The Modesto, CA metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in Modesto, CA (2026)
The average salary in the Modesto metro area is $67,230 a year and the median is $50,610: 1% below the US median and 13% below California's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $48,610, 293rd of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $67,230US $69,770
- Median salary
- $50,610US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $24.33BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 104.1US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in Modesto earn
| Percentile | Modesto area | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $35,530 | $35,950 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $39,070 | $41,600 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $50,610 | $58,240 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $77,510 | $97,880 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $123,810 | $159,080 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $67,230 | $80,690 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Modesto
BEA Regional Price Parities put the Modesto area at 104.1 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $104,110 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items104.1
- Housing (rents)108.5
- Goods105.2
- Utilities152.3
- Other services100.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 104.1 |
| Housing (rents) | 108.5 |
| Goods | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 152.3 |
| Other services | 100.3 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in Modesto
Mean annual wage in the Modesto area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | Modesto area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $143,670 | $101,420 | +42% |
| Software Developer | $122,870 | $148,100 | -17% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $99,430 | $72,650 | +37% |
| Accountant | $93,000 | $94,750 | -2% |
| Electrician | $83,800 | $71,490 | +17% |
| Truck Driver | $58,510 | $59,710 | -2% |
| Customer Service Representative | $50,650 | $46,590 | +9% |
| Retail Salesperson | $41,480 | $37,310 | +11% |
| Nursing Assistant | $47,320 | $42,700 | +11% |
| General and Operations Manager | $127,840 | $134,940 | -5% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $61,030 | $53,780 | +13% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $42,220 | $38,730 | +9% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in Modesto
BLS publishes estimates for 386 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
- 1Lawyer$195,460
- 2Nurse Practitioner$187,700
- 3Dentist$181,690
- 4Commercial Pilot$176,410
- 5IT Manager$171,640
- 6Physician Assistant$168,960
- 7Architectural and Engineering Manager$168,080
- 8Financial Manager$167,020
- 9Nuclear Medicine Technologist$165,240
- 10Natural Sciences Manager$164,650
Jobs Modesto pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1Kindergarten Teacher$107,550 · +55%
- 2Substitute Teacher, Short-Term$70,990 · +53%
- 3Radiologic Technologist and Technician$127,320 · +52%
- 4Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator$95,910 · +45%
- 5Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$96,890 · +42%
- 6Registered Nurse$143,670 · +42%
- 7Middle School Teacher$98,910 · +37%
- 8Elementary School Teacher$99,430 · +37%
- 9Nurse Practitioner$187,700 · +37%
- 10High School Teacher$103,950 · +36%
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 · $51,690Stockton, CA · $48,990Riverside, CA · $48,400Bakersfield, CA · $47,470Salinas, CA · $47,380California 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 Modesto: FAQ
What is the average salary in Modesto?
Across all occupations in the Modesto, CA metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $67,230 and the median is $50,610, 1% below the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 195,230 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in Modesto?
Above $50,610 out-earns half of workers in the Modesto area; the top 25% start at $77,510 and the top 10% at $123,810. Prices run 4% above the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $104,110 here.
Is Modesto expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the Modesto metro is 104.1 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 108.5, goods 105.2, utilities 152.3. At local prices the median wage is worth $48,610, 293rd of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Modesto?
By mean annual wage: Lawyer ($195,460), Nurse Practitioner ($187,700), Dentist ($181,690), Commercial Pilot ($176,410), IT Manager ($171,640) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).