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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Lawyers | Legal | $195K | $93.79/hr |
| 22 | Marketing Managers | Management | $194K | $93.09/hr |
| 23 | Physicians, Pathologists | Healthcare | $186K | $89.57/hr |
| 24 | Cardiologists | Healthcare | $186K | $89.24/hr |
| 25 | Computer Hardware Engineers | Engineering | $185K | $89.03/hr |
| 26 | Financial Managers | Management | $181K | $86.91/hr |
| 27 | Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other | Technology | $181K | $86.78/hr |
| 28 | Materials Scientists | Science | $177K | $85.11/hr |
| 29 | Managers, All Other | Management | $175K | $83.92/hr |
| 30 | Software Developers | Technology | $174K | $83.85/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.