Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA

Each occupation's median wage in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, 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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA run 7.8% above the national average (2024), so a Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA salary is worth about 0.93× 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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA

OccupationMedian, Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA · vs. national

1Commercial Pilots$274,730
Postsecondary nondegree award
$75,320 – $306,270+123.0%
2Registered Nurses$174,550
Bachelor's degree
$110,800 – $225,940+78.9%
3Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$105,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,900 – $144,270+75.6%
4Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$137,530
Associate's degree
$85,830 – $174,150+71.7%
5Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$161,570
Associate's degree
$103,280 – $206,220+67.3%
6Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$125,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$81,320 – $149,560+65.2%
7Opticians, Dispensing$77,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,270 – $87,940+63.9%
8Healthcare Social Workers$108,530
Master's degree
$61,320 – $141,390+59.9%
9Physicians, All Other$421,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,940 – $455,740+58.5%
10Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$99,060
Bachelor's degree
$60,130 – $119,560+54.9%
11Surgical Technologists$99,960
Postsecondary nondegree award
$61,470 – $121,010+54.6%
12Public Safety Telecommunicators$81,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,270 – $101,400+54.6%
13Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$98,480
Master's degree
$55,390 – $140,490+53.1%
14Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$98,020
Bachelor's degree
$64,110 – $116,780+52.3%
15First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$140,830
Postsecondary nondegree award
$96,470 – $167,610+50.6%
16Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$97,410
Associate's degree
$62,970 – $124,420+50.0%
17Respiratory Therapists$123,220
Associate's degree
$93,540 – $138,750+49.8%
18First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$157,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$102,570 – $197,030+48.7%
19Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$75,080
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,540 – $98,940+48.3%
20Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$92,910
Bachelor's degree
$54,190 – $116,310+48.2%
21Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$80,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$66,080 – $91,760+48.2%
22Pharmacy Aides$55,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,690 – $78,780+47.9%
23Firefighters$87,400
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,380 – $120,820+47.4%
24Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$73,110
No formal educational credential
$48,540 – $98,110+47.1%
25Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$61,290
Bachelor's degree
$48,610 – $76,200+47.1%
26Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$155,780
Master's degree
$100,220 – $209,040+47.1%
27Tree Trimmers and Pruners$73,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,370 – $100,160+44.4%
28Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$92,580
Postsecondary nondegree award
$74,280 – $110,300+43.8%
29Automotive Body and Related Repairers$78,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,960 – $100,150+42.2%
30Medical Assistants$64,820
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,770 – $79,890+41.9%
31Cooks, Fast Food$43,840
No formal educational credential
$37,340 – $47,720+41.9%
32Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$101,730
Bachelor's degree
$74,970 – $131,930+41.2%
33Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$145,340
Doctoral or professional degree
$114,090 – $168,860+40.5%
34Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers$82,650
No formal educational credential
$57,990 – $127,990+40.3%
35Fast Food and Counter Workers$43,610
No formal educational credential
$36,510 – $49,080+39.8%
36Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$84,190
Master's degree
$59,160 – $148,460+39.7%
37Special Education Teachers, All Other$106,650
Bachelor's degree
$66,260 – $136,320+39.3%
38Dental Hygienists$136,210
Associate's degree
$130,010 – $151,580+38.8%
39Phlebotomists$62,350
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,820 – $79,380+37.9%
40Library Technicians$61,470
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,900 – $74,450+37.9%
41Urban and Regional Planners$123,090
Master's degree
$86,270 – $175,450+37.8%
42Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$82,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,480 – $102,440+37.0%
43Electrical Engineers$164,880
Bachelor's degree
$95,940 – $201,740+36.7%
44Construction and Building Inspectors$102,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,950 – $181,160+36.6%
45Forest and Conservation Technicians$74,410
Associate's degree
$36,880 – $111,820+36.4%
46Physical Therapists$140,100
Doctoral or professional degree
$103,600 – $167,530+36.3%
47Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$100,880
Bachelor's degree
$61,000 – $125,280+35.8%
48Pharmacy Technicians$61,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,030 – $86,720+35.1%
49Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health$74,170
Associate's degree
$48,320 – $121,020+34.6%
50Dietetic Technicians$50,630
Associate's degree
$38,650 – $63,590+34.5%

