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General Contractor salary in California
The middle half of general contractors in California earned $36.89 to $61.87 an hour in May 2025, and the top tenth $75.25 or more.1 The median is 22% above the US median.2
BLS has no general contractor occupation. These figures are for first-line supervisors of construction trades (SOC 47-1011); construction managers (SOC 11-9021) in California earned a median $64.02 an hour ($133,160 a year). OEWS counts employees only, so self-employed contractors are not included.
- 10th
- $29.18
- 25th
- $36.89
- Median
- $46.96
- 75th
- $61.87
- 90th
- $75.25
- 10th
- $60,690
- 25th
- $76,740
- Median
- $97,680
- 75th
- $128,690
- 90th
- $156,530
Which California cities pay general contractors the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara has the highest median of the 10 metro areas below, $62.36 an hour; Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario has the lowest, $39.77.1
- San Jose–Sunnyvale$62.36
- San Francisco–Oakland$58.08
- Santa Rosa–Petaluma$49.81
- Los Angeles–Long Beach$46.92
- Sacramento–Roseville$46.57
- San Diego–Chula Vista$46.08
- Bakersfield–Delano$44.29
- Oxnard–Thousand Oaks$43.18
The 10 largest of 25 metro areas with general contractor data, by employment.
Do general contractors make $100,000 a year in California?
Between 25% and half do. $100,000 falls between the median ($97,680) and the 75th percentile ($128,690).1
How much do new general contractors make in California?
The lowest-paid tenth of general contractors in California earned $29.18 an hour or less ($60,690 a year), and the lowest quarter earned $36.89 or less.1 OEWS does not report apprentice pay separately.
Are general contractors in demand in California?
Projections Central expects California to go from 81,400 general contractor jobs in 2024 to 87,900 in 2034, a change of 8%, with about 6,860 openings a year.3 The US projection is 5.3%.
| Area | Jobs 2024 | Jobs 2034 | Change | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 81,400 | 87,900 | 8% | 6,860 |
| United States | 921,600 | 970,600 | 5.3% | 74,400 |
How does general contractor pay compare with other trades in California?
General contractors have the highest median pay of the five trades on this site in California, $46.96 an hour. Electricians are next at $36.62.1
| Trade | Median hourly | Median annual | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Contractors | $46.96 | $97,680 | 71,750 |
| Electricians | $36.62 | $76,160 | 73,310 |
| Plumbers | $35.01 | $72,830 | 47,660 |
| HVAC Technicians | $34.88 | $72,560 | 35,130 |
| Roofers | $30.58 | $63,600 | 21,190 |
Where to train in California
Sources
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, California, May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)
- BLS OEWS national estimates: First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011), May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)
- Projections Central, long-term occupational projections 2024-2034 (projectionscentral.org, 2024-2034)