Financial Managers Salary
Financial Managers in California make a median of $180,770 a year, or about $86.91 an hour. The range runs from $102K at the entry level to $342K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $170,313 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,471/month, or 24.1% 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 $181K get you in California?
About financial managers
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What this looks like in California
Financial managers pay in California tracks closely to the national median, $181K locally vs. $167K nationwide, a 9% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $2,471/month, 24.4% 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 financial managers (10th percentile) start around $102K. Mid-career wages sit at $181K. Top earners bring in $342K or more, a $240K spread from bottom to top.
Financial Managers 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 | $225K | +25% | 7,970 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $216K | +20% | 17,040 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $175K | -3% | 34,480 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $174K | -4% | 7,350 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $170K | -6% | 1,330 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $166K | -8% | 400 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $164K | -9% | 760 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $164K | -9% | 800 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $163K | -10% | 4,840 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $160K | -11% | 4,120 |
| Modesto | $160K | -11% | 600 |
| Vallejo | $158K | -13% | 460 |
| Salinas | $153K | -15% | 450 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $153K | -15% | 900 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $152K | -16% | 790 |
| Yuba City | $149K | -18% | 140 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $141K | -22% | 420 |
| Visalia | $139K | -23% | 370 |
| Redding | $138K | -23% | 230 |
| Fresno | $138K | -24% | 1,370 |
| Merced | $134K | -26% | 210 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $131K | -27% | 100 |
| Chico | $131K | -28% | 260 |
| El Centro | $129K | -28% | 130 |
Showing 1–10 of 24 metros
Compare to other states
Track financial managers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a financial manager afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
Yes — at the median salary of $181K, rent takes 24.4% 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 financial managers in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new financial managers typically earn — is $102K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,109/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 40% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is financial manager a high-paying job in California?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $181K locally vs. $167K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does California compare to the national average for financial managers?
California pays $181K median vs. the U.S. average of $167K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $170K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do financial managers make in California?
The median is $180,770 a year, that works out to about $87 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $101,820, and experienced financial managers can clear $341,670. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $181K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $10,138/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 24.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a financial managers 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 managers salary is worth about $170,313 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do financial managers 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.