Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Chico, CA

Each occupation's median wage in Chico, CA compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Chico, CA pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

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 · vs. national

1Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$162,300
Bachelor's degree
$48,440 – $207,680+154.3%
2Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$155,470
Doctoral or professional degree
$103,420 – $213,850+50.3%
3Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$96,080
Master's degree
$45,850 – $128,140+49.4%
4Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$95,000
Bachelor's degree
$60,900 – $120,560+48.5%
5Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$61,030
Bachelor's degree
$47,240 – $98,580+46.5%
6Teachers and Instructors, All Other$95,420
Bachelor's degree
$59,040 – $119,600+44.3%
7Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$91,510
Bachelor's degree
$62,240 – $114,200+40.5%
8Structural Iron and Steel Workers$88,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,500 – $124,470+40.3%
9Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$98,210
Bachelor's degree
$65,590 – $121,980+36.3%
10Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$80,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,440 – $110,850+33.9%
11Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$99,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,330 – $151,100+33.2%
12Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$79,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,010 – $132,820+32.1%
13Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$139,600
Master's degree
$103,180 – $171,740+31.9%
14Physical Therapists$134,970
Doctoral or professional degree
$89,710 – $149,110+31.3%
15Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$82,170
Bachelor's degree
$54,520 – $120,870+31.1%
16Phlebotomists$59,100
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,370 – $61,620+30.7%
17Cooks, Fast Food$40,340
No formal educational credential
$35,520 – $45,330+30.6%
18Registered Nurses$127,360
Bachelor's degree
$103,400 – $160,170+30.6%
19School Psychologists$124,980
Master's degree
$95,690 – $149,170+30.2%
20Occupational Therapists$129,260
Master's degree
$101,900 – $143,680+28.8%
21Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$103,000
Associate's degree
$48,900 – $133,060+28.6%
22Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$123,880
Associate's degree
$93,980 – $151,360+28.3%
23Nurse Practitioners$167,080
Master's degree
$131,730 – $203,910+26.3%
24Physicians, All Other$334,980
Doctoral or professional degree
$119,790 – $593,640+26.0%
25Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$59,300
Associate's degree
$48,260 – $72,030+25.2%
26Healthcare Social Workers$84,810
Master's degree
$47,150 – $100,470+24.9%
27Education Administrators, All Other$118,930
Bachelor's degree
$62,970 – $184,030+24.9%
28Instructional Coordinators$96,510
Master's degree
$61,580 – $156,030+24.6%
29Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$63,070
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,550 – $93,070+24.6%
30Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$94,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,820 – $155,980+24.3%
31Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$45,660
Some college, no degree
$36,440 – $55,680+24.1%
32Medical Transcriptionists$50,020
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,460 – $59,190+23.8%
33Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$61,250
No formal educational credential
$36,430 – $88,940+23.3%
34Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$79,300
Bachelor's degree
$61,560 – $120,050+23.2%
35Pharmacy Technicians$56,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,750 – $72,240+23.1%
36Veterinarians$160,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$72,600 – $247,750+23.1%
37Dietitians and Nutritionists$93,900
Bachelor's degree
$71,760 – $115,870+22.9%
38Fast Food and Counter Workers$38,210
No formal educational credential
$34,320 – $45,070+22.5%
39Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$78,750
Postsecondary nondegree award
$63,470 – $92,660+22.3%
40Marriage and Family Therapists$81,780
Master's degree
$44,710 – $146,330+22.2%
41First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$59,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,890 – $72,070+21.5%
42Physician Assistants$164,780
Master's degree
$129,170 – $202,110+21.3%
43Firefighters$71,830
Postsecondary nondegree award
$54,120 – $96,360+21.2%
44Bus Drivers, School$58,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,080 – $75,890+21.2%
45Dental Hygienists$118,800
Associate's degree
$100,650 – $128,180+21.1%
46Surgical Technologists$78,050
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,860 – $100,310+20.7%
47Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$60,850
Bachelor's degree
$34,320 – $123,750+19.6%
48Public Safety Telecommunicators$63,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,350 – $87,260+19.6%
49Carpenters$72,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,290 – $116,130+19.3%
50Demonstrators and Product Promoters$46,760
No formal educational credential
$37,720 – $59,150+18.9%

