The Fresno, CA metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in Fresno, CA (2026)
The average salary in the Fresno metro area is $63,820 a year and the median is $46,910: 8% below the US median and 19% below California's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $45,920, 358th of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $63,820US $69,770
- Median salary
- $46,910US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $22.55BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 102.2US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in Fresno earn
| Percentile | Fresno area | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $34,320 | $35,950 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $36,330 | $41,600 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $46,910 | $58,240 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $74,170 | $97,880 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $116,100 | $159,080 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $63,820 | $80,690 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Fresno
BEA Regional Price Parities put the Fresno area at 102.2 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $102,160 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items102.2
- Housing (rents)95.7
- Goods105.2
- Utilities161
- Other services100.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 102.2 |
| Housing (rents) | 95.7 |
| Goods | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 161 |
| Other services | 100.3 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in Fresno
Mean annual wage in the Fresno area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | Fresno area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $126,880 | $101,420 | +25% |
| Software Developer | $131,810 | $148,100 | -11% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $90,130 | $72,650 | +24% |
| Accountant | $88,130 | $94,750 | -7% |
| Electrician | $76,150 | $71,490 | +7% |
| Truck Driver | $55,990 | $59,710 | -6% |
| Customer Service Representative | $53,160 | $46,590 | +14% |
| Retail Salesperson | $39,980 | $37,310 | +7% |
| Nursing Assistant | $44,530 | $42,700 | +4% |
| General and Operations Manager | $126,940 | $134,940 | -6% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $54,790 | $53,780 | +2% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $40,460 | $38,730 | +4% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in Fresno
BLS publishes estimates for 507 occupations in this metro. Highest mean pay, and the large occupations this area pays furthest above their national average.
Highest-paying jobs
Mean annual wage
- 1Chief Executive$225,950
- 2Naturopathic Physician$209,770
- 3Dentist$201,700
- 4Lawyer$183,930
- 5Health Specialties Teacher, Postsecondary$174,520
- 6Architectural and Engineering Manager$174,240
- 7Nurse Practitioner$167,690
- 8Pharmacist$163,720
- 9Nuclear Medicine Technologist$162,200
- 10Natural Sciences Manager$161,570
Jobs Fresno pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1Substitute Teacher, Short-Term$72,220 · +56%
- 2Career/Technical Education Teacher, Secondary School$106,750 · +47%
- 3Correctional Officer and Jailer$90,770 · +43%
- 4Electrical Power-Line Installer and Repairer$129,480 · +41%
- 5Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor$98,550 · +38%
- 6High School Teacher$103,120 · +35%
- 7Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator$89,150 · +34%
- 8Police Officer$103,480 · +31%
- 9Firefighter$82,510 · +30%
- 10Special Education Teacher, Secondary School$100,150 · +30%
Compare
Other metro areas in California
San Jose, CA · $84,050San Francisco, CA · $74,260Sacramento, CA · $59,750San Diego, CA · $58,690Santa Rosa, CA · $56,850Los Angeles, CA · $55,850Oxnard, CA · $52,510Santa Maria, CA · $51,690Modesto, CA · $50,610Stockton, CA · $48,990Riverside, CA · $48,400Bakersfield, CA · $47,470California overall →
Method
About these numbers
- All-occupations wages for the metro are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 estimates (api.bls.gov). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Pay by occupation is the OEWS May 2025 mean for that occupation in this metro, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 prevailing-wage file. Only figures BLS estimated for this metro itself are used, never state or national fallbacks.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in Fresno: FAQ
What is the average salary in Fresno?
Across all occupations in the Fresno, CA metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $63,820 and the median is $46,910, 8% below the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 476,890 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in Fresno?
Above $46,910 out-earns half of workers in the Fresno area; the top 25% start at $74,170 and the top 10% at $116,100. Prices run 2% above the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $102,160 here.
Is Fresno expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the Fresno metro is 102.2 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 95.7, goods 105.2, utilities 161.0. At local prices the median wage is worth $45,920, 358th of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Fresno?
By mean annual wage: Chief Executive ($225,950), Naturopathic Physician ($209,770), Dentist ($201,700), Lawyer ($183,930), Health Specialties Teacher, Postsecondary ($174,520) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).