Best cities for pay after cost of living in California
Key facts
- #1 Foster City, CA: $209k
- #2 San Mateo, CA: $201k
- #3 Mountain View, CA: $193k
- 32 cities ranked in California
- Data as of November 2026
For comparison: $159k across the typical city in our data.
- 1Foster City CA$209k
- 2San Mateo CA$201k
- 3Mountain View CA$193k
- 4Sunnyvale CA$192k
- 5Santa Clara CA$191k
- 6Palo Alto CA$186k
- 7San Francisco CA$186k
- 8San Jose CA$181k
- 9Alameda CA$176k
- 10San Carlos CA$176k
What stands out
- The top ten is tightly packed: Foster City leads on $209k, and #10 San Carlos is at $176k.
- San Carlos reaches #10 on a sample of 96 openings with pay posted, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
- San Francisco is the largest market in the top ten, with 6,390 openings with pay posted behind its figure.
- Cities with fewer than 100 openings with pay posted are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.
Why this ranking matters
What it shows
A salary buys different amounts in different places. This list adjusts posted pay by the local price level, so it ranks what the pay is worth rather than the number on the posting.
How to use it
Use it to compare two offers or two cities. A lower headline salary in a cheaper place can leave you ahead of a higher one in an expensive metro.
The top 25
- 1
Foster City CA
$209k
- Median posted pay
- $232k
- State prices vs US average
- +11%
- Openings with pay posted
- 201
Hiring most here: Gilead Sciences, Zoox, Replit
Based on 201 openings with pay posted.
- 3
Mountain View CA
$193k
- Median posted pay
- $213k
- Local prices vs US average
- +10%
- Openings with pay posted
- 824
Hiring most here: Intuit, Google, Waymo
Based on 824 openings with pay posted.
- 4
Sunnyvale CA
$192k
- Median posted pay
- $212k
- State prices vs US average
- +11%
- Openings with pay posted
- 503
Hiring most here: Applied Intuition, Amazon, Wayve
Based on 503 openings with pay posted.
- 5
Santa Clara CA
$191k
- Median posted pay
- $212k
- State prices vs US average
- +11%
- Openings with pay posted
- 657
Hiring most here: Nvidia, Pure Storage, Advanced Micro Devices
Based on 657 openings with pay posted.
- 6
Palo Alto CA
$186k
- Median posted pay
- $206k
- Local prices vs US average
- +10%
- Openings with pay posted
- 386
Hiring most here: SpaceX, Rivian Automotive, Stanford Health Care
Based on 386 openings with pay posted.
- 7
San Francisco CA
$186k
- Median posted pay
- $215k
- Local prices vs US average
- +16%
- Openings with pay posted
- 6,390
Hiring most here: OpenAI, Anthropic, University Of California San Francisco Foundation
Based on 6,390 openings with pay posted.
- 8
San Jose CA
$181k
- Median posted pay
- $200k
- Local prices vs US average
- +10%
- Openings with pay posted
- 550
Hiring most here: Super Micro Computer, Advanced Micro Devices, Cisco Systems
Based on 550 openings with pay posted.
- 10
San Carlos CA
$176k
- Median posted pay
- $195k
- State prices vs US average
- +11%
- Openings with pay posted
- 96
Hiring most here: 1X Technologies, Joby Aviation, Natera
Based on 96 openings with pay posted.
- 11
Emeryville CA
$172k
- Median posted pay
- $190k
- State prices vs US average
- +11%
- Openings with pay posted
- 53
Hiring most here: Profluent, Tanium, Eko
Based on 53 openings with pay posted.
- 12
Menlo Park CA
$169k
- Median posted pay
- $195k
- Local prices vs US average
- +16%
- Openings with pay posted
- 142
Hiring most here: Snowflake, Hippocratic AI, Exponent
Based on 142 openings with pay posted.
- 13
Redwood City CA
$167k
- Median posted pay
- $193k
- Local prices vs US average
- +16%
- Openings with pay posted
- 225
Hiring most here: Corcept Therapeutics, SB Energy, C3 AI
Based on 225 openings with pay posted.
- 14
Oakland CA
$163k
- Median posted pay
- $181k
- State prices vs US average
- +11%
- Openings with pay posted
- 148
Hiring most here: Pacific Gas & Electric, Blue Shield of California, Fivetran
Based on 148 openings with pay posted.
- 15
Newark CA
$155k
- Median posted pay
- $172k
- State prices vs US average
- +11%
- Openings with pay posted
- 78
Hiring most here: Lucid Motors, Applied Industrial Technologies, Stratus Technologies
Based on 78 openings with pay posted.
- 16
Santa Ana CA
$154k
- Median posted pay
- $170k
- State prices vs US average
- +11%
- Openings with pay posted
- 122
Hiring most here: Anduril Industries, First American Financial, Anduril
Based on 122 openings with pay posted.
- 17
Fremont CA
$152k
- Median posted pay
- $169k
- State prices vs US average
- +11%
- Openings with pay posted
- 144
Hiring most here: LAM Research, Coherent, Agility Robotics
Based on 144 openings with pay posted.
- 18
Santa Monica CA
$151k
- Median posted pay
- $167k
- State prices vs US average
- +11%
- Openings with pay posted
- 77
Hiring most here: Amazon, Snap, FIGS
Based on 77 openings with pay posted.
