CaliforniaCOL index: 185
Salaries in Oakland, CA
Oakland, California offers career opportunities with 9.3% state income tax. Browse salary data for every major occupation below — all figures are Oakland-specific, updated quarterly from BLS and H-1B disclosures.
Compare Oakland COL →Population
440,646
COL index
185 / 100
Avg 1BR rent
$2,800/mo
State income tax
9.3%
Technology salaries in Oakland
| Job title | Entry (25th) | Median | Senior (75th) | Top (90th) | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | $95K | $130K | $165K | $210K | +4.2% |
| Data Scientist | $100K | $138K | $175K | $220K | +5.1% |
| Product Manager | $110K | $148K | $190K | $240K | +3.8% |
| DevOps Engineer | $105K | $140K | $178K | $215K | +6.2% |
| Cybersecurity Analyst | $85K | $115K | $148K | $185K | +7.3% |
| UX Designer | $72K | $99K | $130K | $165K | +3.1% |
| Machine Learning Engineer | $125K | $168K | $215K | $275K | +8.4% |
| Cloud Architect | $130K | $170K | $215K | $265K | +6.8% |
| Frontend Developer | $82K | $112K | $145K | $185K | +4.5% |
| Backend Developer | $90K | $125K | $160K | $200K | +4.3% |
| Full Stack Developer | $88K | $120K | $155K | $195K | +4.6% |
| Mobile Developer | $90K | $125K | $162K | $205K | +5.2% |
| Data Engineer | $98K | $132K | $168K | $210K | +6.5% |
| Data Analyst | $60K | $82K | $108K | $140K | +4% |
| Database Administrator | $78K | $105K | $135K | $170K | +2.8% |
| Systems Administrator | $62K | $86K | $112K | $142K | +2.2% |
| Network Engineer | $75K | $100K | $130K | $165K | +3% |
| IT Manager | $100K | $135K | $172K | $215K | +3.5% |
| Scrum Master | $88K | $115K | $145K | $180K | +3.2% |
| Solutions Architect | $120K | $158K | $200K | $250K | +5.8% |
| AI Engineer | $130K | $175K | $225K | $290K | +12% |
| Blockchain Developer | $110K | $150K | $195K | $250K | +7.5% |
| QA Engineer | $70K | $95K | $125K | $158K | +3% |
| Site Reliability Engineer | $115K | $152K | $192K | $238K | +7% |
| Embedded Systems Engineer | $85K | $112K | $142K | $178K | +3.8% |
| Technical Writer | $58K | $79K | $102K | $130K | +2.5% |
| IT Support Specialist | $42K | $58K | $76K | $98K | +2% |
| Information Security Manager | $115K | $152K | $195K | $245K | +7.8% |
| Penetration Tester | $88K | $118K | $152K | $195K | +8.2% |
| Computer Vision Engineer | $120K | $162K | $208K | $265K | +9.5% |
| NLP Engineer | $125K | $168K | $215K | $272K | +10.2% |
| Game Developer | $72K | $98K | $132K | $172K | +4.8% |
| Salesforce Developer | $90K | $120K | $155K | $195K | +5.5% |
| ERP Consultant | $85K | $115K | $150K | $190K | +3.8% |
Healthcare salaries in Oakland
| Job title | Entry (25th) | Median | Senior (75th) | Top (90th) | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $85K | $107K | $135K | $169K | +3.5% |
| Physician Assistant | $140K | $169K | $202K | $241K | +4.8% |
| Physical Therapist | $98K | $124K | $150K | $182K | +3.2% |
| Healthcare Administrator | $94K | $135K | $182K | $241K | +4.1% |
| Nurse Practitioner | $130K | $157K | $189K | $228K | +5.2% |
| Pharmacist | $153K | $172K | $192K | $215K | +1.2% |
| Medical Doctor | $254K | $322K | $416K | $546K | +2.8% |
| Dentist | $192K | $234K | $293K | $377K | +2.5% |
| Occupational Therapist | $94K | $117K | $143K | $172K | +3.8% |
| Radiologist | $377K | $494K | $611K | $728K | +2.2% |
| Surgeon | $364K | $494K | $650K | $845K | +2.5% |
| Anesthesiologist | $390K | $507K | $624K | $754K | +2.1% |
| Medical Lab Technician | $55K | $73K | $94K | $117K | +3.2% |
| Respiratory Therapist | $75K | $94K | $117K | $146K | +3.8% |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | $88K | $111K | $137K | $166K | +4.2% |
| Clinical Psychologist | $94K | $124K | $163K | $211K | +3.5% |
| Psychiatrist | $254K | $322K | $403K | $520K | +3.8% |
| Medical Coder | $55K | $72K | $91K | $114K | +2.8% |
| ICU Nurse | $101K | $127K | $159K | $195K | +4% |
| Surgical Technologist | $59K | $75K | $94K | $117K | +3.5% |
