Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

Each occupation's median wage in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA run 13.6% above the national average (2024), so a Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA salary is worth about 0.88× 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

OccupationMedian, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA · vs. national

1First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$169,350
Postsecondary nondegree award
$102,030 – $209,390+81.1%
2Firefighters$98,050
Postsecondary nondegree award
$58,710 – $150,760+65.4%
3English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$128,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,430 – $208,310+63.5%
4Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$108,150
Bachelor's degree
$76,880 – $129,310+63.2%
5Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$121,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$78,870 – $127,880+60.1%
6Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$101,860
Bachelor's degree
$62,250 – $129,130+59.2%
7First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$167,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$137,680 – $203,410+58.1%
8Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$364,730
Bachelor's degree
$179,270 – $427,660+57.1%
9Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$92,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,460 – $130,720+55.2%
10Lighting Technicians$105,010
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,300 – $160,510+54.3%
11Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$98,370
Bachelor's degree
$62,610 – $124,720+52.8%
12Demonstrators and Product Promoters$60,040
No formal educational credential
$36,830 – $72,950+52.7%
13Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$161,590
Master's degree
$104,260 – $202,660+52.6%
14Special Education Teachers, Middle School$101,560
Bachelor's degree
$77,520 – $127,660+52.0%
15Public Safety Telecommunicators$80,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,220 – $100,640+51.5%
16Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$96,970
Bachelor's degree
$62,800 – $123,430+48.9%
17Teachers and Instructors, All Other$97,680
Bachelor's degree
$47,680 – $129,140+47.7%
18Crossing Guards and Flaggers$55,700
No formal educational credential
$35,450 – $78,450+46.2%
19Producers and Directors$131,600
Bachelor's degree
$63,660 – $325,310+45.6%
20Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film$107,620
Bachelor's degree
$56,480 – $154,240+43.5%
21Special Education Teachers, All Other$109,600
Bachelor's degree
$73,930 – $120,860+43.1%
22Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$97,510
Master's degree
$54,600 – $134,100+42.8%
23Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$100,960
Bachelor's degree
$67,190 – $133,850+40.1%
24Media and Communication Workers, All Other$103,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,750 – $170,410+40.0%
25Registered Nurses$135,560
Bachelor's degree
$100,980 – $174,200+39.0%
26Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$82,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,240 – $116,900+37.4%
27Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$57,210
Bachelor's degree
$37,090 – $80,680+37.3%
28Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$130,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$77,250 – $169,540+36.8%
29Detectives and Criminal Investigators$127,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$82,510 – $174,030+36.4%
30Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$105,640
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,340 – $175,450+36.1%
31Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$100,900
Bachelor's degree
$61,390 – $131,200+35.9%
32Fast Food and Counter Workers$42,110
No formal educational credential
$35,720 – $46,830+35.0%
33Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$108,030
Associate's degree
$64,070 – $154,860+34.9%
34Property Appraisers and Assessors$91,600
Bachelor's degree
$60,860 – $127,420+34.8%
35Construction and Building Inspectors$100,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,630 – $158,480+34.3%
36Correctional Officers and Jailers$78,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,180 – $109,580+33.6%
37Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$64,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,110 – $80,840+32.7%
38Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers$43,800
No formal educational credential
$35,530 – $61,510+30.4%
39Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$134,890
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,270 – $165,330+30.4%
40Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$96,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,250 – $103,570+30.2%
41Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$78,410
Master's degree
$43,840 – $139,550+30.1%
42Business Teachers, Postsecondary$128,470
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,910 – $262,270+29.7%
43Library Assistants, Clerical$47,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,070 – $66,230+29.4%
44Bus Drivers, School$61,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,040 – $72,360+28.5%
45Editors$100,050
Bachelor's degree
$55,570 – $177,490+28.4%
46Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers$61,340
Some college, no degree
$38,640 – $75,140+28.3%
47Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$105,340
Bachelor's degree
$60,350 – $161,970+28.1%
48Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$60,670
Associate's degree
$48,400 – $76,390+28.0%
49School Psychologists$122,390
Master's degree
$90,390 – $159,610+27.5%
50Respiratory Therapists$104,640
Associate's degree
$75,000 – $130,790+27.2%

