California salary, ages 20-24
Based on U.S. Census ACS 1-year 2024 PUMS · full-time, year-round wage earners
Full-time ages 20-24 workers in California earn a median of $37,564, ranking #21 of 51 states — around the national middle. The average is about $44,814, and the top 10% earn at least $76,144.
- What is the median salary for ages 20-24 workers in California, and how does it rank?
- About $37,564 — #21 of 51 states (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 1-year PUMS).
- How does California compare to the top-paying state for ages 20-24?
- The highest is Washington, D.C. (median $55,839); California is $37,564.
- Which age group earns the most in California?
- ages 35-39, with a median of about $81,220.
- Is pay spread out for ages 20-24 in California?
- Fairly even — the top 10% earn about 3.9× the bottom 10%.
- What do the top 10% / 25% earn at ages 20-24 in California?
- Top 10% earn at least $76,144; top 25% at least $50,763.
- What do the bottom 10% / 25% earn at ages 20-24 in California?
- Bottom 10% earn at most $19,493; bottom 25% at most $28,427.
Full-time ages 20-24 workers in California earn a median of $37,564, ranking #21 of 51 states — around the national middle. The top 10% earn at least $76,144 and the top 25% at least $50,763; the bottom 25% earn at most $28,427 and the bottom 10% at most $19,493. The average is $44,814. Monthly pay is about $3,130, hourly wage about $18.06. U.S. Census ACS 1-year 2024 PUMS · full-time, year-round wage earners, released 2025-10-16.
Per month, per hour
Based on a typical (median) earner
- Monthly$3,130
- Hourly$18.1
- Take-home monthly$2,608
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At a glance
- Ranks #21 of 51 states for ages 20-24
- 29% higher than the next-older cohort
- 34% lower than the next-younger cohort
- Highest in this age group: Washington, D.C. ({value})
- Top 10% earn 3.9x more than the bottom 10%
- $50K is in the top 26.4% for this age group
- Pay peaks at ages 35-39; this cohort is at 46% of that peak
Top-paying occupations at this age
Ranked by median pay for this state and age group (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 1-year PUMS; low-sample occupations excluded).
| Occupation | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Computer and Mathematical | $95,880 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $74,087 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $60,915 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $50,763 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $50,763 |
| Management | $46,643 |
About this page
This page covers the salary distribution of full-time ages 20-24 wage and salary earners in California, U.S. The median is $37,564 — #21 of 51 states — and the average is $44,814. In California, the peak-earning age band is ages 35-39 (median $81,220). Figures are aggregated from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 1-year PUMS microdata in five-year age bands.
How we calculated
Figures for California ages 20-24 are tabulated from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 1-year PUMS microdata, restricted to full-time, year-round wage and salary earners and grouped into five-year age bands. On this page the median is $37,564 and the 10th–90th percentile range runs $19,493–$76,144; the upper and lower percentiles come from rank statistics on the same sample. Self-employment and irregular income are excluded.
- U.S. Census ACS 1-year 2024 PUMS (state · age weighted distribution)
- https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/microdata/access.html