Comprehensive salary data, cost of living, tax rates, and employment information for California.
Reviewed by Alexander O.M., MBA, BSc Engineering•Updated
California's $91,905 median household income is the fifth-highest in the country, but the headline hides one of the widest income gaps of any US state. A software engineer in Cupertino and a farmworker in Fresno County can both call California home while earning ten times apart. The cost-of-living index of 142 varies enormously by ZIP code too: a $90,000 salary in Bakersfield sustains a very different lifestyle than the same $90,000 in San Francisco, where the median rent on a one-bedroom hovers above $3,000. California's top marginal state income tax of 13.3% applies to incomes over $1 million (plus a 1% mental-health surcharge on the same bracket), making it the highest state income tax in the country. Below that threshold, the bracket structure is genuinely progressive — most earners pay between 4% and 9.3%. The $16/hour state minimum wage, with fast-food workers now earning $20/hour under AB 1228, also pushes the wage floor well above federal levels. The data and calculators below help you estimate take-home pay by region and industry.
Median Individual
$43,910
per year
Median Household
$91,905
per year
Cost of Living
142
Very Expensive (US avg = 100)
State Income Tax
1-13.3%
rate
Salary Overview for California
The median individual income in California is $43,910 per year, while the mean (average) individual income is $60,200. The median household income is $91,905.
Cost of Living Adjusted Salary
California's cost of living index is 142 (national average = 100). This means the median salary of $43,910 in California has the purchasing power of approximately $30,923 at the national average cost of living. The higher cost of living in California means you need to earn more to maintain the same standard of living.
Minimum Wage in California
The current minimum wage in California is $16.00/hour, which equals approximately $33,280 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week, 52 weeks). See our complete California minimum wage guide for tipped wages, scheduled increases, and more.
Top Employers in California
University of California
Kaiser Permanente
State of California
Major Industries in California
Technology
Entertainment
Agriculture
Tax Rates in California
See the full tax breakdown including income tax, sales tax, property tax, and more on our California tax rates page.
Calculate Your Take-Home Pay
Use our Salary Calculator to convert between hourly, weekly, monthly, and annual pay, and estimate your take-home pay in California after federal and state taxes.