Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers Salary in California
Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers in California earned a median of $60,790 a year ($29.23 an hour) and a mean of $61,830 in May 2025. The median is 15.7% above the U.S. median of $52,540, ranking 4th of 47 states, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Median annual
- $60,790
- Median hourly
- $29.23
- Mean annual
- $61,830
- Jobs on record
- 2,300
Grey needle: U.S. median, $52,540 a year.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Confirm any figure on bls.gov/oes. Latest BLS release: May 2025, published May 15, 2026; checked November 10, 2026.
How does California compare on pay for jewelers and precious stone and metal workers?
California ranks 4th of 47 states. Connecticut is highest at $69,800, $9,010 more than the California median.
| State | Rank | Median | Against U.S. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | 2 | $61,940 | +18% | 240 |
| New York | 3 | $61,720 | +17% | 4,300 |
| California | 4 | $60,790 | +16% | 2,300 |
| South Carolina | 5 | $60,380 | +15% | 200 |
| Washington | 5 | $60,380 | +15% | 290 |
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025. Rank 1 is the highest median among 47 states with a published figure. See every state.
Does California pay go further after prices?
Prices in California run 10.7% above the U.S. average, so the $60,790 median buys about what $54,904 buys at average U.S. prices, above the $52,540 U.S. median. On this measure California ranks 21st of 47, down from 4th before the adjustment.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025; BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. The adjustment divides pay by the state's price level.
Which areas in California pay jewelers and precious stone and metal workers the most?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA is highest at $75,640, 24.4% above the California median.
| Area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $75,640 | 240 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $64,740 | 70 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $64,620 | 260 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $62,450 | 50 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $61,150 | 1,190 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $58,390 | 50 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $38,880 | 150 |
Source: BLS OEWS metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area file, May 2025. Every area BLS lists for this job in California is shown; an area that crosses state lines is listed under the first state in its BLS title.
How many jewelers and precious stone and metal workers work in California?
BLS counts 2,300 jobs in California, 10.2% of the 22,440 in the U.S. That is the 2nd largest count among the 47 states with a published figure. That is 0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in California, a location quotient of 0.88: the occupation's share of local jobs is 0.88 times its national share, so it is less concentrated here than in the U.S. as a whole.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025 and national file.
How does the California minimum wage compare with pay for jewelers and precious stone and metal workers?
The 10th-percentile hourly pay for jewelers and precious stone and metal workers in California was $18.36 in May 2025, $1.46 above the $16.90 minimum wage that applies there now. The pay figure dates from May 2025 and the minimum wage is the current rate, so the two are not from the same date.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, State Minimum Wage Laws, updated 2026-11-05; BLS OEWS state file, May 2025, 10th-percentile hourly wage.
Related jobs in California
Related occupations from O*NET; pay from BLS OEWS state file, May 2025.