| Paramedic | $49K | $65K | $85K | $107K | +3.2% |
| Registered Dietitian | $68K | $88K | $112K | $140K | +3.5% |
| Optometrist | $146K | $179K | $218K | $273K | +2.8% |
| Genetic Counselor | $94K | $117K | $143K | $176K | +5.8% |
Finance salaries in Oakland
| Job title | Entry (25th) | Median | Senior (75th) | Top (90th) | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Analyst | $94K | $131K | $179K | $248K | +3.6% |
| Accountant | $76K | $108K | $145K | $193K | +2.2% |
| Investment Banker | $166K | $248K | $386K | $621K | +3.9% |
| Actuary | $131K | $173K | $224K | $283K | +5.5% |
| Financial Advisor | $80K | $131K | $204K | $317K | +3.8% |
| Portfolio Manager | $159K | $224K | $311K | $442K | +4.2% |
| Risk Analyst | $94K | $127K | $168K | $218K | +4.5% |
| Tax Manager | $131K | $177K | $228K | $290K | +3% |
| Financial Controller | $145K | $193K | $251K | $324K | +3.2% |
| Chief Financial Officer | $241K | $345K | $497K | $718K | +3.5% |
| Credit Analyst | $72K | $97K | $127K | $166K | +2.8% |
| Mortgage Loan Officer | $66K | $99K | $149K | $224K | +2.5% |
| Compliance Officer | $99K | $135K | $179K | $237K | +4.8% |
| Hedge Fund Analyst | $159K | $228K | $331K | $524K | +3.5% |
| Private Equity Analyst | $152K | $218K | $311K | $483K | +4% |
| Quantitative Analyst | $173K | $237K | $317K | $442K | +6.2% |
| Bookkeeper | $52K | $66K | $83K | $105K | +1% |
| Budget Analyst | $86K | $113K | $144K | $179K | +2.5% |
| Insurance Underwriter | $80K | $108K | $141K | $182K | +2% |
| Venture Capital Analyst | $131K | $186K | $255K | $359K | +5.5% |
Engineering salaries in Oakland
| Job title | Entry (25th) | Median | Senior (75th) | Top (90th) | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineer | $95K | $127K | $164K | $205K | +2.8% |
| Petroleum Engineer | $145K | $191K | $248K | $317K | +1.5% |
| Civil Engineer | $90K | $119K | $156K | $198K | +3.4% |
| Electrical Engineer | $103K | $139K | $180K | $224K | +3.1% |
| Chemical Engineer | $106K | $143K | $185K | $235K | +2.5% |
| Aerospace Engineer | $119K | $161K | $209K | $261K | +3.8% |
| Industrial Engineer | $95K | $127K | $164K | $209K | +3.5% |
| Environmental Engineer | $90K | $121K | $158K | $201K | +4.2% |
| Biomedical Engineer | $95K | $129K | $169K | $214K | +5.2% |
| Structural Engineer | $92K | $121K | $158K | $201K | +3.2% |
| Nuclear Engineer | $125K | $165K | $209K | $261K | +2.2% |
| Materials Engineer | $95K | $129K | $169K | $214K | +3% |
| Geotechnical Engineer | $90K | $119K | $156K | $198K | +3.5% |
| Controls Engineer | $103K | $137K | $177K | $222K | +4% |
| Manufacturing Engineer | $92K | $125K | $161K | $205K | +3.2% |
| Process Engineer | $95K | $129K | $169K | $214K | +3.5% |
| Quality Engineer | $86K | $116K | $152K | $195K | +3% |
Business salaries in Oakland
| Job title | Entry (25th) | Median | Senior (75th) | Top (90th) | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Manager | $108K | $152K | $210K | $276K | +3.3% |
| Human Resources Manager | $103K | $144K | $193K | $248K | +2.9% |
| Project Manager | $99K | $135K | $182K | $235K | +3.7% |
| Operations Manager | $94K | $135K | $186K | $248K | +2.5% |
| Business Analyst | $86K | $117K | $155K | $200K | +3.8% |
| Management Consultant | $110K | $159K | $224K | $311K | +4.2% |
| Supply Chain Manager | $108K | $149K | $196K | $251K | +4.5% |
| Sales Manager | $99K | $145K | $210K | $297K | +3.5% |
| Account Executive | $76K | $108K | $155K | $224K | +3.8% |
| Chief Executive Officer | $214K | $324K | $524K | $856K | +3.2% |
| Chief Operating Officer | $200K | $290K | $442K | $662K | +3% |
| Chief Marketing Officer | $200K | $290K | $425K | $635K | +3.5% |
| General Manager | $103K | $149K | $210K | $290K | +2.8% |
| Logistics Coordinator | $58K | $77K | $99K | $127K | +3.5% |
| Purchasing Manager | $108K | $149K | $193K | $246K | +2.5% |
| Digital Marketing Manager | $94K | $131K | $177K | $232K | +5.5% |
