The Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in Riverside, CA (2026)
The average salary in the Riverside metro area is $65,160 a year and the median is $48,400: 5% below the US median and 17% below California's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $45,470, 365th of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $65,160US $69,770
- Median salary
- $48,400US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $23.27BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 106.4US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in Riverside earn
| Percentile | Riverside area | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $34,850 | $35,950 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $38,430 | $41,600 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $48,400 | $58,240 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $75,210 | $97,880 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $119,360 | $159,080 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $65,160 | $80,690 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Riverside
BEA Regional Price Parities put the Riverside area at 106.4 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $106,440 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items106.4
- Housing (rents)129.3
- Goods101.4
- Utilities148.6
- Other services101.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 106.4 |
| Housing (rents) | 129.3 |
| Goods | 101.4 |
| Utilities | 148.6 |
| Other services | 101.3 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in Riverside
Mean annual wage in the Riverside area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | Riverside area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $136,680 | $101,420 | +35% |
| Software Developer | $139,570 | $148,100 | -6% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $96,990 | $72,650 | +34% |
| Accountant | $91,810 | $94,750 | -3% |
| Electrician | $80,100 | $71,490 | +12% |
| Truck Driver | $64,130 | $59,710 | +7% |
| Customer Service Representative | $49,920 | $46,590 | +7% |
| Retail Salesperson | $41,230 | $37,310 | +11% |
| Nursing Assistant | $46,950 | $42,700 | +10% |
| General and Operations Manager | $126,420 | $134,940 | -6% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $57,510 | $53,780 | +7% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $42,740 | $38,730 | +10% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in Riverside
BLS publishes estimates for 639 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$230,690
- 2Chief Executive$220,110
- 3Podiatrist$200,220
- 4Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teacher, Postsecondary$200,140
- 5Nurse Midwife$193,190
- 6General Internal Medicine Physician$188,610
- 7Natural Sciences Manager$187,490
- 8IT Manager$184,790
- 9Architectural and Engineering Manager$177,610
- 10Financial Manager$175,450
Jobs Riverside pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1Correctional Officer and Jailer$90,290 · +42%
- 2Middle School Teacher$101,660 · +41%
- 3First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives$157,480 · +40%
- 4Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$94,450 · +39%
- 5Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor$98,450 · +38%
- 6Special Education Teacher, Secondary School$105,440 · +36%
- 7Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator$85,320 · +36%
- 8Registered Nurse$136,680 · +35%
- 9Education Administrator, Kindergarten through Secondary$156,260 · +35%
- 10Elementary School Teacher$96,990 · +34%
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 Riverside: FAQ
What is the average salary in Riverside?
Across all occupations in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $65,160 and the median is $48,400, 5% below the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 1,716,760 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in Riverside?
Above $48,400 out-earns half of workers in the Riverside area; the top 25% start at $75,210 and the top 10% at $119,360. Prices run 6% above the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $106,440 here.
Is Riverside expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the Riverside metro is 106.4 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 129.3, goods 101.4, utilities 148.6. At local prices the median wage is worth $45,470, 365th of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Riverside?
By mean annual wage: Allergist and Immunologist ($230,690), Chief Executive ($220,110), Podiatrist ($200,220), Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teacher, Postsecondary ($200,140), Nurse Midwife ($193,190) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).