Family Medicine Physicians Salary
Family Medicine Physicians in California make a median of $252,010 a year, or about $121.16 an hour. The range runs from $75K at the entry level to $475K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $237,432 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,471/month, or 17.9% 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 $252K get you in California?
About family medicine physicians
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What this looks like in California
Family medicine physicians pay in California tracks closely to the national median, $252K locally vs. $244K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $2,471/month, 18% 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 family medicine physicians (10th percentile) start around $75K. Mid-career wages sit at $252K. Top earners bring in $475K or more, a $401K spread from bottom to top.
Family Medicine Physicians salary by metro in California
24 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas | $410K | +63% | 320 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $352K | +40% | 1,120 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $345K | +37% | 830 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $345K | +37% | N/A |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $333K | +32% | 190 |
| Vallejo | $307K | +22% | 100 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $305K | +21% | 2,170 |
| Napa | $300K | +19% | 90 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $299K | +19% | N/A |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $296K | +17% | 1,360 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $292K | +16% | N/A |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $287K | +14% | 440 |
| Fresno | $278K | +10% | 320 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $277K | +10% | 270 |
| Chico | $275K | +9% | 90 |
| Merced | $271K | +7% | 40 |
| Redding | $268K | +6% | 120 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $267K | +6% | 410 |
| Modesto | $260K | +3% | 100 |
| Yuba City | $259K | +3% | 30 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $259K | +3% | 140 |
| Visalia | $227K | -10% | 150 |
| El Centro | $220K | -13% | 60 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $187K | -26% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 24 metros
Compare to other states
Track family medicine physicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a family medicine physician afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
Yes — at the median salary of $252K, rent takes 18% 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 family medicine physicians in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new family medicine physicians typically earn — is $75K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,471/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 55% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is family medicine physician a high-paying job in California?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $252K locally vs. $244K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does California compare to the national average for family medicine physicians?
California pays $252K median vs. the U.S. average of $244K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $237K — below the national median.
How much do family medicine physicians make in California?
The median is $252,010 a year, that works out to about $121 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $74,510, and experienced family medicine physicians can clear $475,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $252K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $13,707/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 18% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a family medicine physicians 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 family medicine physicians salary is worth about $237,432 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do family medicine physicians 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.