The 100 Highest Paying Jobs In California For 2026
Curious about which professions in California offer the highest salaries? You’re not alone! Understanding the earning potential of various careers can help you make informed decisions about your future.
Our team at Zippia delved into the latest data to unveil the top-paying professions in the state. After extensive analysis, we found that Hospitalist Physicians lead the pack as the highest earners in California.
Here’s a snapshot of the top ten highest paying jobs in California:
- Hospitalist Physician
- Primary Care Pediatrician
- Physician-Pediatrician
- Board Certified Orthodontist
- Staff Psychiatrist
- Medical Director
- MD Physician-Dermatologist
- Chief Medical Officer
- Pulmonary Physician
- General Surgery Physician Assistant
How We Determined the Highest Paid Jobs in California for 2026
To estimate salaries, Zippia utilizes data from publicly available sources such as the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and other relevant databases. Our data science team continuously analyzes millions of job postings to extract salary information. By matching these salaries with job titles and company locations, we calculate a weighted average to present estimated salaries for various job titles across California.
In total, we evaluated salary data for 3,585 job titles in California to identify those with the highest earnings.
Detailed List of Highest Paying Jobs in California
| Rank | Job Title | Average Salary | Entry Level Salary | # Of People |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hospitalist Physician | $235,100 | $190,000 | 1,584 |
| 2 | Primary Care Pediatrician | $224,019 | $174,000 | 3,216 |
| 3 | Physician-Pediatrician | $219,303 | $168,000 | 1,543 |
| 4 | Board Certified Orthodontist | $213,070 | $159,000 | 2,492 |
| 5 | Staff Psychiatrist | $212,643 | $159,000 | 4,537 |
| 6 | Medical Director | $206,896 | $154,000 | 5,041 |
| 7 | MD Physician-Dermatologist | $206,712 | $150,000 | 1,586 |
| 8 | Chief Medical Officer | $203,140 | $149,000 | 5,371 |
| 9 | Pulmonary Physician | $200,669 | $143,000 | 1,521 |
| 10 | General Surgery Physician Assistant | $199,736 | $141,000 | 5,935 |
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
