Insurance Agent Salary in California: $77,720 (2026)

Quick Answer:Across California's 157 metropolitan areas, the average median insurance agent pay sits at $77,720/year heading into 2026 — a figure projected from 2025 BLS OEWS wage data for SOC 41-3021. Because California sits at BEA RPP 113.1 (13% above the U.S. baseline), that statewide median translates to roughly $68,718 in nationally-comparable purchasing power. Highest-paying metros: Oakland ($97,817), Fremont ($95,659), San Francisco ($95,640).

Insurance Agent Salary in California - 2025 BLS Data Infographic — California insurance agent salary overview (2026)

$77,720

Avg Median Salary

$37.37

Avg Hourly Rate

39,279

Metro Employed

157

Cities

In 2026, the average median salary for insurance agents in California is projected to be $77,721, surpassing the national median of $64,522 by 20.5%. This salary variation reflects strong local demand and cost of living factors. The highest paying city is Oakland, with an average salary of $101,338, while Lodi is the lowest at $46,702, highlighting a significant gap of $54,636 that can be attributed to different market conditions, clientele diversity, and economic factors in these areas. California’s state licensing requirements for insurance agents can be stringent, necessitating thorough training and compliance with various regulations. The demand for agents is sustained by a growing population and an increasing need for diverse insurance products, particularly in metropolitan areas. The projected annual growth rate for insurance agent employment in the state is 3.60%, indicating a steady expansion in job opportunities. With 39,279 insurance agents employed across 157 metro areas, cities like Fremont ($99,103), San Francisco ($99,083), Santa Maria ($87,014), and Folsom ($84,421) also offer competitive salaries. Individuals looking to enter this field should be prepared to navigate both the regulatory landscape and the varying economic climates of California's cities.

California Insurance Agent Salary Range

Entry Level (10th %ile)

$42,041

avg across 157 cities

Median

$77,720

state average

Top Earners (90th %ile)

$163,118

avg across 157 cities

Overall salary range in California: $28,952 (lowest entry-level) to $212,204 (highest top earner)

California vs National Average

California

$77,720

National Median

$64,522

California insurance agents earn 20.46% more than the national median (+$13,198/year difference).

California Insurance Agent Salary Distribution (2026)

Insurance Agent salaries in California range from $42,041 (entry-level, 10th percentile) to $163,118 (top earners, 90th percentile), with a median of $77,720. The California median is $13,198 above the US national median of $64,522. The average hourly rate is $37.37/hr. Approximately 39,279 insurance agents are employed across 157 cities.

2019 BLS Actual

$55,089

2025 BLS Actual

$75,020

2026 Current Est.

$77,720

2019–2027 Growth

+46.2%

Salary Trajectory for Insurance Agents in California (2019–2027)

2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 3.60% projection.

BLS Actual Estimated Projected

Year	Annual Salary	Status
2019	$55,089	Actual
2020	$52,970	Actual
2021	$63,097	Actual
2022	$66,228	Actual
2023	$63,994	Actual
2024	$67,859	Actual
2025	$75,020	Actual
2026(current)	$77,720	Estimated
2027	$80,518	Projected

Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the California metropolitan area, the median insurance agent salary grew 36.2% from $55,089 (2019) to $75,020 (2025). At a 3.60% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $80,518 by 2027 — a total increase of $25,429 (46.16%) from 2019.

Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the California metropolitan area, sourced from annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. 2026–2026 figures are current estimates, and 2027 values are projections, calculated using a 3.60% CAGR derived from 7-year BLS historical data. Actual salaries may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.

Top 5 Highest Paying Cities in California

Oakland

78 employed · $48.72/hr

$101,338

+30.39% vs avg

Fremont

43 employed · $47.65/hr

$99,103

+27.51% vs avg

San Francisco

4,860 employed · $47.64/hr

$99,083

+27.49% vs avg

Santa Maria

350 employed · $41.83/hr

$87,014

+11.96% vs avg

Folsom

17 employed · $40.59/hr

$84,421

+8.62% vs avg

Lowest Paying Cities in California

City	Median Salary	vs State Avg	Hourly
Lodi	$46,702	-39.91%	$22.45
Stockton	$47,356	-39.07%	$22.77
Bakersfield	$47,397	-39.02%	$22.78
Chico	$49,904	-35.79%	$23.99
Yuba City	$51,044	-34.32%	$24.54

Best Value Cities for Insurance Agents in California

When adjusted for local cost of living, these California cities offer the most purchasing power for insurance agents.

