California Salary Data
Salary comparisons across 3 metropolitan areas in California. State income tax rate: approximately 9.3%.
Metro Areas in California
| Metro Area | COL Index | vs US Avg | State Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | 186 | +86% | 9.3% |
| Los Angeles, CA | 173 | +73% | 9.3% |
| San Diego, CA | 152 | +52% | 9.3% |
Top Paying Occupations in California
| Occupation | CA Avg | National Avg | vs National | Top City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawyer | $175,000 | $136,800 | +$38,200 | San Francisco, CA |
| Software Developer | $156,667 | $127,433 | +$29,234 | San Francisco, CA |
| Registered Nurse | $120,000 | $80,900 | +$39,100 | San Francisco, CA |
| Financial Analyst | $104,000 | $89,367 | +$14,633 | San Francisco, CA |
| Electrician | $84,000 | $65,367 | +$18,633 | San Francisco, CA |
Salary by City — California
4Working in California: The Bigger Picture
California hosts 3 major metropolitan areas covered in this dataset: San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego. The range of cost-of-living indices across these metros — 152 to 186 — shows how much intra-state variance matters. A California salary in the most expensive metro doesn't go as far as the same salary in a smaller city within the same state — often by a wide margin.
California's state income tax rate of approximately 9.3% is toward the higher end nationally. On a $100,000 salary, state tax takes roughly $9,300 per year. Deductions for retirement contributions, state-specific credits, and itemized deductions can reduce the effective rate.
Economic drivers shape which occupations pay well in California. The state's highest-paying of our featured occupations is Lawyer at an average of $175,000, concentrated in San Francisco, CA. Metros with larger technology, healthcare, or financial-services concentrations tend to pay above national average for those roles; metros with primarily manufacturing, tourism, or agriculture tend to pay closer to national medians but with lower cost of living offsetting the difference.
For relocation planning, run the math both ways: (1) compare your current salary to the CA median for your occupation — if it's lower, you have negotiating leverage; and (2) compare the COL-adjusted figure, which tells you how much purchasing power you'd have. A 10% nominal pay cut in a 20% lower COL city is effectively a 12% raise in real terms. For a specific role, browse all occupations and drill into each one to see side-by-side city differences within California.