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Psychiatrist salary in California

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

$353,500median pay per year in California, or $169.95 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $113,990lowest 10% earn less
  2. $173,99025th percentile
  3. $353,500median
  4. $414,64075th percentile
  5. $496,230top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $281,870[3]

The median pay for psychiatrists in California was $353,500 a year in May 2025[1]. That was the highest median among the states with a published figure[5].

Jobs in CA
5,420[4]
Rank by median pay
1 of 46[5]
Compared with US median
+25.4%[6]

How much do psychiatrists make in California?

The median wage for psychiatrists in California was $353,500 a year, or $169.95 an hour[1]. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. The average was $315,380 a year[7]. Across the US, the median for psychiatrists was $281,870[3], so California was $71,630 (25.4%) higher[6]. The median for all jobs in the state was $58,240[8], and psychiatrists were $295,260 above it[9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $113,990[2]. The highest-paid 10% earned more than $496,230[2]. The 25th percentile was $173,990 and the 75th was $414,640[2]. BLS gives these boundaries and no starting salary[10].

Among the metro areas listed, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had the highest median, $370,510[11]. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario followed at $364,530[12]. Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom was lower at $230,560[12]. These figures cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed and owners of unincorporated firms, as well as bonuses outside regular production pay and the cost of benefits like health insurance[13].

California vs US pay

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

CAUS
Median per year$353,500[1]$281,870[3]
Median per hour$169.95[1]$135.51[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$113,990[2]$84,060[14]
Top 10% earn more than$496,230[2]$446,520[14]
Jobs5,420[4]27,980[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for psychiatrists, and the median pay in each[12].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[12]$370,5101,610
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$364,530490
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$230,560320
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$335,620310
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$353,500250
Fresno, CA$315,470140
Stockton-Lodi, CA$331,800130
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$299,99070

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for psychiatrists in the states that border California, highest first[15].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[15]$314,880430
Arizona$249,720380
Nevada$210,03090

Median pay for psychiatrists in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for psychiatrists are projected to grow 7.2% from 2025 to 2035[16]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: doctoral or professional degree[17].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a psychiatrist make in California?
The median was $353,500 a year in May 2025, and the average was $315,380[1][7].
How much does a psychiatrist make an hour in California?
The median hourly wage was $169.95[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $54.80 an hour and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $238.57[18][2].
Which city in California pays psychiatrists the most?
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had the highest median, $370,510 a year[11].
Is California a good state for psychiatrists?
California had the 1st highest median annual wage for psychiatrists out of 45 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was 25.4% above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a psychiatrist in California?
Across the US, the typical entry education is a doctoral or professional degree, with an internship or residency as typical training[17]. This is a US figure, not a California one.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Psychiatrists in California was $353,500 per year and $169.95 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 Psychiatrists in California: 10th percentile $113,990, 25th percentile $173,990, 75th percentile $414,640, 90th percentile $496,230. 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 Psychiatrists in the US as a whole was $281,870 per year and $135.51 per hour, with about 27,980 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 5,420 people worked as Psychiatrists in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 1st highest median annual wage for Psychiatrists out of the 45 states and DC with a published median (the highest of all). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Psychiatrists in California ($353,500) was $71,630 (25.4%) higher than the US median ($281,870). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Psychiatrists in California was $315,380 per year and $151.63 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 Psychiatrists in California was $295,260 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 13 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Psychiatrists, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA had the highest median annual wage, $370,510. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. 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
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Psychiatrists in the US: 10th percentile $84,060, 25th percentile $154,150, 75th percentile $362,740, 90th percentile $446,520. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Psychiatrists in states that border California (highest first): Oregon $314,880; Arizona $249,720; Nevada $210,030. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Psychiatrists is projected to grow 7.2% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 900 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Psychiatrists: education needed for entry: Doctoral or professional degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Internship/residency. BLS Employment Projections
  18. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Psychiatrists in California: 10th percentile $54.80, 25th percentile $83.65, 75th percentile $199.35, 90th percentile $238.57. 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.