Chief Executives Salary
Chief Executives in California make a median of $218,600 a year, or about $105.1 an hour. The range runs from $86K at the entry level to $487K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $205,954 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,471/month, or 19.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $219K get you in California?
About chief executives
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What this looks like in California
Chief executives pay in California tracks closely to the national median, $219K locally vs. $214K nationwide, a 2% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $2,471/month, 20.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level chief executives (10th percentile) start around $86K. Mid-career wages sit at $219K. Top earners bring in $487K or more, a $401K spread from bottom to top.
Chief Executives salary by metro in California
24 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $289K | +32% | 5,190 |
| Napa | $242K | +11% | 150 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $238K | +9% | 2,710 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $234K | +7% | 10,800 |
| Salinas | $226K | +4% | 220 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $219K | +0% | 350 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $214K | -2% | 310 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $209K | -4% | 220 |
| Yuba City | $209K | -4% | 100 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $203K | -7% | 430 |
| Modesto | $201K | -8% | 230 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $196K | -10% | 360 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $195K | -11% | 390 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $190K | -13% | 180 |
| Fresno | $189K | -14% | 700 |
| Merced | $182K | -17% | 100 |
| Vallejo | $180K | -18% | 180 |
| El Centro | $178K | -19% | 60 |
| Chico | $177K | -19% | 130 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $177K | -19% | 1,920 |
| Redding | $171K | -22% | 110 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $170K | -22% | 3,680 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $161K | -26% | 50 |
| Visalia | $156K | -29% | 210 |
Showing 1–10 of 24 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a chief executif afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
Yes — at the median salary of $219K, rent takes 20.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chief executives in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chief executives typically earn — is $86K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,147/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 48% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is chief executif a high-paying job in California?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $219K locally vs. $214K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does California compare to the national average for chief executives?
California pays $219K median vs. the U.S. average of $214K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $206K — below the national median.
How much do chief executives make in California?
The median is $218,600 a year, that works out to about $105 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $85,790, and experienced chief executives can clear $486,830. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $219K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $12,139/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 20.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a chief executives salary go in California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median chief executives salary is worth about $205,954 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do chief executives get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.