Jobs, pay and daily life in Salinas, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
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By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Salinas is a city in California with 161,761 residents. The median household earns $91,908 a year and the median rent is $1,991 a month, which is 26.0% of the median household income. It is part of the Salinas, CA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 186,430 jobs.
Federal jobs in California (1,716) →State guide: CaliforniaCountry guide
There are 1,716 federal postings open in California (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in California →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | 26,830 | 84.30 | $36,700 | $35,140 | $47,450 | +3% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 6,740 | 1.31 | $34,320 | $34,320 | $38,660 | -4% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 4,180 | 0.90 | $43,260 | $35,290 | $46,790 | +39% |
| Retail Salespersons | 4,110 | 0.88 | $37,970 | $35,420 | $49,460 | +7% |
| Cashiers | 4,020 | 1.08 | $37,080 | $35,490 | $48,290 | +13% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 3,890 | 1.10 | $39,110 | $36,080 | $49,050 | -3% |
| Registered Nurses | 3,180 | 0.79 | $134,910 | $102,300 | $176,990 | +38% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 3,100 | 1.14 | $35,540 | $34,320 | $73,940 | +1% |
| Office Clerks, General | 2,790 | 0.95 | $48,340 | $36,140 | $68,940 | +7% |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | 2,700 | 4.02 | $35,480 | $34,820 | $39,570 | -2% |
| General and Operations Managers | 2,600 | 0.62 | $105,680 | $54,170 | $223,970 | -0% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 2,290 | 1.34 | $48,030 | $38,660 | $59,930 | +31% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 2,280 | 1.37 | $100,220 | $64,050 | $125,450 | +57% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 2,140 | 0.87 | $53,390 | $38,480 | $76,970 | -9% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 1,910 | 1.13 | $44,930 | $37,150 | $57,980 | +20% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,890 | 0.71 | $43,570 | $36,100 | $59,500 | +18% |
| Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,890 | 1.83 | $38,810 | $35,520 | $60,220 | +9% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,860 | 0.55 | $39,200 | $35,620 | $56,860 | +5% |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 1,590 | 1.39 | $46,550 | $37,490 | $61,360 | +19% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 1,550 | 0.85 | $50,760 | $37,070 | $79,110 | +2% |
These figures are for the whole Salinas, CA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $47,380 (US $50,980); unemployment 5.5% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 20.0% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 18.6% |
| Retail trade | 10.5% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 10.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.5% |
| Construction | 7.3% |
| Manufacturing | 5.4% |
| Public administration | 4.7% |
| Other services | 4.4% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 3.3% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 2.0% |
| Information | 1.0% |
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 74.2% |
| Public transit | 0.7% |
| Walk | 1.1% |
| Work from home | 4.3% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 13.5% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $91,908 |
| Income per person | $29,650 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,991 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 26.0% |
| Median home value | $654,100 |
| Homeowners | 47.0% |
| Poverty rate | 13.6% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 109.0 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $47,380 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 13.30%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 32.4 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 62.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 16.5% |
| Born abroad | 37.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 61.3% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11.3 | 52 | 86 |
| Feb | 11.2 | 52 | 86 |
| Mar | 11.8 | 53 | 70 |
| Apr | 12.0 | 54 | 36 |
| May | 13.1 | 56 | 14 |
| Jun | 14.4 | 58 | 4 |
| Jul | 15.5 | 60 | 1 |
| Aug | 16.0 | 61 | 1 |
| Sep | 16.4 | 62 | 4 |
| Oct | 15.5 | 60 | 23 |
| Nov | 13.3 | 56 | 48 |
| Dec | 11.4 | 53 | 106 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose | CA | 43 mi | 997,395 | $148,226 | $2,674 |
| Santa Clara | CA | 50 mi | 130,256 | $178,958 | $3,016 |
| Sunnyvale | CA | 53 mi | 154,236 | $186,170 | $3,039 |
| Fremont | CA | 58 mi | 228,295 | $181,506 | $2,933 |
| Hayward | CA | 70 mi | 158,801 | $113,318 | $2,391 |
| Modesto | CA | 74 mi | 219,215 | $79,891 | $1,690 |
| Oakland | CA | 81 mi | 443,575 | $102,235 | $2,008 |
| Berkeley | CA | 89 mi | 120,257 | $108,092 | $2,133 |
| Stockton | CA | 91 mi | 324,980 | $78,627 | $1,635 |
| Concord | CA | 91 mi | 124,035 | $108,709 | $2,274 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
161,761 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,991 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 26.0% of the median household income.
$91,908 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
5.5% (BLS metro area 2026M09).
California. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.