High paying jobs in Salinas, CA

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Salinas, 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 Salinas, CA run 9.0% above the national average (2024), so a Salinas, CA salary is worth about 0.92× 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 Salinas, CA

OccupationMedian, Salinas, CA · Employed

1Family Medicine Physicians$410,370
Doctoral or professional degree
$146,830 – $461,330320
2Physicians, All Other$384,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,210 – $396,220250
3Chief Executives$226,270
Bachelor's degree
$106,800 – $443,900220
4Architectural and Engineering Managers$187,730
Bachelor's degree
$126,930 – $244,69070
5Dentists, General$185,040
Doctoral or professional degree
$104,610 – $302,310170
6Physician Assistants$170,180
Master's degree
$146,500 – $453,100130
7Computer and Information Systems Managers$167,160
Bachelor's degree
$114,450 – $272,210200
8Lawyers$166,940
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,610 – $289,250380
9Pharmacists$166,470
Doctoral or professional degree
$127,340 – $203,360260
10Nurse Practitioners$166,090
Master's degree
$135,360 – $213,530140
11Veterinarians$163,080
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,790 – $262,980120
12Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$161,590
Master's degree
$111,710 – $205,340350
13Marketing Managers$155,940
Bachelor's degree
$85,360 – $265,670130
14First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$153,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$109,600 – $206,670150
15Financial Managers$153,370
Bachelor's degree
$94,950 – $257,310450
16Human Resources Managers$150,390
Bachelor's degree
$86,590 – $243,470150
17Medical and Health Services Managers$140,610
Bachelor's degree
$78,640 – $222,350510
18Fundraising Managers$139,240
Bachelor's degree
$87,880 – $240,05060
19Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$138,590
Doctoral or professional degree
$94,060 – $160,710100
20Software Developers$135,160
Bachelor's degree
$83,870 – $204,020290
21Registered Nurses$134,910
Bachelor's degree
$102,300 – $176,9903,180
22Optometrists$133,350
Doctoral or professional degree
$107,650 – $164,21060
23Mechanical Engineers$132,560
Bachelor's degree
$69,240 – $175,20070
24Computer Occupations, All Other$131,730
Bachelor's degree
$58,570 – $176,430500
25Managers, All Other$131,050
Bachelor's degree
$82,040 – $209,580400
26Industrial Production Managers$129,360
Bachelor's degree
$80,100 – $207,230160
27Physical Therapists$127,120
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,360 – $155,840190
28Urban and Regional Planners$125,300
Master's degree
$77,600 – $163,920100
29Occupational Therapists$123,180
Master's degree
$83,720 – $153,920110
30Speech-Language Pathologists$122,770
Master's degree
$85,520 – $174,590200
31Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers$122,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$82,190 – $169,10090
32Dental Hygienists$122,370
Associate's degree
$105,280 – $138,260240
33Civil Engineers$122,160
Bachelor's degree
$75,580 – $167,060250
34Construction Managers$120,430
Bachelor's degree
$84,310 – $181,240220
35Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$118,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$78,390 – $142,280930
36Teachers and Instructors, All Other$113,360
Bachelor's degree
$87,460 – $207,4802,170
37Special Education Teachers, All Other$112,900
Bachelor's degree
$73,860 – $129,140200
38Facilities Managers$111,500
Bachelor's degree
$72,160 – $175,820200
39Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$110,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$69,020 – $182,990190
40Correctional Officers and Jailers$109,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$69,800 – $116,2701,510
41Computer Systems Analysts$108,900
Bachelor's degree
$61,030 – $163,350200
42First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$107,830
Postsecondary nondegree award
$78,230 – $168,250220
43General and Operations Managers$105,680
Bachelor's degree
$54,170 – $223,9702,600
44Education Administrators, All Other$105,050
Bachelor's degree
$69,040 – $181,430110
45Financial and Investment Analysts$104,780
Bachelor's degree
$79,830 – $179,76090
46Administrative Services Managers$104,660
Bachelor's degree
$65,400 – $179,620230
47Personal Financial Advisors$104,430
Bachelor's degree
$62,590 – $269,410110
48Sales Managers$103,810
Bachelor's degree
$57,830 – $233,770800
49Management Analysts$102,640
Bachelor's degree
$59,280 – $159,980720
50Project Management Specialists$102,400
Bachelor's degree
$61,840 – $159,870490

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

#	Occupation	MedianSalinas, CA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$410,370	$146,830 – $461,330	320
2	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$384,990	$81,210 – $396,220	250
3	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$226,270	$106,800 – $443,900	220
4	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$187,730	$126,930 – $244,690	70
5	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$185,040	$104,610 – $302,310	170
6	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$170,180	$146,500 – $453,100	130
7	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$167,160	$114,450 – $272,210	200
8	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$166,940	$80,610 – $289,250	380
9	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$166,470	$127,340 – $203,360	260
10	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$166,090	$135,360 – $213,530	140
11	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$163,080	$64,790 – $262,980	120
12	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$161,590	$111,710 – $205,340	350
13	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$155,940	$85,360 – $265,670	130
14	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$153,930	$109,600 – $206,670	150
15	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$153,370	$94,950 – $257,310	450
16	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$150,390	$86,590 – $243,470	150
17	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$140,610	$78,640 – $222,350	510
18	Fundraising ManagersBachelor's degree	$139,240	$87,880 – $240,050	60
19	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$138,590	$94,060 – $160,710	100
20	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$135,160	$83,870 – $204,020	290
21	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$134,910	$102,300 – $176,990	3,180
22	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$133,350	$107,650 – $164,210	60
23	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$132,560	$69,240 – $175,200	70
24	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$131,730	$58,570 – $176,430	500
25	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$131,050	$82,040 – $209,580	400
26	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$129,360	$80,100 – $207,230	160
27	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$127,120	$81,360 – $155,840	190
28	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$125,300	$77,600 – $163,920	100
29	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$123,180	$83,720 – $153,920	110
30	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$122,770	$85,520 – $174,590	200
31	Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$122,630	$82,190 – $169,100	90
32	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$122,370	$105,280 – $138,260	240
33	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$122,160	$75,580 – $167,060	250
34	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$120,430	$84,310 – $181,240	220
35	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$118,220	$78,390 – $142,280	930
36	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$113,360	$87,460 – $207,480	2,170
37	Special Education Teachers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$112,900	$73,860 – $129,140	200
38	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$111,500	$72,160 – $175,820	200
39	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$110,050	$69,020 – $182,990	190
40	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$109,620	$69,800 – $116,270	1,510
41	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$108,900	$61,030 – $163,350	200
42	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$107,830	$78,230 – $168,250	220
43	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$105,680	$54,170 – $223,970	2,600
44	Education Administrators, All OtherBachelor's degree	$105,050	$69,040 – $181,430	110
45	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$104,780	$79,830 – $179,760	90
46	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$104,660	$65,400 – $179,620	230
47	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$104,430	$62,590 – $269,410	110
48	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$103,810	$57,830 – $233,770	800
49	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$102,640	$59,280 – $159,980	720
50	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$102,400	$61,840 – $159,870	490

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

More for Salinas, CA

By field in Salinas, CA

Without a degree

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

High paying jobs in Salinas, CA

More for Salinas, CA

Other metro areas in CA

By field in Salinas, CA

Without a degree

By state