High paying jobs in Modesto, CA

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Modesto, 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 Modesto, CA run 4.1% above the national average (2024), so a Modesto, CA salary is worth about 0.96× 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 Modesto, CA

OccupationMedian, Modesto, CA · Employed

1Physicians, All Other$323,580
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,360 – $465,480310
2Family Medicine Physicians$260,020
Doctoral or professional degree
$117,860 – $435,120100
3Chief Executives$200,900
Bachelor's degree
$96,420 – $474,740230
4Nurse Practitioners$173,380
Master's degree
$138,470 – $249,600380
5Dentists, General$167,050
Doctoral or professional degree
$95,950 – $280,730160
6Physician Assistants$165,730
Master's degree
$92,540 – $224,310210
7Lawyers$164,010
Doctoral or professional degree
$93,120 – $300,040370
8Architectural and Engineering Managers$163,680
Bachelor's degree
$104,360 – $225,30090
9Veterinarians$162,160
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,000 – $258,400120
10Pharmacists$160,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$130,320 – $211,820380
11Marketing Managers$160,520
Bachelor's degree
$77,350 – $261,950160
12Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$160,240
Master's degree
$128,430 – $174,590460
13Financial Managers$160,180
Bachelor's degree
$86,950 – $274,890600
14Computer and Information Systems Managers$159,720
Bachelor's degree
$109,450 – $261,380230
15Human Resources Managers$153,630
Bachelor's degree
$96,470 – $229,450150
16Education Administrators, All Other$150,500
Bachelor's degree
$59,970 – $191,99090
17Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$143,760
Doctoral or professional degree
$120,240 – $166,260160
18Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$141,210
Associate's degree
$80,400 – $177,780200
19Medical and Health Services Managers$138,950
Bachelor's degree
$65,580 – $223,830980
20Optometrists$137,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$105,610 – $208,17090
21First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$136,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$112,970 – $203,470130
22Registered Nurses$132,590
Bachelor's degree
$102,770 – $197,8004,850
23Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors$129,080
Bachelor's degree
$49,910 – $129,45070
24Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$129,030
Associate's degree
$78,660 – $172,850370
25School Psychologists$128,750
Master's degree
$111,660 – $164,210100
26Industrial Production Managers$126,930
Bachelor's degree
$79,080 – $207,200320
27Physical Therapists$126,600
Doctoral or professional degree
$87,730 – $163,360400
28Construction Managers$125,800
Bachelor's degree
$82,760 – $197,620380
29Facilities Managers$124,000
Bachelor's degree
$73,560 – $183,810180
30Dental Hygienists$123,910
Associate's degree
$103,450 – $133,640390
31Education Administrators, Postsecondary$123,830
Master's degree
$75,840 – $170,000150
32Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$123,030
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,100 – $178,06070
33Occupational Therapists$121,110
Master's degree
$83,410 – $158,690170
34Computer Network Architects$120,870
Bachelor's degree
$67,020 – $179,67070
35Software Developers$119,770
Bachelor's degree
$78,540 – $174,220300
36Speech-Language Pathologists$116,770
Master's degree
$89,370 – $168,470220
37Administrative Services Managers$111,190
Bachelor's degree
$64,260 – $207,580260
38Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$107,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$69,230 – $202,600300
39First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$106,930
Postsecondary nondegree award
$97,240 – $164,210100
40Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$105,400
Associate's degree
$62,460 – $173,17080
41Personal Financial Advisors$105,080
Bachelor's degree
$51,820 – $264,720110
42Mechanical Engineers$104,990
Bachelor's degree
$67,720 – $162,820120
43Data Scientists$104,990
Bachelor's degree
$54,240 – $189,84080
44Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$104,890
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,290 – $173,470190
45General and Operations Managers$104,330
Bachelor's degree
$54,280 – $225,0202,790
46Detectives and Criminal Investigators$104,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$74,980 – $122,78090
47Teachers and Instructors, All Other$103,910
Bachelor's degree
$64,100 – $128,700290
48Respiratory Therapists$103,870
Associate's degree
$83,010 – $134,280270
49Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$103,790
Bachelor's degree
$60,580 – $127,630160
50Project Management Specialists$102,490
Bachelor's degree
$64,790 – $166,640670

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

#	Occupation	MedianModesto, CA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$323,580	$81,360 – $465,480	310
2	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$260,020	$117,860 – $435,120	100
3	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$200,900	$96,420 – $474,740	230
4	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$173,380	$138,470 – $249,600	380
5	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$167,050	$95,950 – $280,730	160
6	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$165,730	$92,540 – $224,310	210
7	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$164,010	$93,120 – $300,040	370
8	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$163,680	$104,360 – $225,300	90
9	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$162,160	$74,000 – $258,400	120
10	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$160,520	$130,320 – $211,820	380
11	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$160,520	$77,350 – $261,950	160
12	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$160,240	$128,430 – $174,590	460
13	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$160,180	$86,950 – $274,890	600
14	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$159,720	$109,450 – $261,380	230
15	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$153,630	$96,470 – $229,450	150
16	Education Administrators, All OtherBachelor's degree	$150,500	$59,970 – $191,990	90
17	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$143,760	$120,240 – $166,260	160
18	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$141,210	$80,400 – $177,780	200
19	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$138,950	$65,580 – $223,830	980
20	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$137,480	$105,610 – $208,170	90
21	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$136,920	$112,970 – $203,470	130
22	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$132,590	$102,770 – $197,800	4,850
23	Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language InstructorsBachelor's degree	$129,080	$49,910 – $129,450	70
24	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$129,030	$78,660 – $172,850	370
25	School PsychologistsMaster's degree	$128,750	$111,660 – $164,210	100
26	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$126,930	$79,080 – $207,200	320
27	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$126,600	$87,730 – $163,360	400
28	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$125,800	$82,760 – $197,620	380
29	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$124,000	$73,560 – $183,810	180
30	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$123,910	$103,450 – $133,640	390
31	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$123,830	$75,840 – $170,000	150
32	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$123,030	$78,100 – $178,060	70
33	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$121,110	$83,410 – $158,690	170
34	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$120,870	$67,020 – $179,670	70
35	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$119,770	$78,540 – $174,220	300
36	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$116,770	$89,370 – $168,470	220
37	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$111,190	$64,260 – $207,580	260
38	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$107,390	$69,230 – $202,600	300
39	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$106,930	$97,240 – $164,210	100
40	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$105,400	$62,460 – $173,170	80
41	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$105,080	$51,820 – $264,720	110
42	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,990	$67,720 – $162,820	120
43	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$104,990	$54,240 – $189,840	80
44	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$104,890	$59,290 – $173,470	190
45	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$104,330	$54,280 – $225,020	2,790
46	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$104,000	$74,980 – $122,780	90
47	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$103,910	$64,100 – $128,700	290
48	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$103,870	$83,010 – $134,280	270
49	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$103,790	$60,580 – $127,630	160
50	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$102,490	$64,790 – $166,640	670

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

High paying jobs in Modesto, CA

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