California · SOC 11-3061

Purchasing Managers in California

State salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025)

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Geography used: wage and employment figures are BLS state estimates for California; the comparison figure is the United States national estimate.

Median Salary

$159,830

per year in this state

+8% above

National Median

$148,080

per year nationally

Hourly Rate

$76.84/hr

median hourly

Employment

7,470

jobs in CA

Salary Range in California

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$99,560
25th$125,000
Median$159,830
75th$196,620
90th$241,340

What This Means for Purchasing Managers in California

According to BLS OEWS state estimates, California ranks #11 of 52 states and territories for Purchasing Managers pay, the top 21% nationally. Purchasing Managers working in California earn a median salary of $159,830, which is +8% above the national median of $148,080. OEWS reports the difference but does not identify its cause. The reported wage distribution runs from $99,560 at the 10th percentile to $241,340 at the 90th. OEWS does not separate how much of that spread comes from experience, specialization, employer, industry, schedule, or local market differences.

This page captures the Purchasing Managers labor market inside California using BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics state estimates from the May 2025 release. Median annual pay lands at $159,830 ($76.84/hr per hour), while the state employs roughly 7,470 workers in this SOC code (11-3061). Relative to the national median of $148,080, the state estimate is +8% above. Explaining that difference would require separate evidence on industry, employer, prices, and worker mix.

Within California, the full pay distribution is wider than the median alone suggests. Workers at the 10th percentile earn $99,560, the 25th earns $125,000, the 75th reaches $196,620, and the 90th hits $241,340. The upper boundary is roughly 2.4× the lower boundary. These bands combine workers across experience levels, credentials, employers, industries, schedules, and specialties; the percentile table does not isolate any one factor's effect.

Use this state-level view as one layer in your research stack, not the full picture. Drill into the specific BLS local wage area within California where the job is located. A state estimate can differ substantially from a local-area estimate; this table does not establish why. Pair the wage here with state-specific cost of living (rent, taxes, energy, groceries) to see how far the paycheck actually goes. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses. It excludes employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, and nonproduction bonuses, so compare those items separately when reviewing an offer.

Top Paying Jobs in California

Similar Occupations in California

Other roles in the same SOC major group, priced for this state's labor market.

Other states with similar Purchasing Managers pay or employment

Two OEWS peer sets for this SOC code outside California. Same-major-group cards above stay in-state; these neighborhoods are cross-state nearest neighbors.

Similar median pay

Nearest state medians ($159,830 here).

Similar employment scale

Nearest headcount peers (7,470 jobs here; floor 1,000).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS state median annual wage and reported employment for SOC 11-3061. Employment peers exclude states already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Related federal data for California

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Purchasing Managers make in California?
The median annual salary for Purchasing Managers in California is $159,830 (+8% above national avg). Pay ranges from $99,560 (10th percentile) to $241,340 (90th percentile).
How many Purchasing Managers work in California?
There are approximately 7,470 Purchasing Managers employed in California, according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data.
What is the hourly rate for Purchasing Managers in California?
The median hourly wage for Purchasing Managers in California is $76.84/hr.
Where does WageDex get its salary data?
All salary and employment data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release.

Data Sources

Last updated: May 2025 (BLS OEWS annual release).

Salary and employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release.

Wage estimates include straight-time pay plus items such as tips, commissions, and production bonuses. They exclude employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, and nonproduction bonuses. Employment figures represent the estimated number of workers in the occupation across all industries in California.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. This occupation's California figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS state-level data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.