City	Nominal Salary	CoL Index	Adjusted Salary
Oakland	$101,338	113.1	$89,600
Fremont	$99,103	113.1	$87,624
San Francisco	$99,083	115.613	$85,702
Santa Maria	$87,014	108.798	$79,978
Sacramento	$83,854	106.67	$78,611

Adjusted salary = nominal salary × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average. Lower index = lower cost of living.

Salary by Experience Level in California

Experience Level	Estimated Annual	Est. Hourly	Description
Entry Level (0-2 years)	$42,041	$20.21	10th percentile, new graduates
Mid Career (3-7 years)	$77,720	$37.37	50th percentile, median salary
Experienced (7+ years)	$163,118	$78.42	90th percentile, top earners

Estimates based on BLS percentile data averaged across California metro areas. Individual pay varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.

All 157 Cities in California

#	City	Median Salary	Hourly	Entry (P10)	Top (P90)	Employed
1	Oakland	$101,338	$48.72	$58,776	$157,074	78
2	Fremont	$99,103	$47.65	$57,479	$153,609	43
3	San Francisco	$99,083	$47.64	$46,154	$212,204	4,860
4	Santa Maria	$87,014	$41.83	$46,962	$177,705	350
5	Folsom	$84,421	$40.59	$48,963	$130,852	17
6	Sacramento	$83,854	$40.31	$46,423	$163,833	2,780
7	Roseville	$83,509	$40.15	$52,023	$129,439	35
8	Santa Rosa	$82,548	$39.69	$42,766	$183,403	440
9	Petaluma	$81,759	$39.31	$51,323	$126,727	12
10	Anaheim	$81,055	$38.96	$47,012	$125,635	51
11	Oxnard	$80,580	$38.74	$47,045	$173,986	840
12	Thousand Oaks	$80,255	$38.58	$50,086	$124,395	32
13	Long Beach	$79,902	$38.41	$46,343	$123,848	89
14	Chula Vista	$79,885	$38.40	$46,333	$123,822	51
15	San Diego	$79,793	$38.36	$46,568	$170,246	3,680
16	Los Angeles	$79,637	$38.29	$38,798	$167,335	14,680
17	Carlsbad	$79,126	$38.04	$48,527	$122,645	23
18	Vallejo	$78,301	$37.65	$40,435	$104,284	220
19	Modesto	$75,908	$36.50	$42,704	$131,375	310
20	Merced	$72,748	$34.98	$39,472	$174,027	170
21	Salinas	$72,748	$34.98	$40,725	$101,196	240
22	Santa Ana	$71,931	$34.58	$41,720	$111,492	69
23	Fontana	$70,600	$33.94	$40,948	$109,431	32
24	Irvine	$70,523	$33.91	$41,766	$109,310	72
25	Pomona	$70,178	$33.74	$41,041	$108,775	36
26	Simi Valley	$70,139	$33.72	$41,168	$108,716	23
27	Escondido	$70,123	$33.71	$41,203	$108,690	31
28	Fairfield	$69,997	$33.65	$40,857	$108,496	25
29	Fullerton	$69,739	$33.52	$40,449	$108,096	25
30	Daly City	$69,679	$33.50	$40,414	$108,003	20
31	El Monte	$69,656	$33.49	$40,401	$107,968	20
32	Vista	$69,618	$33.47	$40,378	$107,908	24
33	Concord	$69,602	$33.46	$40,369	$107,883	29
34	Hanford	$69,526	$33.42	$38,560	$167,117	70
35	Clovis	$69,498	$33.41	$40,309	$107,722	19
36	Garden Grove	$69,427	$33.38	$40,267	$107,611	37
37	Temecula	$69,410	$33.37	$40,258	$107,585	25
38	Santa Clarita	$69,363	$33.35	$41,359	$107,513	41
39	Lancaster	$69,273	$33.31	$40,178	$107,373	40
40	Inglewood	$69,273	$33.31	$40,178	$107,373	21
41	Corona	$69,185	$33.27	$40,127	$107,237	24