| SEO Specialist | $66K | $90K | $121K | $163K | +5.8% |
| Content Strategist | $76K | $103K | $138K | $179K | +5.2% |
| Brand Manager | $99K | $135K | $182K | $237K | +3.5% |
| Recruiter | $66K | $90K | $121K | $166K | +3.2% |
| Executive Assistant | $72K | $94K | $121K | $155K | +1.8% |
| Public Relations Manager | $94K | $131K | $179K | $237K | +3% |
| Event Planner | $58K | $77K | $103K | $138K | +3.8% |
Education salaries in Oakland
| Job title | Entry (25th) | Median | Senior (75th) | Top (90th) | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K-12 Teacher | $55K | $76K | $100K | $128K | +1.8% |
| University Professor | $79K | $110K | $159K | $232K | +2.1% |
| School Principal | $100K | $124K | $153K | $185K | +2.2% |
| Instructional Designer | $71K | $93K | $120K | $153K | +4.5% |
| School Counselor | $59K | $76K | $98K | $122K | +3% |
| Special Education Teacher | $59K | $79K | $102K | $132K | +3.5% |
| Curriculum Developer | $67K | $88K | $112K | $144K | +3.8% |
| Education Administrator | $88K | $116K | $149K | $189K | +2.5% |
| Librarian | $59K | $76K | $98K | $122K | +1.5% |
| Academic Advisor | $49K | $63K | $83K | $105K | +3% |
Legal salaries in Oakland
| Job title | Entry (25th) | Median | Senior (75th) | Top (90th) | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attorney | $111K | $182K | $295K | $497K | +3.5% |
| Paralegal | $60K | $80K | $105K | $135K | +3.8% |
| Corporate Lawyer | $163K | $249K | $398K | $639K | +3.8% |
| Patent Attorney | $192K | $263K | $352K | $483K | +4.2% |
| Compliance Lawyer | $142K | $206K | $281K | $376K | +5% |
| Judge | $135K | $192K | $258K | $341K | +1.5% |
| Legal Operations Manager | $135K | $185K | $241K | $312K | +6.5% |
Construction salaries in Oakland
| Job title | Entry (25th) | Median | Senior (75th) | Top (90th) | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction Manager | $108K | $145K | $190K | $248K | +4.5% |
| Electrician | $72K | $94K | $121K | $159K | +6.2% |
| Plumber | $72K | $94K | $124K | $163K | +5.5% |
| HVAC Technician | $66K | $86K | $110K | $141K | +5.8% |
| Welder | $52K | $69K | $88K | $113K | +3.5% |
| Carpenter | $58K | $77K | $102K | $131K | +4% |
| Land Surveyor | $80K | $108K | $141K | $179K | +3.8% |
| Construction Estimator | $86K | $116K | $152K | $196K | +4.2% |
Real Estate salaries in Oakland
| Job title | Entry (25th) | Median | Senior (75th) | Top (90th) | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real Estate Agent | $38K | $62K | $105K | $180K | +3.5% |
| Real Estate Broker | $55K | $95K | $162K | $275K | +3.5% |
| Property Manager | $48K | $65K | $88K | $118K | +3.2% |
| Real Estate Appraiser | $52K | $72K | $98K | $132K | +2.8% |
| Commercial Real Estate Analyst | $62K | $88K | $120K | $162K | +4% |
Government salaries in Oakland
| Job title | Entry (25th) | Median | Senior (75th) | Top (90th) | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Planner | $75K | $100K | $128K | $163K | +3.8% |
| Social Worker | $50K | $69K | $90K | $115K | +3.5% |
| Firefighter | $53K | $73K | $98K | $128K | +2.8% |
| Police Officer | $60K | $81K | $110K | $144K | +2.5% |
| Military Officer | $69K | $103K | $144K | $194K | +2% |
| Public Health Official | $85K | $115K | $150K | $194K | +4.5% |
| Policy Analyst | $73K | $98K | $128K | $165K | +3.5% |
| Government Budget Officer | $78K | $103K | $131K | $169K | +2.5% |
Science salaries in Oakland
| Job title | Entry (25th) | Median | Senior (75th) | Top (90th) | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biologist | $74K | $105K | $142K | $189K | +3.5% |
| Chemist | $78K | $108K | $146K | $192K | +3.2% |
| Physicist | $105K | $151K | $205K | $270K | +4% |
| Geologist | $84K | $119K | $159K | $209K | +3.8% |
| Epidemiologist | $92K | $122K | $159K | $205K | +4.5% |
| Biochemist | $84K | $119K | $165K | $219K | +4.2% |
| Environmental Scientist | $74K | $103K | $135K | $178K | +4.8% |
