Average CPA Salary In California: $85,000
California is home to over 38 million people and is the most populous state in the US. It’s also the most populated state in the world, with more than twice as many people as second-place China. The Golden State has a rich history of agriculture, mining, and entertainment, and it’s known for its beaches and wineries.
The average CPA salary in California is $85,000. This represents an increase of 3% compared to last year’s average of $82,500. Of course, this doesn’t account for other factors like experience or location within the state—for example, San Francisco has an average salary of $95k while Fresno’s is just $68k.
Average Cpa Salary In California
CPA Salary in California
California Average
$38,605$75,646 /year$120,269
$38 /hour
CPA Salary in California Comparison by Location
Nationwide
United States
$75,616
California
United States
$78,537
How much does a CPA make in California?
As of Jul 22, 2022, the average annual pay for a CPA in California is $78,538 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $37.76 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,510/week or $6,545/month.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $120,269 and as low as $38,605, the majority of CPA salaries currently range between $59,886 (25th percentile) to $84,633 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $104,431 annually in California.
The average pay range for a CPA varies greatly (as much as $24,747), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.
Based on recent job posting activity on ZipRecruiter, the CPA job market in California is not very active as few companies are currently hiring.
California ranks number 3 out of 50 states nationwide for CPA salaries.
To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for CPA jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.
Find your next high paying job as a CPA on ZipRecruiter today.
What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for CPA Jobs in California
We’ve identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a CPA job is above the average in California. Topping the list is Santa Clara, with San Francisco and Los Angeles close behind in second and third. Los Angeles beats the California average by 9.5%, and Santa Clara furthers that trend with another $11,681 (14.9%) above the $78,538.
With these 10 cities paying on average above the average for California, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a CPA appears to be exceedingly fruitful.
Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 8% between Santa Clara and Oakland, reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a CPA role.
| City | Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara | $90,219 | $7,518 | $1,735 | $43.37 |
| San Francisco | $87,918 | $7,326 | $1,691 | $42.27 |
| Los Angeles | $85,968 | $7,164 | $1,653 | $41.33 |
| Fremont | $85,958 | $7,163 | $1,653 | $41.33 |
| San Jose | $83,365 | $6,947 | $1,603 | $40.08 |
| Sacramento | $83,222 | $6,935 | $1,600 | $40.01 |
| Tracy | $83,177 | $6,931 | $1,600 | $39.99 |
| Simi Valley | $82,690 | $6,891 | $1,590 | $39.75 |
| San Buenaventura | $82,578 | $6,882 | $1,588 | $39.70 |
| Oakland | $82,518 | $6,876 | $1,587 | $39.67 |
What are Top 5 Best Paying Related CPA Jobs in California
We found at least 5 jobs related to the CPA job category that pay more per year than a typical CPA salary in California. Top examples of these roles include: Healthcare CPA, Big 4 Tax, and Director CPA.
Importantly, all of these jobs are paid between $26,341 (33.5%) and $61,207 (77.9%) more than the average CPA salary of $78,538. If you’re qualified, getting hired for one of these related CPA jobs may help you make more money than that of the average CPA position.
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Healthcare CPA | $139,745 | $11,645 | $2,687 | $67.18 |
| Big 4 Tax | $126,585 | $10,549 | $2,434 | $60.86 |
| Director CPA | $107,117 | $8,926 | $2,060 | $51.50 |
| Accounting CPA | $105,979 | $8,832 | $2,038 | $50.95 |
| Locum CPA | $104,879 | $8,740 | $2,017 | $50.42 |
