High paying jobs in Chico, CA

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Chico, CA. 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 Chico, CA run 1.2% above the national average (2024), so a Chico, CA salary is worth about 0.99× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

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

Find high paying jobs in Chico, CA

OccupationMedian, Chico, CA · Employed

1Physicians, All Other$334,980
Doctoral or professional degree
$119,790 – $593,64050
2Family Medicine Physicians$274,800
Doctoral or professional degree
$129,740 – $312,35090
3Chief Executives$176,750
Bachelor's degree
$73,560 – $394,420130
4Nurse Practitioners$167,080
Master's degree
$131,730 – $203,910140
5Physician Assistants$164,780
Master's degree
$129,170 – $202,110130
6Dentists, General$163,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$85,490 – $258,99050
7Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$162,300
Bachelor's degree
$48,440 – $207,68050
8Pharmacists$161,410
Doctoral or professional degree
$123,040 – $200,680160
9Veterinarians$160,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$72,600 – $247,75060
10Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$155,470
Doctoral or professional degree
$103,420 – $213,85070
11Optometrists$139,890
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,850 – $333,54030
12Human Resources Managers$139,830
Bachelor's degree
$97,640 – $224,05060
13Marketing Managers$139,830
Bachelor's degree
$82,670 – $219,40060
14Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$139,600
Master's degree
$103,180 – $171,740170
15Computer and Information Systems Managers$137,890
Bachelor's degree
$101,030 – $216,550120
16Managers, All Other$136,090
Bachelor's degree
$73,800 – $207,380210
17Physical Therapists$134,970
Doctoral or professional degree
$89,710 – $149,110180
18Lawyers$131,710
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,850 – $227,520140
19Engineers, All Other$131,660
Bachelor's degree
$65,630 – $159,18040
20Medical and Health Services Managers$131,520
Bachelor's degree
$69,130 – $207,650400
21Software Developers$131,360
Bachelor's degree
$77,750 – $188,330150
22Financial Managers$130,600
Bachelor's degree
$88,340 – $242,720260
23Occupational Therapists$129,260
Master's degree
$101,900 – $143,68070
24Registered Nurses$127,360
Bachelor's degree
$103,400 – $160,1702,170
25School Psychologists$124,980
Master's degree
$95,690 – $149,17050
26Industrial Production Managers$124,780
Bachelor's degree
$69,860 – $206,430100
27First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$124,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$102,730 – $199,66070
28Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$123,880
Associate's degree
$93,980 – $151,36080
29Commercial Pilots$123,880
Postsecondary nondegree award
$62,780 – $299,99040
30Administrative Services Managers$123,530
Bachelor's degree
$65,080 – $201,470150
31Construction Managers$119,660
Bachelor's degree
$79,510 – $176,820140
32Education Administrators, All Other$118,930
Bachelor's degree
$62,970 – $184,03050
33Dental Hygienists$118,800
Associate's degree
$100,650 – $128,180150
34Education Administrators, Postsecondary$118,710
Master's degree
$79,950 – $194,690140
35Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$115,610
Bachelor's degree
$63,560 – $196,36050
36Speech-Language Pathologists$110,720
Master's degree
$98,350 – $142,550130
37Mechanical Engineers$109,210
Bachelor's degree
$75,680 – $202,98040
38Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$107,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,190 – $189,07070
39Civil Engineers$107,350
Bachelor's degree
$71,400 – $162,610160
40Facilities Managers$103,650
Bachelor's degree
$69,130 – $178,93070
41Project Management Specialists$103,320
Bachelor's degree
$61,580 – $181,480320
42Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$103,000
Associate's degree
$48,900 – $133,060150
43First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$100,160
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,740 – $131,61030
44Industrial Engineers$99,350
Bachelor's degree
$64,930 – $168,78040
45Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$99,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,330 – $151,10050
46General and Operations Managers$98,390
Bachelor's degree
$52,370 – $207,2301,260
47Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$98,210
Bachelor's degree
$65,590 – $121,980400
48Sales Managers$97,430
Bachelor's degree
$53,860 – $208,970330
49Instructional Coordinators$96,510
Master's degree
$61,580 – $156,030130
50Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$96,080
Master's degree
$45,850 – $128,140330

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

#	Occupation	MedianChico, CA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$334,980	$119,790 – $593,640	50
2	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$274,800	$129,740 – $312,350	90
3	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$176,750	$73,560 – $394,420	130
4	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$167,080	$131,730 – $203,910	140
5	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$164,780	$129,170 – $202,110	130
6	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$163,520	$85,490 – $258,990	50
7	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$162,300	$48,440 – $207,680	50
8	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$161,410	$123,040 – $200,680	160
9	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$160,180	$72,600 – $247,750	60
10	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$155,470	$103,420 – $213,850	70
11	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$139,890	$98,850 – $333,540	30
12	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$139,830	$97,640 – $224,050	60
13	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$139,830	$82,670 – $219,400	60
14	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$139,600	$103,180 – $171,740	170
15	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$137,890	$101,030 – $216,550	120
16	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$136,090	$73,800 – $207,380	210
17	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$134,970	$89,710 – $149,110	180
18	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$131,710	$58,850 – $227,520	140
19	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$131,660	$65,630 – $159,180	40
20	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$131,520	$69,130 – $207,650	400
21	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$131,360	$77,750 – $188,330	150
22	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$130,600	$88,340 – $242,720	260
23	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$129,260	$101,900 – $143,680	70
24	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$127,360	$103,400 – $160,170	2,170
25	School PsychologistsMaster's degree	$124,980	$95,690 – $149,170	50
26	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$124,780	$69,860 – $206,430	100
27	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$124,660	$102,730 – $199,660	70
28	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$123,880	$93,980 – $151,360	80
29	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$123,880	$62,780 – $299,990	40
30	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$123,530	$65,080 – $201,470	150
31	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$119,660	$79,510 – $176,820	140
32	Education Administrators, All OtherBachelor's degree	$118,930	$62,970 – $184,030	50
33	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$118,800	$100,650 – $128,180	150
34	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$118,710	$79,950 – $194,690	140
35	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$115,610	$63,560 – $196,360	50
36	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$110,720	$98,350 – $142,550	130
37	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$109,210	$75,680 – $202,980	40
38	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$107,570	$57,190 – $189,070	70
39	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$107,350	$71,400 – $162,610	160
40	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$103,650	$69,130 – $178,930	70
41	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$103,320	$61,580 – $181,480	320
42	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$103,000	$48,900 – $133,060	150
43	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$100,160	$34,740 – $131,610	30
44	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,350	$64,930 – $168,780	40
45	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$99,040	$60,330 – $151,100	50
46	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$98,390	$52,370 – $207,230	1,260
47	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$98,210	$65,590 – $121,980	400
48	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$97,430	$53,860 – $208,970	330
49	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$96,510	$61,580 – $156,030	130
50	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$96,080	$45,850 – $128,140	330

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Chico, CA. 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.

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

High paying jobs in Chico, CA

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