Financial and Investment Analysts Salary
Financial and Investment Analysts in California make a median of $109,110 a year, or about $52.46 an hour. The range runs from $73K at the entry level to $198K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $102,798 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 36.8% 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 $109K get you in California?
About financial and investment analysts
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What this looks like in California
Financial and investment analysts pay in California tracks closely to the national median, $109K locally vs. $103K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 37.6% 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 financial and investment analysts (10th percentile) start around $73K. Mid-career wages sit at $109K. Top earners bring in $198K or more, a $125K spread from bottom to top.
Financial and Investment Analysts salary by metro in California
24 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $145K | +33% | 3,880 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $131K | +20% | 9,910 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $110K | +1% | 150 |
| Vallejo | $107K | -2% | 80 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $106K | -3% | 3,830 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $105K | -4% | 420 |
| Salinas | $105K | -4% | 90 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $104K | -5% | 1,590 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $103K | -6% | 120 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $102K | -6% | 19,600 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $102K | -6% | 140 |
| Modesto | $102K | -7% | 130 |
| Yuba City | $102K | -7% | 30 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $101K | -7% | 190 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $101K | -7% | 1,050 |
| Napa | $101K | -8% | 50 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $100K | -9% | 150 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $98K | -10% | 390 |
| Redding | $97K | -11% | 40 |
| Visalia | $97K | -11% | 80 |
| Fresno | $93K | -15% | 260 |
| Chico | $91K | -17% | 70 |
| Merced | $84K | -23% | 70 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $81K | -25% | 30 |
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 financial and investment analyst afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $109K, rent takes 37.6% 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 $2,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for financial and investment analysts in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new financial and investment analysts typically earn — is $73K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,370/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 57% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is financial and investment analyst a high-paying job in California?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $109K locally vs. $103K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does California compare to the national average for financial and investment analysts?
California pays $109K median vs. the U.S. average of $103K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $103K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do financial and investment analysts make in California?
The median is $109,110 a year, that works out to about $52 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $72,840, and experienced financial and investment analysts can clear $198,280. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $109K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,572/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 37.6% 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 financial and investment analysts 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 financial and investment analysts salary is worth about $102,798 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do financial and investment analysts 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.