Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| California | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $120,910 | $104,968 | +15% |
| Median hourly wage | $58.13 | $50.47 | +15% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $109,223.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $148,800 | $100,750 | $224,750 | 244 |
| Oakland | $134,400 | $91,000 | $203,000 | 196 |
| Los Angeles | $122,880 | $83,200 | $185,600 | 173 |
| Long Beach | $115,200 | $78,000 | $174,000 | 153 |
| San Diego | $113,280 | $76,700 | $171,100 | 161 |
| Sacramento | $103,680 | $70,200 | $156,600 | 130 |
| Fresno | $91,200 | $61,750 | $137,750 | 105 |
The median annual salary for a Project Manager in California is $120,910, or about $58.13 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Project Managers is $104,968. California is +15% above the national median.
Entry-level project managers in California typically earn from $100,750 depending on the city and employer.
With 114,380 project manager jobs on record and a median salary of $120,910, California offers above-average pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, project managers rank 141 of the 793 occupations reported in California — higher than 82% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Personal Financial Advisors at $130,330, Financial Risk Specialists at $129,110, Financial and Investment Analysts at $109,110 — all figures are median annual wages for California.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. California levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 145.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, project managers rank 141 of the 793 occupations reported in California — higher than 82% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in California | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Financial Advisors | $130,330 | $32,200 |
| Financial Risk Specialists | $129,110 | $5,740 |
| Financial and Investment Analysts | $109,110 | $45,380 |
| Financial Examiners | $106,000 | $4,200 |
| Labor Relations Specialists | $105,810 | $8,830 |
| Management Analysts | $101,460 | $137,280 |
California levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 145.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 793 occupations in California.