Jobs that pay the biggest premium in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

Each occupation's median wage in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

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 · vs. national

1Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$357,220
Doctoral or professional degree
$101,160 – $357,220+232.9%
2Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$125,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$73,570 – $147,790+108.5%
3Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$124,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,910 – $149,260+108.4%
4Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$135,890
Bachelor's degree
$84,510 – $155,860+105.1%
5Public Safety Telecommunicators$104,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,070 – $136,860+97.8%
6Firefighters$113,700
Postsecondary nondegree award
$77,070 – $139,590+91.8%
7Registered Nurses$186,610
Bachelor's degree
$119,290 – $223,770+91.3%
8Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$141,780
Associate's degree
$89,980 – $176,800+77.0%
9Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$132,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$95,390 – $156,690+73.2%
10Medical Equipment Preparers$82,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,630 – $95,670+72.2%
11Library Assistants, Clerical$63,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,790 – $81,650+70.7%
12First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$159,570
Postsecondary nondegree award
$112,900 – $213,890+70.6%
13Correctional Officers and Jailers$99,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$69,800 – $119,450+69.5%
14Construction and Building Inspectors$125,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$76,000 – $175,460+67.5%
15Sheet Metal Workers$102,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,560 – $154,790+66.1%
16Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$160,270
Associate's degree
$94,600 – $204,140+65.9%
17First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$175,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$153,190 – $214,050+65.8%
18Nurse Practitioners$219,080
Master's degree
$153,280 – $273,960+65.6%
19Biological Technicians$95,220
Bachelor's degree
$55,090 – $158,680+65.6%
20Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$166,400
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,220 – $201,230+65.4%
21Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators$129,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,980 – $144,280+65.3%
22Web Developers$152,450
Bachelor's degree
$80,190 – $216,060+64.5%
23Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$127,800
Master's degree
$63,140 – $221,530+62.6%
24Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$105,290
Bachelor's degree
$74,560 – $123,590+61.7%
25Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$374,680
Bachelor's degree
$187,960 – $598,960+61.4%
26Word Processors and Typists$79,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,030 – $85,220+61.2%
27Veterinarians$208,080
Doctoral or professional degree
$89,130 – $295,420+59.9%
28Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$77,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,750 – $101,870+59.7%
29Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$101,860
Bachelor's degree
$62,340 – $126,700+59.2%
30Respiratory Therapists$130,220
Associate's degree
$95,450 – $158,100+58.3%
31Web and Digital Interface Designers$163,810
Bachelor's degree
$81,120 – $230,700+57.5%
32Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$123,250
Bachelor's degree
$60,680 – $211,140+56.5%
33Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$77,570
No formal educational credential
$49,400 – $100,630+56.1%
34Mechanical Engineers$161,370
Bachelor's degree
$102,710 – $212,380+55.0%
35Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$160,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,910 – $213,030+54.9%
36Health Education Specialists$99,260
Bachelor's degree
$57,370 – $133,070+54.9%
37Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$127,210
Bachelor's degree
$76,490 – $179,470+54.7%
38Construction Laborers$72,610
No formal educational credential
$48,440 – $102,450+54.1%
39Bill and Account Collectors$72,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,580 – $104,740+54.0%
40Bus Drivers, School$73,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,710 – $80,840+53.8%
41Surgical Technologists$99,390
Postsecondary nondegree award
$62,570 – $123,530+53.7%
42Dietitians and Nutritionists$117,380
Bachelor's degree
$68,040 – $144,860+53.6%
43Insurance Sales Agents$95,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,550 – $204,830+53.6%
44Tax Preparers$84,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,420 – $105,230+53.4%
45Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$82,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,120 – $106,400+53.0%
46Personal Financial Advisors$160,610
Bachelor's degree
$76,900 – $450,120+52.9%
47Urban and Regional Planners$136,250
Master's degree
$90,030 – $179,090+52.5%
48Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$160,820
Master's degree
$102,030 – $207,020+51.9%
49Information and Record Clerks, All Other$74,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,000 – $89,970+51.4%
50First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$120,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$73,860 – $166,330+51.2%

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	vs. national
1	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$357,220	$101,160 – $357,220	+232.9%
2	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$125,160	$73,570 – $147,790	+108.5%
3	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$124,750	$60,910 – $149,260	+108.4%
4	Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$135,890	$84,510 – $155,860	+105.1%
5	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$104,910	$60,070 – $136,860	+97.8%
6	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$113,700	$77,070 – $139,590	+91.8%
7	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$186,610	$119,290 – $223,770	+91.3%
8	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$141,780	$89,980 – $176,800	+77.0%
9	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$132,000	$95,390 – $156,690	+73.2%
10	Medical Equipment PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,140	$57,630 – $95,670	+72.2%
11	Library Assistants, ClericalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,000	$39,790 – $81,650	+70.7%
12	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$159,570	$112,900 – $213,890	+70.6%
13	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$99,880	$69,800 – $119,450	+69.5%
14	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$125,130	$76,000 – $175,460	+67.5%
15	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,660	$55,560 – $154,790	+66.1%
16	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$160,270	$94,600 – $204,140	+65.9%
17	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$175,840	$153,190 – $214,050	+65.8%
18	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$219,080	$153,280 – $273,960	+65.6%
19	Biological TechniciansBachelor's degree	$95,220	$55,090 – $158,680	+65.6%
20	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$166,400	$82,220 – $201,230	+65.4%
21	Stationary Engineers and Boiler OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$129,930	$61,980 – $144,280	+65.3%
22	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$152,450	$80,190 – $216,060	+64.5%
23	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$127,800	$63,140 – $221,530	+62.6%
24	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$105,290	$74,560 – $123,590	+61.7%
25	Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersBachelor's degree	$374,680	$187,960 – $598,960	+61.4%
26	Word Processors and TypistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,430	$42,030 – $85,220	+61.2%
27	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$208,080	$89,130 – $295,420	+59.9%
28	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,750	$60,750 – $101,870	+59.7%
29	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$101,860	$62,340 – $126,700	+59.2%
30	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$130,220	$95,450 – $158,100	+58.3%
31	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$163,810	$81,120 – $230,700	+57.5%
32	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$123,250	$60,680 – $211,140	+56.5%
33	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$77,570	$49,400 – $100,630	+56.1%
34	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$161,370	$102,710 – $212,380	+55.0%
35	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$160,180	$98,910 – $213,030	+54.9%
36	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$99,260	$57,370 – $133,070	+54.9%
37	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$127,210	$76,490 – $179,470	+54.7%
38	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$72,610	$48,440 – $102,450	+54.1%
39	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,430	$44,580 – $104,740	+54.0%
40	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,680	$56,710 – $80,840	+53.8%
41	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$99,390	$62,570 – $123,530	+53.7%
42	Dietitians and NutritionistsBachelor's degree	$117,380	$68,040 – $144,860	+53.6%
43	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,640	$44,550 – $204,830	+53.6%
44	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,240	$47,420 – $105,230	+53.4%
45	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,960	$61,120 – $106,400	+53.0%
46	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$160,610	$76,900 – $450,120	+52.9%
47	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$136,250	$90,030 – $179,090	+52.5%
48	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$160,820	$102,030 – $207,020	+51.9%
49	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,940	$52,000 – $89,970	+51.4%
50	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$120,810	$73,860 – $166,330	+51.2%

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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.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

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