Salinas, CA metro area
Highest-Paying Occupations in Salinas Metro
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025Salinas, CA metro area
Figures describe the Salinas, CA metropolitan statistical area as defined by BLS/OMB — the whole multi-county metro region, not Salinas city limits. Occupations are ranked by published median annual wage; occupations where BLS suppressed the annual median or publishes only hourly wages are not ranked (5 such occupations here).
Top 25 of 369 occupations
| # | Occupation | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Family Medicine Physicians | $410,370 | $197.29 | 320 |
| 2 | Physicians, All Other | $384,990 | $185.09 | 250 |
| 3 | Chief Executives | $226,270 | $108.78 | 220 |
| 4 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $187,730 | $90.25 | 70 |
| 5 | Dentists, General | $185,040 | $88.96 | 170 |
| 6 | Psychiatrists | $178,630 | $85.88 | 40 |
| 7 | Natural Sciences Managers | $171,290 | $82.35 | 40 |
| 8 | Physician Assistants | $170,180 | $81.82 | 130 |
| 9 | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $167,160 | $80.36 | 200 |
| 10 | Lawyers | $166,940 | $80.26 | 380 |
| 11 | Pharmacists | $166,470 | $80.03 | 260 |
| 12 | Nurse Practitioners | $166,090 | $79.85 | 140 |
| 13 | Veterinarians | $163,080 | $78.41 | 120 |
| 14 | Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | $161,590 | Not published | 350 |
| 15 | Purchasing Managers | $158,550 | $76.23 | 30 |
| 16 | Marketing Managers | $155,940 | $74.97 | 130 |
| 17 | First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $153,930 | $74.00 | 150 |
| 18 | Financial Managers | $153,370 | $73.73 | 450 |
| 19 | Human Resources Managers | $150,390 | $72.30 | 150 |
| 20 | Medical and Health Services Managers | $140,610 | $67.60 | 510 |
| 21 | Fundraising Managers | $139,240 | $66.94 | 60 |
| 22 | Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $138,590 | $66.63 | 100 |
| 23 | Software Developers | $135,160 | $64.98 | 290 |
| 24 | Registered Nurses | $134,910 | $64.86 | 3,180 |
| 25 | Optometrists | $133,350 | $64.11 | 60 |
The full list of every published occupation here is on the Salinas metro area overview.
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.