The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in Los Angeles, CA (2026)
The average salary in the Los Angeles metro area is $77,270 a year and the median is $55,850: 10% above the US median and 4% below California's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $49,180, 271st of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $77,270US $69,770
- Median salary
- $55,850US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $26.85BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 113.6US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in Los Angeles earn
| Percentile | Los Angeles area | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $35,870 | $35,950 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $39,320 | $41,600 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $55,850 | $58,240 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $93,740 | $97,880 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $141,370 | $159,080 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $77,270 | $80,690 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Los Angeles
BEA Regional Price Parities put the Los Angeles area at 113.6 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $113,570 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items113.6
- Housing (rents)170.4
- Goods106.6
- Utilities158.6
- Other services104.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 113.6 |
| Housing (rents) | 170.4 |
| Goods | 106.6 |
| Utilities | 158.6 |
| Other services | 104.4 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in Los Angeles
Mean annual wage in the Los Angeles area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | Los Angeles area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $140,360 | $101,420 | +38% |
| Software Developer | $161,910 | $148,100 | +9% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $98,150 | $72,650 | +35% |
| Accountant | $99,740 | $94,750 | +5% |
| Electrician | $82,310 | $71,490 | +15% |
| Truck Driver | $61,240 | $59,710 | +3% |
| Customer Service Representative | $53,500 | $46,590 | +15% |
| Retail Salesperson | $43,010 | $37,310 | +15% |
| Nursing Assistant | $49,710 | $42,700 | +16% |
| General and Operations Manager | $157,120 | $134,940 | +16% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $58,390 | $53,780 | +9% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $44,760 | $38,730 | +16% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in Los Angeles
BLS publishes estimates for 697 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
- 1Allergist and Immunologist$227,680
- 2IT Manager$208,290
- 3Financial Manager$204,650
- 4Pediatrician, General$201,090
- 5Nurse Midwife$198,370
- 6Architectural and Engineering Manager$197,390
- 7Podiatrist$196,370
- 8Natural Sciences Manager$196,290
- 9Family Medicine Physician$196,000
- 10Marketing Manager$193,400
Jobs Los Angeles pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1Firefighter$108,870 · +71%
- 2First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives$171,040 · +52%
- 3Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator$94,200 · +42%
- 4Police Officer$112,320 · +42%
- 5Public Safety Telecommunicator$80,250 · +41%
- 6Producer and Director$159,390 · +41%
- 7High School Teacher$106,820 · +40%
- 8Registered Nurse$140,360 · +38%
- 9Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator$86,470 · +38%
- 10Lifeguard, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Worker$46,780 · +36%
Compare
Other metro areas in California
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 Los Angeles: FAQ
What is the average salary in Los Angeles?
Across all occupations in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $77,270 and the median is $55,850, 10% above the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 6,271,560 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in Los Angeles?
Above $55,850 out-earns half of workers in the Los Angeles area; the top 25% start at $93,740 and the top 10% at $141,370. Prices run 14% above the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $113,570 here.
Is Los Angeles expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the Los Angeles metro is 113.6 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 170.4, goods 106.6, utilities 158.6. At local prices the median wage is worth $49,180, 271st of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Los Angeles?
By mean annual wage: Allergist and Immunologist ($227,680), IT Manager ($208,290), Financial Manager ($204,650), Pediatrician, General ($201,090), Nurse Midwife ($198,370) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).