Editors pay in California
$111,810avg. a year
$53.75 an hour · 14,830 employed
Editors in California earn an average of $111,810 a year. That is $21,750 (24%) more than the U.S. average of $90,060. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $120,530.
$98,030Median pay
$53.75Average hourly
+38%Avg. pay since 2020
#2Of 49 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for editors by metro area. Swipe to see all 15.
1560 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$120,530
$57.95 an hour
28,830 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$119,300
$57.36 an hour
32,040 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$114,540
$55.07 an hour
4110 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$95,580
$45.95 an hour
5370 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$88,410
$42.50 an hour
6120 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$86,840
$41.75 an hour
7710 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$84,000
$40.38 an hour
840 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$82,570
$39.70 an hour
9100 jobs
Fresno, CA
$78,580
$37.78 an hour
1070 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$77,750
$37.38 an hour
11320 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$77,460
$37.24 an hour
1230 jobs
Chico, CA
$75,070
$36.09 an hour
1360 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$74,920
$36.02 an hour
1450 jobs
Salinas, CA
$74,920
$36.02 an hour
1530 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$73,750
$35.46 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Editors pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California editors work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $66k$66k–$73k$73k–$79k$79k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $90,060 | $43.30 |
| California | $111,810 | $53.75 |
| Oregon | $74,780 | $35.95 |
| Arizona | $73,920 | $35.54 |
| Nevada | $73,330 | $35.25 |
Related jobs in California
- Public Relations Specialists$97,140
- Interpreters and Translators$78,800
- Technical Writers$117,060
- Media and Communication Workers, All Other$98,120
- Coaches and Scouts$62,020
- Graphic Designers$86,800
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do editors make in California?
The average is $111,810 a year, and the median is $98,030. That is $21,750 (24%) more than the U.S. average of $90,060.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$53.75 an hour on average; the median is $47.13.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($120,530), followed by Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($119,300). The lowest average among 15 metro areas with data is Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($73,750).
How does California rank?
California ranks #2 of 50 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 27-3041. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national editors page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.