| Research Scientist | $97K | $132K | $178K | $236K | +4.5% |
| Pharmaceutical Data Scientist | $142K | $192K | $246K | $308K | +7.5% |
| Clinical Research Coordinator | $65K | $84K | $108K | $138K | +5.5% |
| Laboratory Manager | $88K | $119K | $155K | $200K | +3.8% |
Creative salaries in Oakland
| Job title | Entry (25th) | Median | Senior (75th) | Top (90th) | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graphic Designer | $58K | $80K | $108K | $141K | +3% |
| Art Director | $99K | $138K | $186K | $246K | +2.8% |
| Video Producer | $66K | $94K | $131K | $186K | +4.2% |
| Copywriter | $62K | $86K | $117K | $159K | +3.5% |
| Photographer | $44K | $63K | $94K | $138K | +3% |
| Animator | $72K | $99K | $135K | $186K | +4.5% |
| Journalist | $52K | $72K | $99K | $141K | +1.5% |
| Social Media Manager | $62K | $83K | $113K | $152K | +6.5% |
| Interior Designer | $58K | $80K | $110K | $149K | +3.2% |
| Fashion Designer | $66K | $94K | $135K | $200K | +2.5% |
| Music Producer | $52K | $86K | $145K | $255K | +3.5% |
| UX Researcher | $113K | $155K | $200K | $255K | +5.5% |
Hospitality salaries in Oakland
| Job title | Entry (25th) | Median | Senior (75th) | Top (90th) | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel Manager | $65K | $90K | $123K | $169K | +3.2% |
| Executive Chef | $65K | $85K | $115K | $160K | +3.8% |
| Restaurant Manager | $53K | $70K | $93K | $123K | +3.5% |
| Travel Agent | $44K | $58K | $78K | $106K | +3% |
| Sommelier | $53K | $73K | $103K | $144K | +3.2% |
Retail salaries in Oakland
| Job title | Entry (25th) | Median | Senior (75th) | Top (90th) | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Store Manager | $51K | $71K | $95K | $128K | +2% |
| Sales Representative | $51K | $76K | $112K | $168K | +3.5% |
| Retail Buyer | $63K | $88K | $120K | $159K | +2.5% |
| E-Commerce Manager | $76K | $104K | $140K | $185K | +7.5% |
| Business Development Manager | $88K | $124K | $171K | $234K | +4.5% |
Transportation salaries in Oakland
| Job title | Entry (25th) | Median | Senior (75th) | Top (90th) | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airline Pilot | $134K | $205K | $301K | $422K | +5.2% |
| Logistics Manager | $92K | $125K | $166K | $215K | +4.5% |
| Truck Driver (CDL) | $54K | $67K | $87K | $113K | +4.8% |
| Transportation Planner | $79K | $105K | $138K | $179K | +4.2% |
| Fleet Manager | $74K | $100K | $131K | $169K | +4% |
Energy salaries in Oakland
| Job title | Entry (25th) | Median | Senior (75th) | Top (90th) | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy Engineer | $95K | $128K | $168K | $214K | +6.5% |
| Solar Installer | $51K | $63K | $83K | $107K | +22% |
| Wind Turbine Technician | $59K | $73K | $93K | $120K | +45% |
| Oil & Gas Operations Manager | $134K | $181K | $234K | $303K | +2% |
| Energy Analyst | $76K | $104K | $137K | $177K | +6% |
Nonprofit salaries in Oakland
| Job title | Entry (25th) | Median | Senior (75th) | Top (90th) | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonprofit Executive Director | $73K | $100K | $139K | $195K | +3.2% |
| Grant Writer | $57K | $73K | $94K | $120K | +3.5% |
| Fundraising Manager | $61K | $83K | $112K | $153K | +3.8% |
| Case Manager | $45K | $59K | $76K | $97K | +3.5% |
| Community Outreach Coordinator | $45K | $59K | $77K | $99K | +3.8% |
Working in Oakland, California: Salary Guide (2026)
Oakland is home to the Oakland–CA metropolitan area with a population of 440,646. The city has a cost of living index of 185 (US average = 100), meaning living costs are above the national average.
California has a 9.3% state income tax rate. When comparing offers with cities in no-income-tax states like Texas, Washington, or Florida, factor in this difference.
Top-paying industries in Oakland
Oakland's economy spans multiple high-wage sectors. The city's diverse employer base creates strong demand across technology, healthcare, finance, and professional services.