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California salaries
California salary estimate
$76,481yearly
Understanding California Salaries
The average salary in California for 2025 is $76,481. The state offers a diverse range of employment opportunities, with significant salary variations by location and department. For example, engineering positions typically command higher salaries. In cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles, the cost of living can also influence salary levels, necessitating careful consideration of job offers.
Top Paying Jobs
Some of the highest paying roles in California include positions in technology, healthcare, and engineering. Job seekers can expect competitive compensation in these sectors, reflecting the demand for skilled professionals.
Regional Salary Insights
- San Francisco: Known for its tech industry, salaries are often above the state average.
- Los Angeles: Offers diverse opportunities in entertainment and business.
- San Diego: Strong salaries in life sciences and healthcare.
By understanding these dynamics, job seekers can make informed decisions about their career paths in California.
Highest paying jobs at California
The highest paying jobs at California are software engineer, veterinarian, database developer, and project manager. Software engineer jobs at California earn an average yearly salary of $108,620, California veterinarian jobs average $106,630, and California database developer jobs average $93,608.
The lowest paying California roles include cashier and teacher assistant. California cashier average salary is $26,643 per year. So while the average California salary is $76,481 there is a big variation in pay depending on the role.
Highest paying jobs at California
| Rank | Job title | Average California salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Software Engineer | $108,620 | $52.22 |
| 2 | Veterinarian | $106,630 | $51.26 |
| 3 | Database Developer | $93,608 | $45.00 |
| 4 | Project Manager | $89,946 | $43.24 |
| 5 | BI Developer | $88,565 | $42.58 |
| 6 | Quality Assurance Engineer | $88,159 | $42.38 |
| 7 | Business Analyst | $79,745 | $38.34 |
| 8 | Database Programmer | $77,365 | $37.19 |
| 9 | Quality Assurance Tester | $76,746 | $36.90 |
| 10 | Physical Therapist | $75,583 | $36.34 |
| 11 | Data Analyst | $74,870 | $36.00 |
| 12 | Design Consultant | $73,875 | $35.52 |
| 13 | Computer Programmer | $70,979 | $34.12 |
| 14 | Accountant | $58,984 | $28.36 |
| 15 | Design And Sales Consultant | $50,143 | $24.11 |
| 16 | Office Manager | $46,730 | $22.47 |
| 17 | Program Coordinator | $42,964 | $20.66 |
| 18 | Laboratory Technician | $38,660 | $18.59 |
| 19 | Driver | $38,030 | $18.28 |
| 20 | Tutor | $38,026 | $18.28 |
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How much does California pay by location?
Highest paying California locations
| Rank | Location | Average California salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bellevue, WA | $90,913 | $43.71 |
| 2 | Poway, CA | $83,906 | $40.34 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $82,667 | $39.74 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $82,013 | $39.43 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $81,731 | $39.29 |
| 6 | Beaverton, OR | $81,428 | $39.15 |
| 7 | Liberty, NJ | $80,214 | $38.56 |
| 8 | Baltimore, MD | $78,315 | $37.65 |
| 9 | Wayne, PA | $76,107 | $36.59 |
| 10 | Richmond, VA | $75,539 | $36.32 |
| 11 | Las Vegas, NV | $75,307 | $36.21 |
| 12 | Phoenix, AZ | $73,900 | $35.53 |
| 13 | Austin, TX | $73,800 | $35.48 |
| 14 | Boise, ID | $72,879 | $35.04 |
| 15 | Chicago, IL | $71,940 | $34.59 |
| 16 | Charlotte, NC | $71,860 | $34.55 |
| 17 | Minneapolis, MN | $71,803 | $34.52 |
| 18 | Columbus, OH | $70,234 | $33.77 |
| 19 | Grand Rapids, MI | $69,999 | $33.65 |
| 20 | Atlanta, GA | $69,771 | $33.54 |
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California salaries by department
Salaries at California vary depending on the department you work in. California salaries in the engineering department are the highest with an average salary of $89,052. Employees in the marketing department at California receive relatively high salaries as well, with an average salary of $80,840 per year. Departments that don't pay as well at California include the hospitality/service and the warehouse organizational functions, with employees earning average salaries of $32,997 and $34,794, respectively.
Average California salary by department
| Rank | Department | Average California salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Engineering | $89,052 | $42.81 |
| 2 | Marketing | $80,840 | $38.87 |
| 3 | IT | $78,122 | $37.56 |
| 4 | Finance | $76,407 | $36.73 |
| 5 | Healthcare | $64,049 | $30.79 |
| 6 | Accounting | $64,015 | $30.78 |
| 7 | Plant/Manufacturing | $63,241 | $30.40 |
| 8 | Sales | $54,531 | $26.22 |
| 9 | Administrative | $37,354 | $17.96 |
| 10 | Education | $35,472 | $17.05 |
| 11 | Retail | $35,293 | $16.97 |
| 12 | Warehouse | $34,795 | $16.73 |
| 13 | Hospitality/Service | $32,998 | $15.86 |
How much does California pay by department?
Best paying California engineering salaries
| Rank | Position | Average California salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Data Engineer | $115,161 | $55.37 |
| 2 | Lead Software Quality Assurance | $109,522 | $52.65 |
| 3 | Software Engineer | $108,620 | $52.22 |
| 4 | Database Developer | $93,608 | $45.00 |
| 5 | BI Developer | $88,565 | $42.58 |
| 6 | Database Administrator | $82,672 | $39.75 |
| 7 | Data Analyst | $74,870 | $36.00 |
| 8 | Programmer Analyst | $72,875 | $35.04 |
| 9 | Computer Programmer | $70,979 | $34.12 |
Best paying California marketing salaries
| Rank | Position | Average California salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business Intelligence Analyst | $83,911 | $40.34 |
| 2 | Business Analyst | $79,745 | $38.34 |
| 3 | Campaign Manager | $73,049 | $35.12 |
| 4 | Marketing Consultant | $66,742 | $32.09 |
| 5 | Marketing Associate | $52,638 | $25.31 |
| 6 | Major Donor Coordinator | $50,064 | $24.07 |
| 7 | Telemarketing Manager | $33,117 | $15.92 |
| 8 | Public Relations Officer | $31,559 | $15.17 |
| 9 | Communication Assistant | $30,424 | $14.63 |
Best paying California IT salaries
| Rank | Position | Average California salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Information Systems Manager | $134,444 | $64.64 |
| 2 | Senior Network Engineer | $114,818 | $55.20 |
| 3 | Infrastructure Engineer | $108,794 | $52.30 |
| 4 | Technical Manager | $108,207 | $52.02 |
| 5 | Senior System Administrator | $105,012 | $50.49 |
| 6 | Systems Analyst | $79,206 | $38.08 |
| 7 | Programmer Analyst | $72,875 | $35.04 |
| 8 | Network Administrator | $71,394 | $34.32 |
| 9 | Computer Programmer | $70,979 | $34.12 |
| 10 | Information Technology Technician | $49,735 | $23.91 |
Recently added California salaries
| Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regional Underwriter | Spokane, WA | 06/27/2025 | $50,479 |
| Production Support Analyst II | Monterey, CA | 06/27/2025 | $47,622 |
| Sales Management Trainee | Long Beach, CA | 06/27/2025 | $39,653 |
| Underwriting Trainee | Spokane, WA | 06/27/2025 | $62,610 |
| Client Service Representative II (Client Services) | Reno, NV | 06/27/2025 | $32,739 |
Frequently asked questions about California salaries
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Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of California, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about California. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at California. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by California. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of California and its employees or that of Zippia.
California may also be known as or be related to California.