Top Paying Jobs in California
California has 100 tracked occupation categories totaling 2,168,100 jobs. The highest-paying occupations include Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric ($400,150), Neurologists ($357,080), Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers ($353,900). The cost of living index is 106.14 (national average = 100). Median 2-bedroom rent is $2,471/month.
State-level averages. Salaries, rent, and cost of living vary significantly between metros. For more accurate data, select a metro area from the list below or browse all metros.
Highest paying careers in California
| Rank | Occupation | Category | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Family Medicine Physicians | Healthcare | $252K | $121.16/hr |
| 12 | Dentists, All Other Specialists | Healthcare | $231K | $110.93/hr |
| 13 | Chief Executives | Management | $219K | $105.1/hr |
| 14 | Computer and Information Systems Managers | Management | $218K | $104.95/hr |
| 15 | Pediatricians, General | Healthcare | $214K | $102.95/hr |
| 16 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | Management | $210K | $101.1/hr |
| 17 | Natural Sciences Managers | Management | $210K | $101.07/hr |
| 18 | Physicists | Science | $207K | $99.75/hr |
| 19 | Nurse Midwives | Healthcare | $204K | $98/hr |
| 20 | Podiatrists | Healthcare | $201K | $96.78/hr |
Affordability snapshot: California
These are statewide averages. Costs vary widely between metros, click into a specific city for precise numbers.
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Metro areas in California
Click a metro for detailed salary, rent, and cost-of-living data specific to that area.