42	Richmond	$69,174	$33.26	$40,121	$107,220	25
43	Rialto	$69,142	$33.25	$40,103	$107,169	17
44	Torrance	$69,054	$33.20	$40,051	$107,033	26
45	Elk Grove	$68,922	$33.13	$39,975	$106,829	25
46	Oceanside	$68,905	$33.13	$39,965	$106,803	28
47	Whittier	$68,885	$33.12	$41,531	$106,771	22
48	San Rafael	$68,879	$33.11	$41,448	$106,763	11
49	Rancho Cucamonga	$68,817	$33.09	$39,914	$106,667	46
50	Hayward	$68,779	$33.07	$39,892	$106,608	23
51	Woodland	$68,761	$33.06	$41,184	$106,581	15
52	Buena Park	$68,751	$33.05	$41,231	$106,564	20
53	Encinitas	$68,745	$33.05	$41,218	$106,555	16
54	Downey	$68,741	$33.05	$39,869	$106,548	22
55	Dublin	$68,702	$33.03	$41,122	$106,488	14
56	Redlands	$68,681	$33.02	$41,074	$106,455	16
57	Chino	$68,643	$33.00	$40,920	$106,397	17
58	Westminster	$68,622	$32.99	$40,661	$106,363	21
59	Santa Monica	$68,616	$32.99	$40,860	$106,356	20
60	San Mateo	$68,609	$32.99	$39,794	$106,344	21
61	Tulare	$68,589	$32.98	$40,800	$106,313	17
62	San Buenaventura	$68,566	$32.97	$42,946	$106,277	19
63	Moreno Valley	$68,519	$32.94	$39,861	$106,205	53
64	Mission Viejo	$68,519	$32.94	$40,715	$106,205	23
65	Pleasanton	$68,509	$32.93	$40,691	$106,188	16
66	Pasadena	$68,411	$32.89	$40,926	$106,038	35
67	Santee	$68,364	$32.87	$40,369	$105,963	9
68	Glendale	$68,302	$32.84	$42,370	$105,869	36
69	Mountain View	$68,267	$32.82	$40,154	$105,814	13
70	Pittsburg	$68,261	$32.82	$39,862	$105,805	19
71	Novato	$68,240	$32.81	$40,025	$105,772	11
72	Costa Mesa	$68,214	$32.80	$40,500	$105,732	23
73	Berkeley	$68,143	$32.76	$42,023	$105,621	23
74	Huntington Beach	$68,126	$32.75	$42,192	$105,595	50
75	Jurupa Valley	$68,066	$32.73	$42,061	$105,503	24
76	Hemet	$68,047	$32.72	$39,667	$105,472	14
77	Union City	$68,041	$32.72	$39,655	$105,464	11
78	West Covina	$68,033	$32.71	$41,989	$105,451	25
79	Chino Hills	$68,014	$32.70	$39,527	$105,422	21
80	Gilroy	$67,917	$32.65	$39,392	$105,271	10
81	San Marcos	$67,880	$32.63	$39,370	$105,214	17
82	Tustin	$67,821	$32.60	$39,336	$105,122	18
83	San Ramon	$67,816	$32.60	$39,333	$105,114	19
84	Sunnyvale	$67,808	$32.60	$39,927	$105,103	26
85	Eastvale	$67,750	$32.57	$39,295	$105,013	10
86	Murrieta	$67,748	$32.57	$41,439	$105,010	25
87	Vacaville	$67,748	$32.57	$41,439	$105,010	15
88	Brentwood	$67,718	$32.56	$39,277	$104,963	13
89	Hesperia	$67,686	$32.54	$39,258	$104,914	14
90	Lake Elsinore	$67,681	$32.54	$39,255	$104,905	18
91	Citrus Heights	$67,595	$32.50	$39,205	$104,772	19
92	El Cajon	$67,534	$32.47	$39,169	$104,677	18
93	San Clemente	$67,514	$32.46	$39,158	$104,646	10
94	Bellflower	$67,487	$32.45	$39,142	$104,605	11
95	Palmdale	$67,457	$32.43	$40,745	$104,558	29
96	La Mirada	$67,457	$32.43	$41,795	$104,558	10
97	Apple Valley	$67,444	$32.43	$39,117	$104,538	19
98	Menifee	$67,424	$32.42	$40,742	$104,508	20
99	Yucaipa	$67,396	$32.41	$39,089	$104,464	14
