Financial and Investment Analysts in California. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
What the numbers say
The median wage for Financial and Investment Analysts in California was $111,100 in 2024, about 9.8% above the national median of $101,220. That is a real but modest premium for a state where most professional salaries sit well above national figures.
The spread between low and high earners is wide. The 10th percentile came in at $70,590 and the 90th at $201,440. Top earners made roughly 2.9 times what the lowest earners did. That range reflects how differently this occupation pays depending on the employer: a junior analyst at a regional bank lands near the bottom; a senior portfolio analyst at a large asset manager lands near the top.
The average wage of $128,860 sat well above the median of $111,100. A smaller group of high earners pulled it up. For most analysts in the state, $111,100 is the more realistic reference point.
California's cost of living runs about 14.8% above the national average. After adjusting for that, the state's median translates to roughly $96,780 in national-baseline dollars. That puts California slightly below the national median in real purchasing terms. The nominal premium is real; the cost-adjusted picture is less favorable.
BLS projects employment in this occupation to grow 5.7% nationally between 2024 and 2034, which it classifies as faster than average. California, with 40,570 analysts employed in 2024, holds one of the largest concentrations of this occupation in the country. Whether that concentration continues to draw above-average wages depends partly on how many of these roles remain tied to high-cost financial centers versus shifting to remote arrangements.
Salary distribution
Where California financial and investment analysts fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $86,440 and $146,840, with a median of $109,110.
Financial and Investment Analysts in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 1,830 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $142,752. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 365 | $90,000 |
| Level II — qualified | 609 | $129,200 |
| Level III — experienced | 393 | $162,911 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 352 | $194,850 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Financial and Investment Analysts in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | Financial and Investment Analysts - KBGFJG06539-15 | 244 | $175,000 |
| Google LLC | Financial Analyst | 56 | $168,500 |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co. | Associate, Investment Banking | 35 | $175,000 |
| BOFA SECURITIES, INC. | Associate - GIB | 28 | $175,000 |
| GOLDMAN SACHS & CO. LLC | Analyst, Banker - Industry/Country Coverage | 26 | $172,000 |
| Apple Inc. | Finance | 25 | $154,909 |
| Morgan Stanley & Co., LLC | Associate | 19 | $175,000 |
| Amazon.com Services LLC | Financial Analyst III | 18 | $116,105 |
| Visa U.S.A. Inc. | Sr. Financial Analyst | 17 | $159,412 |
| Intuit Inc. | Staff Financial Analyst | 15 | $162,926 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Director at Visa U.S.A. Inc.$188,400Foster CityWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-728293
- Analyst 3, Corporate Strategy at Sandisk Technologies, Inc.$154,336BerkeleyWage Level IIIDecided —I-200-26084-728872
- Vice President at Morgan Stanley & Co., LLC$275,000Menlo ParkWage Level IIIDecided —I-200-26084-729435
- DATA AND PERFORMANCE ASSOCIATE at WESTBRIDGE CAPITAL US ADVISORS LP$160,000SAN MATEOWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-730466
- Manager Business Finance at GlobalFoundries U.S., Inc.$152,279Santa ClaraDecided —I-200-26084-728573
- Head of Banking Relations at Trustly, Inc.$165,000San FranciscoWage Level IIIDecided —I-200-26084-729504
- Financial Analyst at Google LLC$197,000Mountain ViewWage Level IIIDecided —I-200-26084-728031
- Associate Strategic Finance Analyst at Tesla, Inc.$129,500Palo AltoWage Level IDecided —I-200-26084-730552
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
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Financial and Investment Analysts pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Financial and Investment Analysts specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 987 certified offers. The most common variant is Financial Analyst at a median of $100,116.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Analyst | Google LLC | 362 | $100,116 |
| Financial and Investment Analysts - KBGFJG06539-15 | Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 225 | $173,030 |
| Analyst | GOLDMAN SACHS & CO. LLC | 104 | $120,000 |
| Vice President | GOLDMAN SACHS & CO. LLC | 76 | $205,000 |
| Manager | KPMG LLP | 46 | $182,478 |
| Investment Analyst | California Institute of Technology | 43 | $119,000 |
| Director | BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. | 33 | $200,000 |
| Finance | Apple Inc. | 27 | $128,889 |
| Investment Associate | Terramont Infrastructure Management LLC | 25 | $140,000 |
| Strategic Finance Associate | LinkedIn Corporation | 18 | $130,000 |
| Finance Manager | Visa U.S.A. Inc. | 15 | $155,665 |
| Financial and Investment Analysts - KBOEYTEST2315-25 | Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 13 | $250,000 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Financial and Investment Analysts in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 1,817 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Finance and insurance leads with a median of $152,069.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance and insurance | BOFA SECURITIES, INC. | 706 | $152,069 |
| Professional services | Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 479 | $145,000 |
| Technology and software | Google LLC | 259 | $152,400 |
| Manufacturing | Apple Inc. | 161 | $130,375 |
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 71 | $94,203 |
| Real estate | CBRE, INC. | 67 | $95,000 |
| Transportation and logistics | Victory Maritime Services USA | 17 | $72,218 |
| Education | The University of Southern California | 14 | $93,602 |
| Healthcare | Adventist Health System/West | 14 | $100,610 |
| Energy and utilities | Generate Capital, PBC | 13 | $142,958 |
| Nonprofit and civic | Open Avenues Foundation | 9 | $90,000 |
| Media and entertainment | Hailong Table Tennis Inc | 5 | $92,000 |
| Government and public sector | Fieldman, Rolapp & Associates, Inc. | 2 | $96,350 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
Common tasks (O*NET)
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+5.7%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for financial and investment analysts in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Jose$144,910
- San Francisco$130,520
- San Diego$106,040
- Sacramento$103,980
- Los Angeles$102,260
- Riverside$101,150
Compare Financial and Investment Analysts pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare California with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Financial and Investment Analysts in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Financial and Investment Analysts in California is $109,110.
- How does California compare to the national median for Financial and Investment Analysts?
- The California median is +4.8% versus the BLS national figure of $104,114.
- What is the salary range for Financial and Investment Analysts in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $72,840 and the 90th-percentile at $198,280, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Financial and Investment Analysts a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 5.7% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Financial and Investment Analysts?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.