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Loan officer salary in California

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$81,770median pay per year in California, or $39.31 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $37,460lowest 10% earn less
  2. $53,67025th percentile
  3. $81,770median
  4. $122,96075th percentile
  5. $169,040top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $76,690[3]

The median pay for loan officers in California was $81,770 a year[1]. That is $5,080 above the US median for the job[6].

Jobs in CA
25,790[4]
Rank by median pay
15 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
+6.6%[6]

How much do loan officers make in California?

Half of the loan officers in California earned more than $81,770 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $39.31 an hour[1]. The average was higher, at $97,120 a year[7]. The gap between the two hints that some high earners pull the average up. Across the US as a whole, the median for loan officers was $76,690[3]. California came in 15th among the states and DC for median pay in this job[5]. The median for all jobs in California was $58,240, so loan officers sat $23,530 above it[8][9].

Pay varies a lot within the job. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $37,460, while the highest-paid 10% earned more than $169,040[2]. The middle half of workers fell between $53,670 and $122,960[2].

By metro area, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had the highest median at $103,000[10]. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, one of the metros with the most loan officer jobs, was at $95,090, and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, the metro with the most loan officer jobs, was at $80,360[11].

These figures come from a survey of wage and salary jobs. They leave out the self-employed and do not include bonuses outside regular production pay or the cost of benefits[12].

California vs US pay

Pay for loan officers in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$81,770[1]$76,690[3]
Median per hour$39.31[1]$36.87[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$37,460[2]$39,430[13]
Top 10% earn more than$169,040[2]$153,180[13]
Jobs25,790[4]274,330[3]

Pay by metro area in California

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

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[11]$80,3609,690
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$103,0003,330
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$81,7702,360
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$79,1901,580
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$78,7101,500
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$95,0901,140
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$64,4701,010
Fresno, CA$78,060470

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[14]$94,4404,220
Nevada$64,5002,580
Arizona$62,16010,020

Median pay for loan officers in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for loan officers are projected to grow 1.1% 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 loan officer make in California?
The median pay for loan officers in California was $81,770 a year, and the average was $97,120[1][7]. The US median was $76,690[3].
How much does a loan officer make an hour in California?
The median was $39.31 an hour[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $18.01 an hour, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $81.27[17][2].
Which city in California pays loan officers the most?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had the highest median among California metro areas, at $103,000 a year[10]. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara was next among the larger metros listed, at $95,090[11].
Is California a good state for loan officers?
On pay, California had the 15th highest median for loan officers among the 50 states and DC[5]. Its median was above the US median[6]. Among neighboring states, Oregon was at $94,440, Nevada at $64,500 and Arizona at $62,160[14].
What do you need to become a loan officer in California?
These are US figures, not California ones. Across the US, the typical path is a bachelor's degree, less than 5 years of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Loan Officers in California was $81,770 per year and $39.31 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 Loan Officers in California: 10th percentile $37,460, 25th percentile $53,670, 75th percentile $122,960, 90th percentile $169,040. 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 Loan Officers in the US as a whole was $76,690 per year and $36.87 per hour, with about 274,330 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 25,790 people worked as Loan Officers in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 15th highest median annual wage for Loan Officers 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 Loan Officers in California ($81,770) was $5,080 (6.6%) higher than the US median ($76,690). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Loan Officers in California was $97,120 per year and $46.69 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 Loan Officers in California was $23,530 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 Loan Officers, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA had the highest median annual wage, $103,000. 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 Loan Officers in the US: 10th percentile $39,430, 25th percentile $52,730, 75th percentile $104,080, 90th percentile $153,180. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Loan Officers in states that border California (highest first): Oregon $94,440; Nevada $64,500; Arizona $62,160. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Loan Officers is projected to grow 1.1% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 17,100 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 Loan Officers: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: Less than 5 years; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Loan Officers in California: 10th percentile $18.01, 25th percentile $25.80, 75th percentile $59.12, 90th percentile $81.27. 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.