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

#	Occupation	MedianSanta Rosa-Petaluma, CA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$274,730	$75,320 – $306,270	+123.0%
2	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$174,550	$110,800 – $225,940	+78.9%
3	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,080	$56,900 – $144,270	+75.6%
4	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$137,530	$85,830 – $174,150	+71.7%
5	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$161,570	$103,280 – $206,220	+67.3%
6	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$125,910	$81,320 – $149,560	+65.2%
7	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,460	$48,270 – $87,940	+63.9%
8	Healthcare Social WorkersMaster's degree	$108,530	$61,320 – $141,390	+59.9%
9	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$421,490	$82,940 – $455,740	+58.5%
10	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$99,060	$60,130 – $119,560	+54.9%
11	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$99,960	$61,470 – $121,010	+54.6%
12	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,990	$51,270 – $101,400	+54.6%
13	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$98,480	$55,390 – $140,490	+53.1%
14	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$98,020	$64,110 – $116,780	+52.3%
15	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$140,830	$96,470 – $167,610	+50.6%
16	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$97,410	$62,970 – $124,420	+50.0%
17	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$123,220	$93,540 – $138,750	+49.8%
18	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$157,650	$102,570 – $197,030	+48.7%
19	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,080	$45,540 – $98,940	+48.3%
20	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$92,910	$54,190 – $116,310	+48.2%
21	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,330	$66,080 – $91,760	+48.2%
22	Pharmacy AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,710	$41,690 – $78,780	+47.9%
23	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$87,400	$41,380 – $120,820	+47.4%
24	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$73,110	$48,540 – $98,110	+47.1%
25	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$61,290	$48,610 – $76,200	+47.1%
26	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$155,780	$100,220 – $209,040	+47.1%
27	Tree Trimmers and PrunersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,570	$58,370 – $100,160	+44.4%
28	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$92,580	$74,280 – $110,300	+43.8%
29	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,060	$48,960 – $100,150	+42.2%
30	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,820	$46,770 – $79,890	+41.9%
31	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$43,840	$37,340 – $47,720	+41.9%
32	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$101,730	$74,970 – $131,930	+41.2%
33	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$145,340	$114,090 – $168,860	+40.5%
34	Drywall and Ceiling Tile InstallersNo formal educational credential	$82,650	$57,990 – $127,990	+40.3%
35	Fast Food and Counter WorkersNo formal educational credential	$43,610	$36,510 – $49,080	+39.8%
36	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$84,190	$59,160 – $148,460	+39.7%
37	Special Education Teachers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$106,650	$66,260 – $136,320	+39.3%
38	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$136,210	$130,010 – $151,580	+38.8%
39	PhlebotomistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,350	$48,820 – $79,380	+37.9%
40	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,470	$48,900 – $74,450	+37.9%
41	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$123,090	$86,270 – $175,450	+37.8%
42	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,200	$62,480 – $102,440	+37.0%
43	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$164,880	$95,940 – $201,740	+36.7%
44	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,060	$52,950 – $181,160	+36.6%
45	Forest and Conservation TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,410	$36,880 – $111,820	+36.4%
46	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$140,100	$103,600 – $167,530	+36.3%
47	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$100,880	$61,000 – $125,280	+35.8%
48	Pharmacy TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,800	$45,030 – $86,720	+35.1%
49	Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including HealthAssociate's degree	$74,170	$48,320 – $121,020	+34.6%
50	Dietetic TechniciansAssociate's degree	$50,630	$38,650 – $63,590	+34.5%

More for Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA

By field in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA

Without a degree

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA

More for Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA

Other metro areas in CA

By field in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state