The Stockton-Lodi, CA metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in Stockton, CA (2026)
The average salary in the Stockton metro area is $64,950 a year and the median is $48,990: 4% below the US median and 16% below California's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $46,620, 344th of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $64,950US $69,770
- Median salary
- $48,990US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $23.55BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 105.1US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in Stockton earn
| Percentile | Stockton area | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $35,290 | $35,950 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $39,510 | $41,600 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $48,990 | $58,240 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $75,070 | $97,880 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $112,020 | $159,080 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $64,950 | $80,690 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Stockton
BEA Regional Price Parities put the Stockton area at 105.1 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $105,090 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items105.1
- Housing (rents)115.6
- Goods105.2
- Utilities158.2
- Other services100.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 105.1 |
| Housing (rents) | 115.6 |
| Goods | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 158.2 |
| Other services | 100.3 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in Stockton
Mean annual wage in the Stockton area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | Stockton area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $145,410 | $101,420 | +43% |
| Software Developer | $147,640 | $148,100 | 0% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $90,390 | $72,650 | +24% |
| Accountant | $93,830 | $94,750 | -1% |
| Electrician | $82,850 | $71,490 | +16% |
| Truck Driver | $61,820 | $59,710 | +4% |
| Customer Service Representative | $57,660 | $46,590 | +24% |
| Retail Salesperson | $41,540 | $37,310 | +11% |
| Nursing Assistant | $47,840 | $42,700 | +12% |
| General and Operations Manager | $128,460 | $134,940 | -5% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $61,820 | $53,780 | +15% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $42,430 | $38,730 | +10% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in Stockton
BLS publishes estimates for 430 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
- 1Dentist$183,520
- 2Natural Sciences Manager$182,230
- 3Lawyer$181,830
- 4Architectural and Engineering Manager$176,990
- 5IT Manager$175,070
- 6Physician Assistant$166,570
- 7Allergist and Immunologist$166,090
- 8Financial Manager$164,490
- 9Nurse Practitioner$163,400
- 10Marketing Manager$160,910
Jobs Stockton pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1Psychiatric Technician$90,630 · +94%
- 2Correctional Officer and Jailer$95,470 · +50%
- 3Radiologic Technologist and Technician$121,350 · +45%
- 4Registered Nurse$145,410 · +43%
- 5Substitute Teacher, Short-Term$66,410 · +43%
- 6Firefighter$89,710 · +41%
- 7Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator$85,240 · +36%
- 8Public Safety Telecommunicator$77,210 · +36%
- 9Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator$88,000 · +33%
- 10Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$89,340 · +31%
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 · $51,690Modesto, CA · $50,610Riverside, 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 Stockton: FAQ
What is the average salary in Stockton?
Across all occupations in the Stockton-Lodi, CA metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $64,950 and the median is $48,990, 4% below the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 289,660 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in Stockton?
Above $48,990 out-earns half of workers in the Stockton area; the top 25% start at $75,070 and the top 10% at $112,020. Prices run 5% above the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $105,090 here.
Is Stockton expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the Stockton metro is 105.1 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 115.6, goods 105.2, utilities 158.2. At local prices the median wage is worth $46,620, 344th of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Stockton?
By mean annual wage: Dentist ($183,520), Natural Sciences Manager ($182,230), Lawyer ($181,830), Architectural and Engineering Manager ($176,990), IT Manager ($175,070) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).