The Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in Santa Rosa, CA (2026)
The average salary in the Santa Rosa metro area is $73,640 a year and the median is $56,850: 12% above the US median and 2% below California's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $52,740, 122nd of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $73,640US $69,770
- Median salary
- $56,850US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $27.33BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 107.8US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in Santa Rosa earn
| Percentile | Santa Rosa area | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $37,260 | $35,950 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $42,660 | $41,600 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $56,850 | $58,240 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $83,220 | $97,880 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $132,170 | $159,080 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $73,640 | $80,690 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Santa Rosa
BEA Regional Price Parities put the Santa Rosa area at 107.8 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $107,780 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items107.8
- Housing (rents)139.6
- Goods105.2
- Utilities154.8
- Other services100.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 107.8 |
| Housing (rents) | 139.6 |
| Goods | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 154.8 |
| Other services | 100.3 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in Santa Rosa
Mean annual wage in the Santa Rosa area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | Santa Rosa area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $170,000 | $101,420 | +68% |
| Software Developer | $152,280 | $148,100 | +3% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $90,620 | $72,650 | +25% |
| Accountant | $101,960 | $94,750 | +8% |
| Electrician | $86,030 | $71,490 | +20% |
| Truck Driver | $63,590 | $59,710 | +6% |
| Customer Service Representative | $56,180 | $46,590 | +21% |
| Retail Salesperson | $44,180 | $37,310 | +18% |
| Nursing Assistant | $50,250 | $42,700 | +18% |
| General and Operations Manager | $134,800 | $134,940 | 0% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $61,340 | $53,780 | +14% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $46,470 | $38,730 | +20% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in Santa Rosa
BLS publishes estimates for 406 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
- 1Commercial Pilot$218,810
- 2Obstetrician and Gynecologist$208,020
- 3Architectural and Engineering Manager$201,640
- 4Financial Manager$181,750
- 5IT Manager$181,330
- 6Marketing Manager$176,050
- 7Pharmacist$175,910
- 8Optometrist$172,850
- 9Nurse Practitioner$172,330
- 10Physician Assistant$171,930
Jobs Santa Rosa pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1Registered Nurse$170,000 · +68%
- 2Radiologic Technologist and Technician$137,780 · +64%
- 3Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator$101,710 · +53%
- 4Police Officer$118,750 · +50%
- 5Healthcare Social Worker$106,770 · +49%
- 6Real Estate Agent$100,760 · +45%
- 7Public Safety Telecommunicator$81,100 · +43%
- 8First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives$159,100 · +42%
- 9Construction and Building Inspector$110,070 · +42%
- 10Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor$100,610 · +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 Santa Rosa: FAQ
What is the average salary in Santa Rosa?
Across all occupations in the Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $73,640 and the median is $56,850, 12% above the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 205,260 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in Santa Rosa?
Above $56,850 out-earns half of workers in the Santa Rosa area; the top 25% start at $83,220 and the top 10% at $132,170. Prices run 8% above the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $107,780 here.
Is Santa Rosa expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the Santa Rosa metro is 107.8 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 139.6, goods 105.2, utilities 154.8. At local prices the median wage is worth $52,740, 122nd of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Santa Rosa?
By mean annual wage: Commercial Pilot ($218,810), Obstetrician and Gynecologist ($208,020), Architectural and Engineering Manager ($201,640), Financial Manager ($181,750), IT Manager ($181,330) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).