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Financial analyst salary in California

Updated October 31, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$109,110median pay per year in California, or $52.46 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $72,840lowest 10% earn less
  2. $86,44025th percentile
  3. $109,110median
  4. $146,84075th percentile
  5. $198,280top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $102,740[3]

The median pay for financial analysts in California was $109,110 a year[1]. That was 6.2% higher than the US median[6].

Jobs in CA
45,380[4]
Rank by median pay
6 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
+6.2%[6]

How much do financial analysts make in California?

Financial analysts in California had a median wage of $109,110 a year, or $52.46 an hour[1]. Half of them earned more than that and half earned less. The average was higher, at $125,070 a year[7]. The US median for the same job was $102,740[3], so California came out $6,370 (6.2%) higher[6]. Across all jobs in the state, the median was $58,240[8], and financial analysts earned $50,870 more than that[9].

Pay spreads out a lot. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $72,840, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $198,280[2]. The 25th percentile was $86,440 and the 75th was $146,840[2].

By metro area, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest median at $144,910[10]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont followed in our list at $130,520, while Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had a median of $102,260[11].

These figures count wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed and business owners. They also skip bonuses that are not part of regular pay and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[12].

California vs US pay

Pay for financial analysts in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$109,110[1]$102,740[3]
Median per hour$52.46[1]$49.40[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$72,840[2]$63,720[13]
Top 10% earn more than$198,280[2]$180,860[13]
Jobs45,380[4]361,980[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for financial analysts, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[11]$102,26019,600
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$130,5209,910
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$144,9103,880
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$106,0403,830
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$103,9801,590
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$101,1501,050
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$105,030420
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$97,720390

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for financial analysts in the states that border California, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[14]$120,5902,820
Arizona$93,5405,940
Nevada$83,4301,830

Median pay for financial analysts in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for financial analysts are projected to grow 7.2% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: bachelor's degree[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a financial analyst make in California?
The median was $109,110 a year in May 2025, and the average was $125,070[1][7].
How much does a financial analyst make an hour in California?
The median was $52.46 an hour and the average was $60.13 an hour[1][7]. The 10th percentile hourly wage was $35.02[17].
Which city in California pays financial analysts the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest median annual wage, $144,910, among the 24 metro areas with a published median[10].
Is California a good state for financial analysts?
California had the 6th highest median annual wage for this job among the 50 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was 6.2% above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a financial analyst in California?
Across the US, the typical entry education is a bachelor's degree, with no related work experience or on-the-job training listed[16]. This is a US figure, not a California one.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Financial and Investment Analysts in California was $109,110 per year and $52.46 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Financial and Investment Analysts in California: 10th percentile $72,840, 25th percentile $86,440, 75th percentile $146,840, 90th percentile $198,280. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Financial and Investment Analysts in the US as a whole was $102,740 per year and $49.40 per hour, with about 361,980 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 45,380 people worked as Financial and Investment Analysts in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 6th highest median annual wage for Financial and Investment Analysts out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Financial and Investment Analysts in California ($109,110) was $6,370 (6.2%) higher than the US median ($102,740). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Financial and Investment Analysts in California was $125,070 per year and $60.13 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Financial and Investment Analysts in California was $50,870 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 24 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Financial and Investment Analysts, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median annual wage, $144,910. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Financial and Investment Analysts in the US: 10th percentile $63,720, 25th percentile $79,290, 75th percentile $133,340, 90th percentile $180,860. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Financial and Investment Analysts in states that border California (highest first): Oregon $120,590; Arizona $93,540; Nevada $83,430. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Financial and Investment Analysts is projected to grow 7.2% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 24,700 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Financial and Investment Analysts: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Financial and Investment Analysts in California: 10th percentile $35.02, 25th percentile $41.56, 75th percentile $70.60, 90th percentile $95.33. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.