Salaries in California.
4 metro areas. 422 roles.
Average cost-of-living index: 1.27x national average. Last updated April 2026.
Highest Paying
$419,000
Chief AI Officer
Median Role
$358,000
VP of AI Product
Entry Level
$299,000
AI Hardware/Chip Design Engineer
Salary data sourced from SEC filings, H-1B Labor Condition Applications (DOL), Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, and aggregated job postings across 50+ platforms. Ranges reflect 25th to 75th percentile for full-time positions. Cost-of-living adjustments use Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2025 index). Last updated April 2026.
California has 4 major metro areas tracked in our salary database, with an average cost-of-living index of 1.27x the national average. The highest-paying role across the state is Chief AI Officer at $419,000 in San Francisco. The median role pays $358,000.
Metro areas in California
Top 30 salaries in California
Tax considerations in California
California's top marginal state income tax rate is 13.3%, the highest in the U.S. San Francisco has no additional city income tax, but overall tax burden remains steep.
California's 13.3% top state income tax rate applies to LA earners as well. There is no city income tax, but the high state rate makes take home pay lower than cities in no income tax states.
California's top 13.3% state tax applies here. While San Diego has no city income tax, the state burden means you should negotiate gross pay higher than you might expect for the cost of living.
California's top 13.3% state rate applies fully here. While gross salaries in San Jose are among the nation's highest, the tax burden means net pay may not stretch as far as expected.
Other states
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