California salary, ages 35-39
Based on U.S. Census ACS 1-year 2024 PUMS · full-time, year-round wage earners
California is among the top-paying states for full-time ages 35-39 workers, with a median of $81,220 — #5 of 51 nationwide. The average is about $107,166, and the top 10% earn at least $203,050.
- What is the median salary for ages 35-39 workers in California, and how does it rank?
- About $81,220 — #5 of 51 states (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 1-year PUMS).
- How does California compare to the top-paying state for ages 35-39?
- The highest is Washington, D.C. (median $120,815); California is $81,220.
- Is pay spread out for ages 35-39 in California?
- The average sits above the $81,220 median, so pay skews high — the top and bottom 10% are about 6.1× apart.
- What do the top 10% / 25% earn at ages 35-39 in California?
- Top 10% earn at least $203,050; top 25% at least $126,906.
- What do the bottom 10% / 25% earn at ages 35-39 in California?
- Bottom 10% earn at most $33,340; bottom 25% at most $50,763.
California is among the top-paying states for full-time ages 35-39 workers, with a median of $81,220 — #5 of 51 nationwide. The $107,166 average runs well above the $81,220 median, reflecting a high-earning tail — the top 10% reach $203,050 and the top 25% $126,906, while the bottom 25% and 10% sit at $50,763 and $33,340. Monthly pay is about $6,768, hourly wage about $39.05. 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$6,768
- Hourly$39.0
- Take-home monthly$5,125
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At a glance
- Ranks #5 of 51 states for ages 35-39
- 18% higher than the next-older cohort
- Highest in this age group: Washington, D.C. ({value})
- Top 10% earn 6.1x more than the bottom 10%
- $100K is in the top 39.7% for this age group
- This is the peak age group for pay
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 | $152,288 |
| Legal | $152,288 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $131,983 |
| Management | $111,678 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $111,678 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $101,525 |
About this page
This page covers the salary distribution of full-time ages 35-39 wage and salary earners in California, U.S. The median is $81,220 — #5 of 51 states — and the average is $107,166. ages 35-39 is the peak-earning age band in California. 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 35-39 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 $81,220 and the 10th–90th percentile range runs $33,340–$203,050; 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