The Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in Sacramento, CA (2026)
The average salary in the Sacramento metro area is $77,150 a year and the median is $59,750: 17% above the US median and 3% above California's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $56,010, 50th of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $77,150US $69,770
- Median salary
- $59,750US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $28.73BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 106.7US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in Sacramento earn
| Percentile | Sacramento area | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $35,880 | $35,950 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $42,450 | $41,600 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $59,750 | $58,240 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $95,620 | $97,880 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $138,400 | $159,080 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $77,150 | $80,690 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Sacramento
BEA Regional Price Parities put the Sacramento area at 106.7 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $106,670 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items106.7
- Housing (rents)130.2
- Goods105.2
- Utilities151.3
- Other services100.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 106.7 |
| Housing (rents) | 130.2 |
| Goods | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 151.3 |
| Other services | 100.3 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in Sacramento
Mean annual wage in the Sacramento area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | Sacramento area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $164,200 | $101,420 | +62% |
| Software Developer | $152,940 | $148,100 | +3% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $93,930 | $72,650 | +29% |
| Accountant | $94,950 | $94,750 | 0% |
| Electrician | $79,870 | $71,490 | +12% |
| Truck Driver | $62,070 | $59,710 | +4% |
| Customer Service Representative | $54,330 | $46,590 | +17% |
| Retail Salesperson | $42,430 | $37,310 | +14% |
| Nursing Assistant | $49,090 | $42,700 | +15% |
| General and Operations Manager | $136,740 | $134,940 | +1% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $57,570 | $53,780 | +7% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $43,220 | $38,730 | +12% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in Sacramento
BLS publishes estimates for 615 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
- 1Podiatrist$222,440
- 2Architectural and Engineering Manager$196,000
- 3Nurse Midwife$189,760
- 4Chief Executive$189,380
- 5Radiation Therapist$187,220
- 6Marketing Manager$187,120
- 7Lawyer$187,010
- 8IT Manager$183,680
- 9Natural Sciences Manager$182,100
- 10Financial Manager$181,670
Jobs Sacramento pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1Registered Nurse$164,200 · +62%
- 2Computer User Support Specialist$103,110 · +53%
- 3Firefighter$97,430 · +53%
- 4Radiologic Technologist and Technician$127,380 · +52%
- 5Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator$95,640 · +44%
- 6Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator$89,630 · +43%
- 7Respiratory Therapist$124,400 · +42%
- 8First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives$159,410 · +42%
- 9Teaching Assistant, Postsecondary$67,480 · +42%
- 10Kindergarten Teacher$97,930 · +41%
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 Sacramento: FAQ
What is the average salary in Sacramento?
Across all occupations in the Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $77,150 and the median is $59,750, 17% above the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 1,080,590 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in Sacramento?
Above $59,750 out-earns half of workers in the Sacramento area; the top 25% start at $95,620 and the top 10% at $138,400. Prices run 7% above the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $106,670 here.
Is Sacramento expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the Sacramento metro is 106.7 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 130.2, goods 105.2, utilities 151.3. At local prices the median wage is worth $56,010, 50th of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Sacramento?
By mean annual wage: Podiatrist ($222,440), Architectural and Engineering Manager ($196,000), Nurse Midwife ($189,760), Chief Executive ($189,380), Radiation Therapist ($187,220) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).