StateRates

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario salaries

The median worker in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area earned $48,240 a year in 2024, about $23.19 an hour. That ranks #128 of the 391 metro areas published here, 2.5% below the national median.

California

Median pay $48,240 $23.19 per hour
Vs national -2.5% U.S. $49,500
Workers 1,695,430 wage and salary
Metro rank #128 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario pays 15.3% 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.

Housing here moved -0.8% over the year to 2026 Q2 and +24.0% over five years. Pay and house prices rarely move together, and where they diverge for long the affordability of an area changes even when nothing about the jobs does. House prices in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario.

Unusually concentrated here

Occupations against their national share, 2024
Occupation Concentration Employed Median
Plasterers and Stucco Masons 5.8× 1,330 $50,720
Gambling Change Persons and Booth Cashiers 5.05× 1,220 $35,920
Material Moving Workers, All Other 4.89× 1,350 $37,700
Tapers 4.64× 640 $50,850
Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters 4× 690 $48,880
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators 3.98× 35,270 $54,540
Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping 3.97× 2,170 $56,940
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers 3.86× 3,520 $60,810
Solar Photovoltaic Installers 3.61× 1,120 $60,130
Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other 3.57× 3,510 $33,950
Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers 3.24× 500 $53,630
Protective Service Workers, All Other 3.22× 2,940 $39,530

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Chief Executives $197,190 $94.81 2,070
Communications Teachers, Postsecondary $173,360 n/a 300
Architectural and Engineering Managers $170,180 $81.82 1,190
English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary $168,240 n/a 450
Physician Assistants $166,730 $80.16 1,160
Computer and Information Systems Managers $165,760 $79.69 2,510
Nurse Practitioners $162,470 $78.11 1,630
Dentists, General $161,790 $77.78 1,280
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary $160,750 n/a 3,430
Pharmacists $160,640 $77.23 3,800
Natural Sciences Managers $160,370 $77.10 250
Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary $159,860 n/a 320
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives $159,820 $76.84 1,260
Veterinarians $158,710 $76.30 660
Business Teachers, Postsecondary $158,270 n/a 400
Financial Managers $144,040 $69.25 4,430
Marketing Managers $140,650 $67.62 1,980
Software Developers $136,760 $65.75 4,340
Human Resources Managers $134,990 $64.90 1,440
Managers, All Other $134,630 $64.73 3,950
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary $133,570 n/a 370
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary $133,190 n/a 700
Public Relations Managers $133,080 $63.98 340
Purchasing Managers $132,570 $63.73 540
Optometrists $131,890 $63.41 550
Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary $131,540 n/a 250
Medical and Health Services Managers $130,970 $62.96 5,290
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary $130,830 n/a 440
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer $130,450 $62.71 560
Registered Nurses $130,160 $62.58 34,570
Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors $129,580 $62.30 250
Education Administrators, Postsecondary $129,330 $62.18 750
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists $128,890 $61.96 990
First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers $127,380 $61.24 620
Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners $127,310 $61.21 220
Detectives and Criminal Investigators $126,380 $60.76 1,430
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay $125,250 $60.22 280
Information Security Analysts $124,910 $60.05 360
Training and Development Managers $124,330 $59.78 340
School Psychologists $124,200 $59.71 790
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers $123,480 $59.36 570
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators $123,470 $59.36 360
Fundraising Managers $121,370 $58.35 270
Physical Therapists $120,190 $57.79 2,130
Speech-Language Pathologists $115,390 $55.48 1,800
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary $112,480 n/a 670
Computer Network Architects $112,000 $53.85 580
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers $110,830 $53.29 1,820
Computer Systems Analysts $109,880 $52.83 2,210
Environmental Engineers $109,830 $52.80 240
Industrial Production Managers $109,520 $52.65 2,180
Electrical Engineers $109,360 $52.58 910
Civil Engineers $109,250 $52.52 3,620
Dental Hygienists $109,040 $52.42 1,420
Occupational Therapists $109,010 $52.41 980
Art Directors $108,340 $52.09 330
Construction Managers $107,430 $51.65 3,850
Special Education Teachers, Middle School $107,110 n/a 850
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $106,850 $51.37 5,920
Engineers, All Other $106,220 $51.07 1,150

Where most people work

Largest occupations in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 90,350 $33,280 $16.00
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 75,620 $44,970 $21.62
Fast Food and Counter Workers 51,500 $36,250 $17.43
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 42,710 $60,680 $29.17
Stockers and Order Fillers 41,820 $39,310 $18.90
Cashiers 38,730 $35,040 $16.85
Retail Salespersons 38,030 $35,490 $17.06
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators 35,270 $54,540 $26.22
Registered Nurses 34,570 $130,160 $62.58
Office Clerks, General 25,970 $45,650 $21.95
General and Operations Managers 22,610 $105,040 $50.50
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks 22,340 $39,150 $18.82
Waiters and Waitresses 21,450 $34,350 $16.52
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 21,130 $46,070 n/a
Security Guards 21,090 $38,070 $18.31
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 20,060 $38,100 $18.32
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education 18,270 $97,560 n/a
Cooks, Fast Food 17,370 $35,110 $16.88
Customer Service Representatives 16,430 $45,390 $21.82
Cooks, Restaurant 16,310 $38,600 $18.56

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

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario pay: common questions

What is the average salary in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?

The median across all occupations is $48,240, or $23.19 an hour, covering 1,695,430 wage and salary workers. The mean is $64,270, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario pay more than the rest of California?

No. The metro median of $48,240 is 15.3% 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?

Chief Executives ($197,190), Communications Teachers, Postsecondary ($173,360), Architectural and Engineering Managers ($170,180). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario unusually full of?

Plasterers and Stucco Masons, at 5.8× 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.