California salary, ages 55-59
Based on U.S. Census ACS 1-year 2024 PUMS · full-time, year-round wage earners
Full-time ages 55-59 workers in California earn a median of $76,144, ranking #10 of 51 states — above the national middle. The average is about $106,068, and the top 10% earn at least $203,050.
- What is the median salary for ages 55-59 workers in California, and how does it rank?
- About $76,144 — #10 of 51 states (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 1-year PUMS).
- How does California compare to the top-paying state for ages 55-59?
- The highest is Washington, D.C. (median $129,763); California is $76,144.
- Which age group earns the most in California?
- ages 35-39, with a median of about $81,220.
- Is pay spread out for ages 55-59 in California?
- The average sits above the $76,144 median, so pay skews high — the top and bottom 10% are about 6.7× apart.
- What do the top 10% / 25% earn at ages 55-59 in California?
- Top 10% earn at least $203,050; top 25% at least $126,906.
- What do the bottom 10% / 25% earn at ages 55-59 in California?
- Bottom 10% earn at most $30,458; bottom 25% at most $45,686.
Full-time ages 55-59 workers in California earn a median of $76,144, ranking #10 of 51 states — above the national middle. The $106,068 average runs well above the $76,144 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 $45,686 and $30,458. Monthly pay is about $6,345, hourly wage about $36.61. 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$6,345
- Hourly$36.6
- Take-home monthly$4,871
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At a glance
- Ranks #10 of 51 states for ages 55-59
- 5% lower than the next-older cohort
- 4% higher than the next-younger cohort
- Highest in this age group: Washington, D.C. ({value})
- Top 10% earn 6.7x more than the bottom 10%
- $100K is in the top 38.3% for this age group
- Pay peaks at ages 35-39; this cohort is at 94% 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 |
|---|---|
| Legal | $152,288 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $142,135 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $142,135 |
| Management | $131,983 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $121,830 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $121,830 |
About this page
This page covers the salary distribution of full-time ages 55-59 wage and salary earners in California, U.S. The median is $76,144 — #10 of 51 states — and the average is $106,068. 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 55-59 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 $76,144 and the 10th–90th percentile range runs $30,458–$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