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	vs. national
1	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$162,300	$48,440 – $207,680	+154.3%
2	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$155,470	$103,420 – $213,850	+50.3%
3	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$96,080	$45,850 – $128,140	+49.4%
4	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$95,000	$60,900 – $120,560	+48.5%
5	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$61,030	$47,240 – $98,580	+46.5%
6	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$95,420	$59,040 – $119,600	+44.3%
7	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$91,510	$62,240 – $114,200	+40.5%
8	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$88,070	$48,500 – $124,470	+40.3%
9	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$98,210	$65,590 – $121,980	+36.3%
10	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,360	$49,440 – $110,850	+33.9%
11	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$99,040	$60,330 – $151,100	+33.2%
12	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,040	$52,010 – $132,820	+32.1%
13	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$139,600	$103,180 – $171,740	+31.9%
14	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$134,970	$89,710 – $149,110	+31.3%
15	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$82,170	$54,520 – $120,870	+31.1%
16	PhlebotomistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,100	$47,370 – $61,620	+30.7%
17	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$40,340	$35,520 – $45,330	+30.6%
18	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$127,360	$103,400 – $160,170	+30.6%
19	School PsychologistsMaster's degree	$124,980	$95,690 – $149,170	+30.2%
20	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$129,260	$101,900 – $143,680	+28.8%
21	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$103,000	$48,900 – $133,060	+28.6%
22	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$123,880	$93,980 – $151,360	+28.3%
23	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$167,080	$131,730 – $203,910	+26.3%
24	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$334,980	$119,790 – $593,640	+26.0%
25	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$59,300	$48,260 – $72,030	+25.2%
26	Healthcare Social WorkersMaster's degree	$84,810	$47,150 – $100,470	+24.9%
27	Education Administrators, All OtherBachelor's degree	$118,930	$62,970 – $184,030	+24.9%
28	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$96,510	$61,580 – $156,030	+24.6%
29	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,070	$37,550 – $93,070	+24.6%
30	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,760	$55,820 – $155,980	+24.3%
31	Teaching Assistants, Except PostsecondarySome college, no degree	$45,660	$36,440 – $55,680	+24.1%
32	Medical TranscriptionistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$50,020	$46,460 – $59,190	+23.8%
33	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$61,250	$36,430 – $88,940	+23.3%
34	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$79,300	$61,560 – $120,050	+23.2%
35	Pharmacy TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,320	$38,750 – $72,240	+23.1%
36	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$160,180	$72,600 – $247,750	+23.1%
37	Dietitians and NutritionistsBachelor's degree	$93,900	$71,760 – $115,870	+22.9%
38	Fast Food and Counter WorkersNo formal educational credential	$38,210	$34,320 – $45,070	+22.5%
39	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,750	$63,470 – $92,660	+22.3%
40	Marriage and Family TherapistsMaster's degree	$81,780	$44,710 – $146,330	+22.2%
41	First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,660	$39,890 – $72,070	+21.5%
42	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$164,780	$129,170 – $202,110	+21.3%
43	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$71,830	$54,120 – $96,360	+21.2%
44	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,080	$36,080 – $75,890	+21.2%
45	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$118,800	$100,650 – $128,180	+21.1%
46	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,050	$48,860 – $100,310	+20.7%
47	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$60,850	$34,320 – $123,750	+19.6%
48	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,440	$49,350 – $87,260	+19.6%
49	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,290	$47,290 – $116,130	+19.3%
50	Demonstrators and Product PromotersNo formal educational credential	$46,760	$37,720 – $59,150	+18.9%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Chico, CA

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