Teachers and Instructors, All Other Salary
In California, teachers and instructors, all others earn $87,460 at the median. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $129K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $82,401 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 45% 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 $87K get you in California?
About teachers and instructors, all others
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What this looks like in California
California sits well above the national pay line for teachers and instructors, all other, local pay runs about 32% higher than the U.S. median of $66K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 45.2% 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. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level teachers and instructors, all others (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $87K. Top earners bring in $129K or more, a $81K spread from bottom to top.
Teachers and Instructors, All Other salary by metro in California
24 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas | $113K | +30% | 2,170 |
| Fresno | $105K | +20% | 2,110 |
| Modesto | $104K | +19% | 290 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $101K | +16% | 210 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $100K | +14% | 450 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $98K | +12% | 8,300 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $97K | +11% | 2,240 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $97K | +11% | 510 |
| Chico | $95K | +9% | 130 |
| Merced | $93K | +7% | 140 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $87K | -1% | 50 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $86K | -2% | 230 |
| Napa | $84K | -3% | 80 |
| Visalia | $83K | -5% | 410 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $82K | -7% | 3,070 |
| Yuba City | $81K | -7% | 100 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $80K | -8% | 3,100 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $79K | -9% | 3,180 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $79K | -10% | 380 |
| Vallejo | $79K | -10% | 330 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $78K | -11% | 1,580 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $77K | -12% | 490 |
| El Centro | $77K | -12% | 140 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $77K | -12% | 120 |
Showing 1–10 of 24 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Frequently asked questions
Can a teachers and instructors, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $87K, rent takes 45.2% 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 $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for teachers and instructors, all others in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new teachers and instructors, all others typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,861/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 86% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is teachers and instructors, all other a high-paying job in California?
Local pay is 32% above the national median — $87K here vs. $66K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does California compare to the national average for teachers and instructors, all others?
California pays $87K median vs. the U.S. average of $66K — that’s +32%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $82K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do teachers and instructors, all others make in California?
The median is $87,460 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,680, and experienced teachers and instructors, all others can clear $129,120. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $87K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,470/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 45.2% 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 teachers and instructors, all other 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 teachers and instructors, all other salary is worth about $82,401 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do teachers and instructors, all others 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.