StateRates

El Centro salaries

The median worker in the El Centro, CA metro area earned $44,470 a year in 2024, about $21.38 an hour. That ranks #283 of the 391 metro areas published here, 10.2% below the national median.

California

Median pay $44,470 $21.38 per hour
Vs national -10.2% U.S. $49,500
Workers 63,230 wage and salary
Metro rank #283 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

El Centro pays 21.9% 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
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse 30.77× 3,300 $36,400
Detectives and Criminal Investigators 16.06× 730 $121,330
Correctional Officers and Jailers 8.78× 1,320 $104,090
Compliance Officers 5.19× 850 $101,110
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 4.42× 7,220 $33,360
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term 4.27× 840 $52,380
Cooks, Fast Food 1.94× 530 $35,690
Cashiers 1.67× 2,150 $34,750
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 1.59× 900 $44,020
Security Guards 1.39× 710 $36,110
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers 1.34× 610 $46,750
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education 1.33× 760 $101,960

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in El Centro
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Managers, All Other $140,280 $67.44 370
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors $134,820 $64.82 220
First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers $127,920 $61.50 210
Detectives and Criminal Investigators $121,330 $58.33 730
Registered Nurses $118,580 $57.01 610
Correctional Officers and Jailers $104,090 $50.04 1,320
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education $101,960 n/a 760
Compliance Officers $101,110 $48.61 850
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $100,680 n/a 280
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $96,370 n/a 580
General and Operations Managers $93,090 $44.76 720
Sales Managers $88,040 $42.33 260
Management Analysts $82,750 $39.78 270
Business Operations Specialists, All Other $79,090 $38.02 360
Accountants and Auditors $76,590 $36.82 310
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $76,570 $36.81 280
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $73,760 $35.46 310
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $71,280 $34.27 340
Human Resources Specialists $67,460 $32.43 210
First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers $66,700 $32.07 230
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $65,310 $31.40 480
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators $64,330 $30.93 220
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors $62,360 $29.98 230
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics $52,950 $25.46 290
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term $52,380 $25.18 840
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $51,370 $24.70 1,060
Construction Laborers $50,880 $24.46 290
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General $50,240 $24.15 440
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive $48,720 $23.42 570
Social and Human Service Assistants $47,380 $22.78 350
Tutors $46,750 $22.47 250
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers $46,750 $22.48 610
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks $46,730 $22.47 560
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $45,710 $21.98 420
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants $45,140 $21.70 310
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary $44,020 n/a 900
Customer Service Representatives $43,880 $21.10 360
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators $43,580 $20.95 300
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks $41,580 $19.99 240
Rehabilitation Counselors $40,380 $19.41 250
Office Clerks, General $40,370 $19.41 1,210
Medical Assistants $39,570 $19.03 400
Light Truck Drivers $39,280 $18.89 280
Stockers and Order Fillers $39,130 $18.81 1,310
Cooks, Restaurant $38,230 $18.38 350
Agricultural Equipment Operators $38,180 $18.35 210
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand $37,250 $17.91 890
Packers and Packagers, Hand $36,910 $17.75 320
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners $36,880 $17.73 230
Fast Food and Counter Workers $36,600 $17.59 1,670
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners $36,530 $17.56 1,070
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse $36,400 $17.50 3,300
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers $36,360 $17.48 280
Protective Service Workers, All Other $36,260 $17.43 260
Security Guards $36,110 $17.36 710
Childcare Workers $35,970 $17.29 280
Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment $35,880 $17.25 270
Food Preparation Workers $35,780 $17.20 310
Cooks, Fast Food $35,690 $17.16 530
Retail Salespersons $35,010 $16.83 1,860

Where most people work

Largest occupations in El Centro by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 7,220 $33,360 $16.04
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse 3,300 $36,400 $17.50
Cashiers 2,150 $34,750 $16.71
Retail Salespersons 1,860 $35,010 $16.83
Fast Food and Counter Workers 1,670 $36,600 $17.59
Correctional Officers and Jailers 1,320 $104,090 $50.04
Stockers and Order Fillers 1,310 $39,130 $18.81
Office Clerks, General 1,210 $40,370 $19.41
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 1,070 $36,530 $17.56
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 1,060 $51,370 $24.70
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 900 $44,020 n/a
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 890 $37,250 $17.91
Compliance Officers 850 $101,110 $48.61
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term 840 $52,380 $25.18
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education 760 $101,960 n/a
Detectives and Criminal Investigators 730 $121,330 $58.33
General and Operations Managers 720 $93,090 $44.76
Security Guards 710 $36,110 $17.36
Registered Nurses 610 $118,580 $57.01
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers 610 $46,750 $22.48

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

El Centro pay: common questions

What is the average salary in El Centro?

The median across all occupations is $44,470, or $21.38 an hour, covering 63,230 wage and salary workers. The mean is $60,620, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does El Centro pay more than the rest of California?

No. The metro median of $44,470 is 21.9% 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 El Centro?

Managers, All Other ($140,280), Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors ($134,820), First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers ($127,920). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is El Centro unusually full of?

Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse, at 30.77× 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.