California salary, 65 or older
Based on U.S. Census ACS 1-year 2024 PUMS · full-time, year-round wage earners
Full-time 65 or older workers in California earn a median of $70,052, ranking #9 of 51 states — above the national middle. The average is about $99,517, and the top 10% earn at least $197,974.
- What is the median salary for 65 or older workers in California, and how does it rank?
- About $70,052 — #9 of 51 states (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 1-year PUMS).
- How does California compare to the top-paying state for 65 or older?
- The highest is Washington, D.C. (median $91,373); California is $70,052.
- Which age group earns the most in California?
- ages 35-39, with a median of about $81,220.
- Is pay spread out for 65 or older in California?
- The average sits above the $70,052 median, so pay skews high — the top and bottom 10% are about 6.8× apart.
- What do the top 10% / 25% earn at 65 or older in California?
- Top 10% earn at least $197,974; top 25% at least $121,830.
- What do the bottom 10% / 25% earn at 65 or older in California?
- Bottom 10% earn at most $29,036; bottom 25% at most $42,641.
Full-time 65 or older workers in California earn a median of $70,052, ranking #9 of 51 states — above the national middle. The $99,517 average runs well above the $70,052 median, reflecting a high-earning tail — the top 10% reach $197,974 and the top 25% $121,830, while the bottom 25% and 10% sit at $42,641 and $29,036. Monthly pay is about $5,838, hourly wage about $33.68. 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$5,838
- Hourly$33.7
- Take-home monthly$4,560
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At a glance
- Ranks #9 of 51 states for 65 or older
- 4% lower than the next-older cohort
- Highest in this age group: Washington, D.C. ({value})
- Top 10% earn 6.8x more than the bottom 10%
- $50K is in the top 68.3% for this age group
- Pay peaks at ages 35-39; this cohort is at 86% 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 | $155,376 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $136,023 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $125,392 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $123,787 |
| Management | $121,830 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $111,678 |
About this page
This page covers the salary distribution of full-time 65 or older wage and salary earners in California, U.S. The median is $70,052 — #9 of 51 states — and the average is $99,517. 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 65 or older 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 $70,052 and the 10th–90th percentile range runs $29,036–$197,974; 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