StateRates

Chico salaries

The median worker in the Chico, CA metro area earned $47,360 a year in 2024, about $22.77 an hour. That ranks #171 of the 391 metro areas published here, 4.3% below the national median.

California

Median pay $47,360 $22.77 per hour
Vs national -4.3% U.S. $49,500
Workers 78,260 wage and salary
Metro rank #171 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

Chico pays 16.8% less than California as a whole. Metros usually run ahead of their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and the gap is a rough measure of how much of a state's economy sits in its cities.

Unusually concentrated here

Occupations against their national share, 2024
Occupation Concentration Employed Median
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 2.82× 5,700 $33,410
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term 2.29× 560 $59,180
Cooks, Fast Food 1.86× 630 $36,060
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses 1.66× 530 $70,020
Medical Assistants 1.51× 610 $46,000
Registered Nurses 1.5× 2,490 $141,720
Office Clerks, General 1.48× 1,880 $40,230
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants 1.46× 620 $48,840
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers 1.45× 700 $41,150
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 1.37× 960 $38,350
Nursing Assistants 1.3× 910 $44,010
Fast Food and Counter Workers 1.26× 2,420 $35,790

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in Chico
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Registered Nurses $141,720 $68.14 2,490
Medical and Health Services Managers $139,450 $67.04 350
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary $133,170 n/a 210
Financial Managers $124,430 $59.82 250
Managers, All Other $117,890 $56.68 210
Project Management Specialists $100,720 $48.42 310
General and Operations Managers $99,120 $47.66 1,200
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $95,890 $46.10 230
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors $93,890 $45.14 300
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education $93,670 n/a 860
Sales Managers $88,900 $42.74 330
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $84,050 $40.41 290
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $82,890 n/a 420
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $82,110 $39.47 270
Accountants and Auditors $78,000 $37.50 490
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $77,000 n/a 330
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators $76,980 $37.01 240
Social and Community Service Managers $76,700 $36.87 200
Management Analysts $76,360 $36.71 340
Business Operations Specialists, All Other $75,460 $36.28 490
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $74,880 $36.00 220
Human Resources Specialists $73,400 $35.29 290
Electricians $72,620 $34.91 330
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $70,020 $33.66 530
Carpenters $66,100 $31.78 400
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $64,790 $31.15 270
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $64,280 $30.90 390
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $64,260 $30.90 780
Child, Family, and School Social Workers $63,320 $30.44 370
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors $62,420 $30.01 380
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics $60,670 $29.17 340
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term $59,180 $28.45 560
Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers $58,240 $28.00 210
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters $57,920 $27.85 220
Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other $57,520 $27.65 460
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors $57,400 $27.60 230
Health Education Specialists $56,950 $27.38 210
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel $56,580 $27.20 360
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $55,380 $26.63 680
Construction Laborers $51,770 $24.89 550
Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan $50,430 $24.25 200
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks $49,820 $23.95 710
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General $49,290 $23.70 730
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants $48,840 $23.48 620
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive $48,650 $23.39 710
Social and Human Service Assistants $48,190 $23.17 350
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers $48,160 $23.15 620
Dental Assistants $48,090 $23.12 250
Pharmacy Technicians $46,770 $22.49 260
Medical Assistants $46,000 $22.11 610
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $45,290 $21.77 600
Light Truck Drivers $45,030 $21.65 510
Nursing Assistants $44,010 $21.16 910
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators $43,910 $21.11 210
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders $43,700 $21.01 260
Customer Service Representatives $43,680 $21.00 620
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education $43,480 $20.90 330
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks $42,210 $20.29 290
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers $41,150 $19.79 700
Office Clerks, General $40,230 $19.34 1,880

Where most people work

Largest occupations in Chico by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 5,700 $33,410 $16.06
Registered Nurses 2,490 $141,720 $68.14
Fast Food and Counter Workers 2,420 $35,790 $17.21
Cashiers 2,010 $34,820 $16.74
Retail Salespersons 1,970 $35,490 $17.06
Office Clerks, General 1,880 $40,230 $19.34
Stockers and Order Fillers 1,250 $38,790 $18.65
General and Operations Managers 1,200 $99,120 $47.66
Waiters and Waitresses 1,150 $33,560 $16.14
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 1,020 $37,770 $18.16
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 960 $38,350 n/a
Nursing Assistants 910 $44,010 $21.16
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education 860 $93,670 n/a
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 790 $37,910 $18.23
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers 780 $64,260 $30.90
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 730 $49,290 $23.70
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 710 $49,820 $23.95
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 710 $48,650 $23.39
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers 700 $41,150 $19.79
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 680 $55,380 $26.63

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 state estimates. Wage and salary workers only, excluding the self-employed.

Other California metro areas

Chico pay: common questions

What is the average salary in Chico?

The median across all occupations is $47,360, or $22.77 an hour, covering 78,260 wage and salary workers. The mean is $64,280, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does Chico pay more than the rest of California?

No. The metro median of $47,360 is 16.8% below the California median of $56,940. Metropolitan areas usually pay more than their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and usually cost more to live in for the same reason.

Which jobs pay best in Chico?

Registered Nurses ($141,720), Medical and Health Services Managers ($139,450), Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary ($133,170). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is Chico unusually full of?

Home Health and Personal Care Aides, at 2.82× the national concentration. Location quotient is a better description of a local economy than its biggest employers, which are retail and food service almost everywhere.