Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers Salary
The median pay for a property, real estate, and community association managers in California is $77,030/year ($37.04/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $158K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $72,574 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 49.1% 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 $77K get you in California?
About property, real estate, and community association managers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in California
Property, real estate, and community association managers pay in California tracks closely to the national median, $77K locally vs. $70K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 50% 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 property, real estate, and community association managers (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $77K. Top earners bring in $158K or more, a $117K spread from bottom to top.
Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers salary by metro in California
25 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $87K | +13% | 2,630 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $83K | +7% | 7,660 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $78K | +2% | 5,480 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $78K | +1% | 480 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $77K | +0% | 19,780 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $76K | -2% | 540 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $76K | -2% | 2,810 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $74K | -4% | 270 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $74K | -5% | 380 |
| Fresno | $71K | -7% | 870 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $71K | -8% | 230 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $70K | -9% | 640 |
| Napa | $69K | -11% | 140 |
| Vallejo | $65K | -16% | 300 |
| Visalia | $64K | -17% | 270 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $64K | -17% | 470 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $63K | -19% | 2,700 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $63K | -19% | 50 |
| Modesto | $62K | -20% | 320 |
| Salinas | $62K | -20% | 410 |
| Chico | $61K | -20% | 180 |
| Merced | $61K | -21% | 100 |
| Yuba City | $60K | -22% | 90 |
| Redding | $59K | -23% | 120 |
| El Centro | $58K | -24% | 100 |
Showing 1–10 of 25 metros
Compare to other states
Track property, real estate, and community association managers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
Related careers in Management
Frequently asked questions
Can a property, real estate, and community association manager afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $77K, rent takes 50% 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 $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for property, real estate, and community association managers in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new property, real estate, and community association managers typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,492/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 99% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is property, real estate, and community association manager a high-paying job in California?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $77K locally vs. $70K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does California compare to the national average for property, real estate, and community association managers?
California pays $77K median vs. the U.S. average of $70K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $73K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do property, real estate, and community association managers make in California?
The median is $77,030 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,540, and experienced property, real estate, and community association managers can clear $158,050. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $77K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,940/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 50% 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 property, real estate, and community association 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 property, real estate, and community association managers salary is worth about $72,574 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do property, real estate, and community association 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.