Sales Managers Salary
The median pay for a sales managers in California is $134,910/year ($64.86/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $301K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $127,106 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 31% 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 $135K get you in California?
About sales managers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in California
Sales managers pay in California tracks closely to the national median, $135K locally vs. $148K nationwide, a 9% difference. Rent runs $2,471/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level sales managers (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $135K. Top earners bring in $301K or more, a $236K spread from bottom to top.
Sales 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 | $202K | +50% | 8,940 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $171K | +27% | 17,770 |
| Napa | $138K | +2% | 520 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $132K | -2% | 37,790 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $120K | -11% | 8,630 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $118K | -13% | 1,360 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $117K | -13% | 520 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $114K | -16% | 4,910 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $108K | -20% | 2,050 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $107K | -21% | 990 |
| Vallejo | $107K | -21% | 680 |
| Salinas | $104K | -23% | 800 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $104K | -23% | 1,170 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $103K | -23% | 8,080 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $102K | -24% | 630 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $102K | -25% | 160 |
| Fresno | $101K | -25% | 1,950 |
| Yuba City | $99K | -27% | 210 |
| Merced | $99K | -27% | 280 |
| Modesto | $99K | -27% | 900 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $98K | -27% | 1,220 |
| Redding | $98K | -27% | 360 |
| Chico | $97K | -28% | 330 |
| Visalia | $95K | -29% | 580 |
| El Centro | $86K | -36% | 270 |
Showing 1–10 of 25 metros
Compare to other states
Track sales 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 sales manager afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $135K, rent takes 31.4% 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 $2,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for sales managers in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new sales managers typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,866/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 64% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is sales manager a high-paying job in California?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $135K locally vs. $148K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does California compare to the national average for sales managers?
California pays $135K median vs. the U.S. average of $148K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $127K — below the national median.
How much do sales managers make in California?
The median is $134,910 a year, that works out to about $65 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,430, and experienced sales managers can clear $300,580. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $135K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,857/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 31.4% 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 sales 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 sales managers salary is worth about $127,106 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do sales 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.