Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other Salary
Community and Social Service Specialists, All Others in California make a median of $58,770 a year, or about $28.26 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $96K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $55,370 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 64.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $59K get you in California?
About community and social service specialists, all others
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What this looks like in California
Community and social service specialists, all other pay in California tracks closely to the national median, $59K locally vs. $57K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 62.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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 community and social service specialists, all others (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $96K or more, a $57K spread from bottom to top.
Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other 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 | $68K | +16% | 2,560 |
| Vallejo | $64K | +9% | 100 |
| Napa | $64K | +8% | 70 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $63K | +7% | 1,090 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $62K | +6% | 1,060 |
| Yuba City | $62K | +6% | 70 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $62K | +5% | 300 |
| Modesto | $61K | +4% | 150 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $60K | +3% | 170 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $58K | -1% | 110 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $58K | -2% | 120 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $57K | -3% | 1,020 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $57K | -3% | 5,480 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $57K | -3% | 150 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $56K | -6% | 200 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $55K | -6% | 1,440 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $54K | -8% | 250 |
| Chico | $54K | -8% | 120 |
| El Centro | $54K | -8% | 40 |
| Merced | $54K | -9% | 130 |
| Redding | $54K | -9% | 130 |
| Fresno | $52K | -11% | 290 |
| Salinas | $51K | -13% | 150 |
| Visalia | $45K | -23% | 190 |
Showing 1–10 of 24 metros
Compare to other states
Track community and social service specialists, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a community and social service specialists, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 62.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for community and social service specialists, all others in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new community and social service specialists, all others typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,330/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 106% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is community and social service specialists, all other a high-paying job in California?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $59K locally vs. $57K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does California compare to the national average for community and social service specialists, all others?
California pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — below the national median.
How much do community and social service specialists, all others make in California?
The median is $58,770 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,840, and experienced community and social service specialists, all others can clear $96,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,954/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 62.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a community and social service specialists, all other 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 community and social service specialists, all other salary is worth about $55,370 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do community and social service specialists, all others 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.