SOC 11-1011 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Chief Executives — California
California · 10 metro areas compared
The median wage for Chief Executives in California is $218,600 per year, close to the national median of $213,990 for the same occupation.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Chief Executives in California is $218,600 per year, close to the national median of $213,990 for the same occupation. Pay ranges from under $85,790 at the tenth percentile to more than $486,830 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $133,610 to $351,090.
Employment stands at 34,700, or 1.9 jobs per thousand held locally. Among the 46 states with published data for this occupation, California ranks 17th by median wage. San Francisco leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $288,690. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 13th of 793 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $85,790 | −59.9% |
| 25th | $133,610 | −37.6% |
| Median (50th) | $218,600 | +2.2% |
| 75th | $351,090 | +64.1% |
| 90th | $486,830 | +127.5% |
| Mean | $272,920 | +27.5% |
Highest-paying metro areas in California
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco | $288,690 | 5,190 | |
| 2 | Napa | $241,590 | 150 | |
| 3 | San Diego | $238,440 | 2,710 | |
| 4 | Los Angeles | $234,290 | 10,800 | |
| 5 | Salinas | $226,270 | 220 | |
| 6 | Santa Rosa | $218,690 | 350 | |
| 7 | Stockton | $214,340 | 310 | |
| 8 | Santa Cruz | $209,080 | 220 | |
| 9 | Yuba City | $209,060 | 100 | |
| 10 | Oxnard | $202,750 | 430 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in California run 10.7% above the national average, so the median of $218,600 buys what $197,471 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 7.7% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$218,600as reported by BLSLocal price level
110.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$197,471US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $218,600 a year, 2.2% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $85,790 to $486,830 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 34,700 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 17th of 46 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is San Francisco, at $288,690.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Chief Executives in California?
The median annual wage is $218,600, or $105.10 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $213,990, so pay in California is 2.2% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in California earns more than $486,830 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $85,790 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in San Francisco, at $288,690 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 34,700 jobs in this occupation in California. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
Explore related data