High paying jobs in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA run 15.6% above the national average (2024), so a San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA salary is worth about 0.86× 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

OccupationMedian, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA · Employed

1Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$374,680
Bachelor's degree
$187,960 – $598,9602,900
2Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$357,220
Doctoral or professional degree
$101,160 – $357,2204,340
3Family Medicine Physicians$304,560
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,220 – $534,1102,170
4Physicians, All Other$294,360
Doctoral or professional degree
$91,720 – $425,0703,530
5Chief Executives$288,690
Bachelor's degree
$100,340 – $558,3105,190
6Computer and Information Systems Managers$232,890
Bachelor's degree
$155,660 – $335,77023,830
7Natural Sciences Managers$225,230
Bachelor's degree
$158,270 – $338,6605,530
8Architectural and Engineering Managers$221,580
Bachelor's degree
$165,160 – $320,1205,000
9Marketing Managers$220,480
Bachelor's degree
$133,990 – $333,43011,170
10Nurse Practitioners$219,080
Master's degree
$153,280 – $273,9603,110
11Financial Managers$216,150
Bachelor's degree
$123,280 – $356,07017,040
12Lawyers$212,500
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,280 – $375,58018,470
13Managers, All Other$210,080
Bachelor's degree
$117,140 – $313,43021,550
14Human Resources Managers$209,340
Bachelor's degree
$123,950 – $323,8504,960
15Veterinarians$208,080
Doctoral or professional degree
$89,130 – $295,4201,350
16Pediatricians, General$207,450
Doctoral or professional degree
$102,600 – $447,610810
17Computer Hardware Engineers$203,890
Bachelor's degree
$130,800 – $284,5802,810
18Dentists, General$202,060
Doctoral or professional degree
$119,750 – $322,9302,090
19Public Relations Managers$192,720
Bachelor's degree
$110,370 – $312,4301,880
20Software Developers$186,640
Bachelor's degree
$128,090 – $273,40069,030
21Registered Nurses$186,610
Bachelor's degree
$119,290 – $223,77041,750
22Physician Assistants$184,380
Master's degree
$106,150 – $237,9801,830
23Pharmacists$177,410
Doctoral or professional degree
$135,580 – $229,2203,670
24Database Architects$175,860
Bachelor's degree
$133,050 – $237,9301,600
25First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$175,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$153,190 – $214,0501,690
26Training and Development Managers$173,530
Bachelor's degree
$104,990 – $278,6401,110
27Computer and Information Research Scientists$171,440
Master's degree
$96,440 – $281,0201,670
28Sales Managers$170,810
Bachelor's degree
$78,120 – $336,65017,770
29Purchasing Managers$170,440
Bachelor's degree
$106,710 – $275,3401,320
30Data Scientists$170,110
Bachelor's degree
$99,170 – $272,43010,460
31Financial Risk Specialists$167,440
Bachelor's degree
$92,710 – $214,9301,380
32Computer Network Architects$166,760
Bachelor's degree
$121,160 – $242,1503,350
33Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$166,400
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,220 – $201,2301,540
34Medical and Health Services Managers$166,310
Bachelor's degree
$67,320 – $315,43011,980
35Construction Managers$166,030
Bachelor's degree
$100,910 – $225,1205,160
36Electrical Engineers$166,030
Bachelor's degree
$97,500 – $219,0702,470
37Art Directors$165,210
Bachelor's degree
$88,460 – $277,7302,390
38Biochemists and Biophysicists$165,050
Doctoral or professional degree
$104,380 – $223,7401,380
39Industrial Production Managers$164,420
Bachelor's degree
$97,360 – $257,5502,990
40Web and Digital Interface Designers$163,810
Bachelor's degree
$81,120 – $230,7006,630
41Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$162,440
Bachelor's degree
$96,930 – $264,3202,000
42Information Security Analysts$162,310
Bachelor's degree
$61,860 – $246,0703,730
43Computer Occupations, All Other$161,700
Bachelor's degree
$63,340 – $255,39016,930
44Mechanical Engineers$161,370
Bachelor's degree
$102,710 – $212,3805,150
45Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$160,820
Master's degree
$102,030 – $207,0203,480
46Personal Financial Advisors$160,610
Bachelor's degree
$76,900 – $450,1207,130
47Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$160,270
Associate's degree
$94,600 – $204,1401,300
48Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$160,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,910 – $213,0307,310
49Engineers, All Other$159,800
Bachelor's degree
$86,080 – $273,7804,850
50First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$159,570
Postsecondary nondegree award
$112,900 – $213,890810

