Emergency Management Directors · California

Emergency Management Directors Salary in California

Emergency Management Directors in California earn a median annual wage of $129,910 —39.2% above the national median of $93,330. That ranks CA #4 of 47 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$129,910
Median hourly
$62.46
Entry level (P10)
$90,130
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$199,020
90th percentile
Employment
1,170
0.1 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
+39.2%
U.S. $93,330

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$90,130
$105,320
$129,910
$163,130
$90,130$129,910$199,020
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $129,910.

Employment is only 0.74× as concentrated as the national average — this occupation is relatively scarce in California.

Highest-paying states for emergency management directors

All 47 states ranked by median annual wage. California is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1District of Columbia$184,350$88.631502.39
2New Mexico$145,550$69.981702.22
3Washington$130,780$62.871800.58
4California$129,910$62.461,1700.74
5Colorado$129,660$62.34——
6Massachusetts$123,250$59.252200.70
7New Jersey$120,990$58.174901.33
8Connecticut$113,380$54.511801.23
9Oregon$110,720$53.231200.70
10Maryland$107,200$51.541500.63

Related occupations in California

Occupations in the same job family, compared within California.

OccupationCalifornia medianU.S. median
General and Operations Managers$124,390$105,770
Financial Managers$180,770$166,570
Computer and Information Systems Managers$218,290$175,140
Sales Managers$134,910$148,270
Managers, All Other$174,560$141,900
Medical and Health Services Managers$141,480$123,860

Frequently asked questions

How much do emergency management directors make in California?

The median annual wage for emergency management directors in California is $129,910, or $62.46 per hour. That is 39.2% above the national median of $93,330.

What is the entry-level emergency management directors salary in California?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $90,130 per year ($43.33/hour). The 25th percentile is $105,320.

How many people work as emergency management directors in California?

About 1,170 people work in this occupation in California, or 0.1 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is California a good state for emergency management directors?

California ranks #4 of 47 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is only 0.74x as concentrated as the national average, so this occupation is relatively scarce in California.

Which state pays emergency management directors the most?

District of Columbia has the highest median wage at $184,350 per year, followed by New Mexico ($145,550) and Washington ($130,780).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes