In 2023, the median state and local government worker in California earned $39.40 an hour against $33.31 in the private sector, a gap of +18%. At the 90th percentile the government wage was $72.53 against $96.70 privately (-25%). Both figures are real hourly wages from the same-state ACS sample, unadjusted for education and experience.
The gap is widest in Software and IT (-33%), Engineering (-14%), and Finance (-11%), and government pay holds up best in Protective service (+127%) and Education (+36%). That is the national pattern too: a high floor, a low ceiling.
Public vs private pay in California by occupation, 2023
| Occupation domain | Government median $/hr | Private median $/hr | Gap at median | Government 90th pct | Private 90th pct | Gap at 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All occupations | $39.40 | $33.31 | +18% | $72.53 | $96.70 | -25% |
| Admin and clerical | $29.55 | $26.86 | +10% | $48.35 | $51.04 | -5% |
| Education | $40.29 | $29.55 | +36% | $62.86 | $59.10 | +6% |
| Engineering | $59.10 | $68.38 | -14% | $85.96 | $134.31 | -36% |
| Finance | $42.98 | $48.35 | -11% | $66.68 | $120.88 | -45% |
| Healthcare | $53.72 | $51.58 | +4% | $107.45 | $107.45 | 0% |
| Legal | $72.53 | $61.41 | +18% | $116.13 | $188.04 | -38% |
| Management | $52.05 | $53.72 | -3% | $85.96 | $134.31 | -36% |
| Protective service | $48.82 | $21.49 | +127% | $82.80 | $53.72 | +54% |
| Skilled trades | $37.61 | $29.55 | +27% | $64.47 | $56.38 | +14% |
| Software and IT | $51.04 | $76.29 | -33% | $75.21 | $161.17 | -53% |
How to read this
Raw medians compare different people: government employs more teachers, nurses, and degree-holders than the private sector does. The parent piece adjusts for education and experience nationally (federal pay 7% above comparable private workers, state pay 17% below, local pay 17% below) and shows the gap opening at the top of the ladder, where private pay in software, law, finance, and engineering has pulled away. This state table is the unadjusted view; the methodology appendix explains both.