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

#	Occupation	MedianLos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$169,350	$102,030 – $209,390	+81.1%
2	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$98,050	$58,710 – $150,760	+65.4%
3	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$128,810	$61,430 – $208,310	+63.5%
4	Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$108,150	$76,880 – $129,310	+63.2%
5	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$121,980	$78,870 – $127,880	+60.1%
6	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$101,860	$62,250 – $129,130	+59.2%
7	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$167,600	$137,680 – $203,410	+58.1%
8	Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersBachelor's degree	$364,730	$179,270 – $427,660	+57.1%
9	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,890	$52,460 – $130,720	+55.2%
10	Lighting TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$105,010	$52,300 – $160,510	+54.3%
11	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$98,370	$62,610 – $124,720	+52.8%
12	Demonstrators and Product PromotersNo formal educational credential	$60,040	$36,830 – $72,950	+52.7%
13	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$161,590	$104,260 – $202,660	+52.6%
14	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$101,560	$77,520 – $127,660	+52.0%
15	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,370	$49,220 – $100,640	+51.5%
16	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$96,970	$62,800 – $123,430	+48.9%
17	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$97,680	$47,680 – $129,140	+47.7%
18	Crossing Guards and FlaggersNo formal educational credential	$55,700	$35,450 – $78,450	+46.2%
19	Producers and DirectorsBachelor's degree	$131,600	$63,660 – $325,310	+45.6%
20	Camera Operators, Television, Video, and FilmBachelor's degree	$107,620	$56,480 – $154,240	+43.5%
21	Special Education Teachers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$109,600	$73,930 – $120,860	+43.1%
22	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$97,510	$54,600 – $134,100	+42.8%
23	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$100,960	$67,190 – $133,850	+40.1%
24	Media and Communication Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,050	$43,750 – $170,410	+40.0%
25	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$135,560	$100,980 – $174,200	+39.0%
26	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,460	$54,240 – $116,900	+37.4%
27	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$57,210	$37,090 – $80,680	+37.3%
28	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$130,440	$77,250 – $169,540	+36.8%
29	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$127,890	$82,510 – $174,030	+36.4%
30	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$105,640	$60,340 – $175,450	+36.1%
31	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$100,900	$61,390 – $131,200	+35.9%
32	Fast Food and Counter WorkersNo formal educational credential	$42,110	$35,720 – $46,830	+35.0%
33	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$108,030	$64,070 – $154,860	+34.9%
34	Property Appraisers and AssessorsBachelor's degree	$91,600	$60,860 – $127,420	+34.8%
35	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,280	$50,630 – $158,480	+34.3%
36	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,770	$60,180 – $109,580	+33.6%
37	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,610	$48,110 – $80,840	+32.7%
38	Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service WorkersNo formal educational credential	$43,800	$35,530 – $61,510	+30.4%
39	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$134,890	$78,270 – $165,330	+30.4%
40	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,780	$60,250 – $103,570	+30.2%
41	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$78,410	$43,840 – $139,550	+30.1%
42	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$128,470	$60,910 – $262,270	+29.7%
43	Library Assistants, ClericalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,770	$37,070 – $66,230	+29.4%
44	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,580	$48,040 – $72,360	+28.5%
45	EditorsBachelor's degree	$100,050	$55,570 – $177,490	+28.4%
46	Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine RepairersSome college, no degree	$61,340	$38,640 – $75,140	+28.3%
47	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$105,340	$60,350 – $161,970	+28.1%
48	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$60,670	$48,400 – $76,390	+28.0%
49	School PsychologistsMaster's degree	$122,390	$90,390 – $159,610	+27.5%
50	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$104,640	$75,000 – $130,790	+27.2%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

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