The 30 highest-paying jobs in California

 

30. Computer hardware engineers

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Average annual salary: $169,970

Number of people employed in California: 19,910

29. Physicists

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Average annual salary: $173,440

Number of people employed in California: 5,160

28. Marketing managers

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Average annual salary: $175,150

Number of people employed in California: 47,350

27. Astronomers

Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles. 

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Average annual salary: $175,820

Number of people employed in California: N/A

BLS didn't provide estimates of the number of astronomers in California.

26. Lawyers

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Average annual salary: $176,610

Number of people employed in California: 90,120

25. Animal scientists

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Average annual salary: $177,430

Number of people employed in California: N/A

BLS didn't provide estimates of the number of animal scientists in California.

24. Dentists, all other specialists

A dentist performs a dental examination. 

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Average annual salary: $181,590

Number of people employed in California: N/A

BLS didn't provide estimates of the number of all other dentist specialists in California.

23. Architectural and engineering managers

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Average annual salary: $187,770

Number of people employed in California: 34,550

22. Natural sciences managers

Damian Dovarganes/AP

Average annual salary: $192,750

Number of people employed in California: 11,260

21. Computer and information systems managers

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Average annual salary: $193,500

Number of people employed in California: 92,880

20. Pediatricians

Rogelio V. Solis/AP Images

Average annual salary: $198,000

Number of people employed in California: 4,300

19. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates

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Average annual salary: $206,790

Number of people employed in California: 1,510

17 (tie). Orthopedic surgeons (except pediatric)

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Average annual salary: At least $208,000*

Number of people employed in California: 1,610

*BLS does not have an exact wage estimate for this occupation in California for May 2021.

17 (tie). Emergency medicine physicians

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Average annual salary: At least $208,000*

Number of people employed in California: N/A

*BLS does not have an exact wage estimate for this occupation in California for May 2021. 

BLS didn't provide estimates of the number of emergency medicine physicians in California.

16. Neurologists

Tashi-Delek/Getty Images

Average annual salary: $223,400

Number of people employed in California: 280

15. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers

Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers are one of the highest-paying jobs in California, where they earn $227,870 a year. 

David McNew/Getty Images

Average annual salary: $227,870

Number of people employed in California: 8,070

14. Physicians, all other

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Average annual salary: $229,420

Number of people employed in California: 21,600

This is a catchall category for specialized doctors not listed in some other occupational group. Some specialties include hospitalists and urologists.

13. Chief executives

Apple CEO Tim Cook. 

Stephen Lam/Reuters

Average annual salary: $230,730

Number of people employed in California: 33,930

12. Nurse anesthetists

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Average annual salary: $232,540 

Number of people employed in California: 2,000

11. General internal medicine physicians

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Average annual salary: $242,260

Number of people employed in California: 4,220

10. Orthodontists

Mikhail Olykainen/Shutterstock

Average annual salary: $245,750

Number of people employed in California: 250

9. Family medicine physicians

Doctors performing on a patient. 

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Average annual salary: $261,260

Number of people employed in California: 14,230

8. Dermatologists

Kosamtu/Getty Images

Average annual salary: $280,100

Number of people employed in California: N/A

BLS didn't provide estimates of the number of dermatologists in California.

7. Psychiatrists

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Average annual salary: $305,290

Number of people employed in California: 4,410

6. Obstetricians and gynecologists

Orlin Wagner/AP Images

Average annual salary: $309,610

Number of people employed in California: 2,220

5. Anesthesiologists

ChaNaWiT/Shutterstock

Average annual salary: $318,030

Number of people employed in California: 2,560

4. Cardiologists

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Average annual salary: $343,370

Number of people employed in California: 3,340

3. Radiologists

Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Getty Images

Average annual salary: $345,100

Number of people employed in California: N/A

BLS didn't provide estimates of the number of radiologists in California.

2. Pathologists

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Average annual salary: $350,980

Number of people employed in California: 1,570

1. Surgeons, all other

HRAUN/Getty Images

Average annual salary: $351,580

Number of people employed in California: 2,480

Method and data source

California is one of the largest economies in the world, with a gross domestic product bigger than that of most countries.

Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, we found the 30 jobs with the highest average annual salaries in California. To do this, we looked at just over 800 detailed occupations that had average annual wage data available for the state in May 2021, the most recently available data.

Average annual salaries and the number of people employed in each occupation are from BLS' May 2021 estimates.

Andy Kiersz previously contributed to this story.