- 19
Milpitas CA
$149k
- Median posted pay
- $165k
- Local prices vs US average
- +10%
- Openings with pay posted
- 92
Hiring most here: Cisco Systems, Psiquantum, KLA
Based on 92 openings with pay posted.
- 20
Torrance CA
$149k
- Median posted pay
- $165k
- State prices vs US average
- +11%
- Openings with pay posted
- 324
Hiring most here: Divergent Technologies, Valar Atomics, Neros
Based on 324 openings with pay posted.
- 21
Santa Barbara CA
$148k
- Median posted pay
- $164k
- State prices vs US average
- +11%
- Openings with pay posted
- 52
Hiring most here: AppFolio, Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Arthrex
Based on 52 openings with pay posted.
- 22
Pleasanton CA
$148k
- Median posted pay
- $164k
- State prices vs US average
- +11%
- Openings with pay posted
- 63
Hiring most here: Kaiser Permanente, 10X Genomics, IonQ
Based on 63 openings with pay posted.
- 23
Irvine CA
$145k
- Median posted pay
- $160k
- State prices vs US average
- +11%
- Openings with pay posted
- 490
Hiring most here: Anduril Industries, Field AI, Rivian Automotive
Based on 490 openings with pay posted.
- 24
El Segundo CA
$145k
- Median posted pay
- $160k
- State prices vs US average
- +11%
- Openings with pay posted
- 362
Hiring most here: Chaos Industries, Radiant, Varda Space Industries
Based on 362 openings with pay posted.
- 25
Berkeley CA
$144k
- Median posted pay
- $166k
- Local prices vs US average
- +16%
- Openings with pay posted
- 106
Hiring most here: Form Energy, University of California, Berkeley, Rigetti Computing
Based on 106 openings with pay posted.
Full ranking
All 32 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
| Rank | City | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foster City CA | $209k | 201 |
| 2 | San Mateo CA | $201k | 623 |
| 3 | Mountain View CA | $193k | 824 |
| 4 | Sunnyvale CA | $192k | 503 |
| 5 | Santa Clara CA | $191k | 657 |
| 6 | Palo Alto CA | $186k | 386 |
| 7 | San Francisco CA | $186k | 6,390 |
| 8 | San Jose CA | $181k | 550 |
| 9 | Alameda CA | $176k | 101 |
| 10 | San Carlos CA | $176k | 96 |
| 11 | Emeryville CA | $172k | 53 |
| 12 | Menlo Park CA | $169k | 142 |
| 13 | Redwood City CA | $167k | 225 |
| 14 | Oakland CA | $163k | 148 |
| 15 | Newark CA | $155k | 78 |
| 16 | Santa Ana CA | $154k | 122 |
| 17 | Fremont CA | $152k | 144 |
| 18 | Santa Monica CA | $151k | 77 |
| 19 | Milpitas CA | $149k | 92 |
| 20 | Torrance CA | $149k | 324 |
| 21 | Santa Barbara CA | $148k | 52 |
| 22 | Pleasanton CA | $148k | 63 |
| 23 | Irvine CA | $145k | 490 |
| 24 | El Segundo CA | $145k | 362 |
| 25 | Berkeley CA | $144k | 106 |
| 26 | Long Beach CA | $140k | 461 |
| 27 | San Diego CA | $139k | 723 |
| 28 | Los Angeles CA | $136k | 1,667 |
| 29 | Newport Beach CA | $136k | 65 |
| 30 | Sacramento CA | $131k | 388 |
| 31 | Culver City CA | $127k | 51 |
| 32 | Corona CA | $102k | 58 |
How this ranking works
The score is a city's median posted annual salary (the midpoint of each posted range) divided by its local price level, with the United States at 100.
Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities for the city's metro area, or its state where no metro figure exists. Only cities with at least 50 listings that post a salary are ranked.
A city where one employer posts more than 50% of its openings is not ranked, so a single company cannot decide a city's score.
Sample bar: cities with fewer than 100 openings with pay posted are not ranked.
Sources: NextChapter job data: posted annual salary ranges; Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities 2024 (metro areas and states). Data as of November 2026.
Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.
Questions
- Which city ranks first: best cities for pay after cost of living in california?
- Foster City leads California for pay after the cost of living: its median posted salary buys what $209k buys at average US prices.
- How many cities are ranked?
- 32 cities have at least 100 openings with pay posted, so the list has 32 entries.
- How is the ranking calculated?
- The score is a city's median posted annual salary (the midpoint of each posted range) divided by its local price level, with the United States at 100. Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities for the city's metro area, or its state where no metro figure exists. Only cities with at least 50 listings that post a salary are ranked. A city where one employer posts more than 50% of its openings is not ranked, so a single company cannot decide a city's score.
- How often is it updated?
- Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.
More rankings
- Colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in California
- Best cities for junior jobs in California
- Best cities for pay after cost of living
- Best cities for pay after cost of living in the Northeast
- Best cities for pay after cost of living in New England
- Best cities for pay after cost of living in the Mid-Atlantic
- Best cities for pay after cost of living in the Southeast
- Best cities for pay after cost of living in the Southwest
- All rankings
Cite this ranking
NextChapter, “Best cities for pay after cost of living in California,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-pay-vs-cost-of-living-in-california
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-pay-vs-cost-of-living-in-california">Best cities for pay after cost of living in California (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.
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