	$81,320 – $180,060	29,830
41	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$136,300	$99,890 – $213,710	6,890
42	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$136,110	$68,090 – $219,750	27,090
43	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$134,910	$64,430 – $300,580	112,440
44	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$134,440	$58,340 – $222,690	80,150
45	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$133,160	$82,100 – $211,970	34,750
46	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$132,620	$80,950 – $222,020	25,130
47	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$130,900	$82,070 – $203,620	30,530
48	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$130,850	$74,950 – $212,130	28,610
49	Special Effects Artists and AnimatorsBachelor's degree	$130,540	$71,710 – $206,160	7,410
50	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$130,330	$67,690 – $393,860	32,200

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in California. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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.

High paying jobs in California

More for California

Metro areas in California

By field in California

Without a degree

By state