Physicians, Pathologists · California

Physicians, Pathologists Salary in California

Physicians, Pathologists in California earn a median annual wage of $186,300 —40.4% below the national median of $312,400. That ranks CA #32 of 33 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$186,300
Median hourly
$89.57
Entry level (P10)
$105,750
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$387,760
90th percentile
Employment
1,790
0.1 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-40.4%
U.S. $312,400

Wage distribution

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

10th percentile90th percentile
$105,750
$167,110
$186,300
$318,820
$105,750$186,300$387,760
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $186,300.

Employment is 1.37× as concentrated as the national average, making California a strong market for this occupation.

Highest-paying states for physicians, pathologists

All 33 states ranked by median annual wage. California is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1Pennsylvania$413,370$198.742100.49
2West Virginia$400,070$192.34500.91
3Nevada$384,350$184.78400.39
4Illinois$381,770$183.55——
5Minnesota$362,270$174.175502.62
6New Jersey$355,970$171.142300.76
7Texas$345,830$166.261,5301.52
8Indiana$340,300$163.613801.67
9Arizona$338,290$162.642701.18
10Kentucky$324,390$155.96——

Related occupations in California

Occupations in the same job family, compared within California.

OccupationCalifornia medianU.S. median
Registered Nurses$140,270$97,550
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$79,750$64,400
Pharmacy Technicians$55,110$45,750
Physicians, All Other$281,590$265,930
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$76,010$62,930
Nurse Practitioners$168,520$132,300

Frequently asked questions

How much do physicians, pathologists make in California?

The median annual wage for physicians, pathologists in California is $186,300, or $89.57 per hour. That is 40.4% below the national median of $312,400.

What is the entry-level physicians, pathologists salary in California?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $105,750 per year ($50.84/hour). The 25th percentile is $167,110.

How many people work as physicians, pathologists in California?

About 1,790 people work in this occupation in California, or 0.1 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is California a good state for physicians, pathologists?

California ranks #32 of 33 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is 1.37x as concentrated as the national average, making California a strong market for this occupation.

Which state pays physicians, pathologists the most?

Pennsylvania has the highest median wage at $413,370 per year, followed by West Virginia ($400,070) and Nevada ($384,350).

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