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

#	Occupation	MedianSan Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersBachelor's degree	$374,680	$187,960 – $598,960	2,900
2	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$357,220	$101,160 – $357,220	4,340
3	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$304,560	$98,220 – $534,110	2,170
4	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$294,360	$91,720 – $425,070	3,530
5	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$288,690	$100,340 – $558,310	5,190
6	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$232,890	$155,660 – $335,770	23,830
7	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$225,230	$158,270 – $338,660	5,530
8	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$221,580	$165,160 – $320,120	5,000
9	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$220,480	$133,990 – $333,430	11,170
10	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$219,080	$153,280 – $273,960	3,110
11	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$216,150	$123,280 – $356,070	17,040
12	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$212,500	$98,280 – $375,580	18,470
13	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$210,080	$117,140 – $313,430	21,550
14	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$209,340	$123,950 – $323,850	4,960
15	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$208,080	$89,130 – $295,420	1,350
16	Pediatricians, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$207,450	$102,600 – $447,610	810
17	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$203,890	$130,800 – $284,580	2,810
18	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$202,060	$119,750 – $322,930	2,090
19	Public Relations ManagersBachelor's degree	$192,720	$110,370 – $312,430	1,880
20	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$186,640	$128,090 – $273,400	69,030
21	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$186,610	$119,290 – $223,770	41,750
22	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$184,380	$106,150 – $237,980	1,830
23	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$177,410	$135,580 – $229,220	3,670
24	Database ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$175,860	$133,050 – $237,930	1,600
25	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$175,840	$153,190 – $214,050	1,690
26	Training and Development ManagersBachelor's degree	$173,530	$104,990 – $278,640	1,110
27	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$171,440	$96,440 – $281,020	1,670
28	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$170,810	$78,120 – $336,650	17,770
29	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$170,440	$106,710 – $275,340	1,320
30	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$170,110	$99,170 – $272,430	10,460
31	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$167,440	$92,710 – $214,930	1,380
32	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$166,760	$121,160 – $242,150	3,350
33	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$166,400	$82,220 – $201,230	1,540
34	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$166,310	$67,320 – $315,430	11,980
35	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$166,030	$100,910 – $225,120	5,160
36	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$166,030	$97,500 – $219,070	2,470
37	Art DirectorsBachelor's degree	$165,210	$88,460 – $277,730	2,390
38	Biochemists and BiophysicistsDoctoral or professional degree	$165,050	$104,380 – $223,740	1,380
39	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$164,420	$97,360 – $257,550	2,990
40	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$163,810	$81,120 – $230,700	6,630
41	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$162,440	$96,930 – $264,320	2,000
42	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$162,310	$61,860 – $246,070	3,730
43	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$161,700	$63,340 – $255,390	16,930
44	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$161,370	$102,710 – $212,380	5,150
45	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$160,820	$102,030 – $207,020	3,480
46	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$160,610	$76,900 – $450,120	7,130
47	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$160,270	$94,600 – $204,140	1,300
48	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$160,180	$98,910 – $213,030	7,310
49	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$159,800	$86,080 – $273,780	4,850
50	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$159,570	$112,900 – $213,890	810

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

By field in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

Without a degree

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

High paying jobs in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

More for San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

Other metro areas in CA

By field in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

Without a degree

By state