Occupations With the Highest Reported Median Wages in California

921 occupations have a published Bureau of Labor Statistics median wage in California for 2025. Rows are ordered by reported annual median wage.

Occupations

Occupation	Median annual wage	Employment	Salary page
Transportation Security Screeners	$73,610	5,410	View salary detail
Tapers	$73,460	4,540	View salary detail
Drafters, All Other	$73,390	1,750	View salary detail
Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians	$72,830	47,660	View salary detail
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters	$72,830	47,660	View salary detail
Broadcast Technicians	$72,800	2,340	View salary detail
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers	$72,560	35,130	View salary detail
Medical Equipment Repairers	$72,450	6,080	View salary detail
Bridge and Lock Tenders	$72,390	80	View salary detail
Anthropologists and Archeologists	$72,240	2,060	View salary detail
Costume Attendants	$72,030	1,620	View salary detail
Desktop Publishers	$71,930	320	View salary detail
Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers	$71,570	8,180	View salary detail
Biological Technicians	$71,440	9,210	View salary detail
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators	$71,170	770	View salary detail
Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners	$71,120	20,650	View salary detail
Hydrologic Technicians	$70,790	300	View salary detail
Interpreters and Translators	$70,770	5,560	View salary detail
Archivists	$70,530	1,160	View salary detail
Tax Preparers	$70,030	10,270	View salary detail
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters	$69,950	1,500	View salary detail
Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians	$69,410	480	View salary detail
Brickmasons and Blockmasons	$69,050	3,820	View salary detail
Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders	$68,600	110	View salary detail
Rail Car Repairers	$68,370	700	View salary detail
Recreational Vehicle Service Technicians	$68,240	1,070	View salary detail
First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers	$68,010	3,010	View salary detail
Maintenance Workers, Machinery	$67,840	4,130	View salary detail
Marriage and Family Therapists	$67,300	34,970	View salary detail
Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers	$67,230	—	View salary detail
Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers	$67,160	190	View salary detail
Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity	$67,130	24,380	View salary detail
Credit Counselors	$67,120	2,160	View salary detail
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare	$67,100	9,810	View salary detail
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas	$66,910	1,630	View salary detail
Automotive Body and Related Repairers	$66,860	14,050	View salary detail
Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers	$66,040	810	View salary detail
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers	$65,880	27,280	View salary detail
Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas	$65,520	460	View salary detail
Designers, All Other	$65,420	3,110	View salary detail
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks	$65,340	20,590	View salary detail
Child, Family, and School Social Workers	$65,200	60,310	View salary detail
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics	$64,980	65,420	View salary detail
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors	$64,890	13,930	View salary detail
Audio and Video Technicians	$64,620	9,280	View salary detail
Media and Communication Equipment Workers, All Other	$64,550	3,890	View salary detail
Chefs and Head Cooks	$64,500	31,670	View salary detail
Wellhead Pumpers	$64,430	160	View salary detail
Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other	$64,100	39,440	View salary detail
Glaziers	$64,040	7,020	View salary detail

Metropolitan areas in this state

Career and skills data: O*NET (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.