100	Norwalk	$67,392	$32.40	$40,604	$104,458	22
101	Santa Clara	$67,363	$32.39	$39,071	$104,412	32
102	Rancho Cordova	$67,331	$32.38	$39,052	$104,362	20
103	Montebello	$67,266	$32.34	$39,015	$104,263	16
104	Compton	$67,240	$32.32	$38,999	$104,222	25
105	Porterville	$67,192	$32.30	$38,971	$104,147	11
106	Lompoc	$67,183	$32.30	$41,235	$104,133	8
107	Hawthorne	$67,079	$32.25	$38,906	$103,972	13
108	Antioch	$67,057	$32.24	$39,889	$103,939	17
109	Burbank	$67,051	$32.24	$38,889	$103,929	22
110	Alhambra	$66,896	$32.16	$42,515	$103,688	13
111	Livermore	$66,896	$32.16	$40,289	$103,688	21
112	Orange	$66,876	$32.15	$39,571	$103,658	21
113	South Gate	$66,874	$32.15	$42,193	$103,655	25
114	Victorville	$66,859	$32.15	$39,537	$103,632	30
115	West Sacramento	$66,837	$32.14	$42,110	$103,597	9
116	Poway	$66,819	$32.13	$40,403	$103,569	8
117	San Leandro	$66,729	$32.08	$42,076	$103,430	23
118	Indio	$66,654	$32.04	$41,705	$103,314	23
119	Lake Forest	$66,654	$32.04	$41,705	$103,314	14
120	Carson	$66,535	$31.99	$41,716	$103,130	21
121	Rocklin	$66,525	$31.98	$41,692	$103,113	10
122	Newport Beach	$66,412	$31.93	$41,443	$102,938	12
123	Redwood City	$66,407	$31.93	$41,363	$102,930	13
124	Turlock	$66,390	$31.92	$41,327	$102,905	17
125	Manteca	$66,368	$31.91	$41,348	$102,871	13
126	Perris	$66,363	$31.91	$41,064	$102,862	12
127	Madera	$66,309	$31.88	$41,217	$102,779	8
128	San Jose	$66,252	$31.86	$48,557	$197,917	1,590
129	Baldwin Park	$66,191	$31.83	$40,890	$102,596	19
130	Palo Alto	$66,191	$31.83	$40,958	$102,596	15
131	Lakewood	$66,164	$31.81	$40,899	$102,555	19
132	Beaumont	$65,970	$31.71	$40,205	$102,254	9
133	Tracy	$65,955	$31.71	$40,440	$102,230	14
134	Alameda	$65,933	$31.70	$40,393	$102,196	12
135	Laguna Niguel	$65,918	$31.69	$40,088	$102,172	16
136	Milpitas	$65,884	$31.67	$40,287	$102,121	16
137	Camarillo	$65,745	$31.61	$39,983	$101,904	13
138	Oakley	$65,718	$31.60	$38,117	$101,863	8
139	Davis	$65,702	$31.59	$39,823	$101,838	14
140	Upland	$65,653	$31.57	$39,516	$101,763	18
141	Santa Cruz	$65,579	$31.53	$40,280	$135,840	170
142	La Habra	$65,557	$31.52	$39,508	$101,613	16
143	Lynwood	$65,530	$31.50	$39,517	$101,572	16
144	Brea	$64,411	$30.97	$40,308	$99,837	10
145	Fresno	$63,932	$30.74	$39,016	$135,975	950
146	San Luis Obispo	$62,678	$30.14	$39,223	$131,375	240
147	Visalia	$62,315	$29.96	$38,809	$122,600	200
148	Napa	$60,461	$29.07	$39,554	$125,739	110
149	Ontario	$58,819	$28.28	$34,115	$91,169	42
150	San Bernardino	$58,108	$27.94	$33,703	$90,068	33
151	Riverside	$58,037	$27.90	$39,451	$129,189	3,130
152	Redding	$51,686	$24.85	$38,788	$134,742	160
153	Yuba City	$51,044	$24.54	$38,146	$105,071	120
154	Chico	$49,904	$23.99	$41,378	$128,744	190
155	Bakersfield	$47,397	$22.78	$39,130	$105,910	390
156	Stockton	$47,356	$22.77	$39,731	$129,490	380
157	Lodi	$46,702	$22.45	$28,952	$72,387	14

More California Salary Data

Hourly Rates

Explore insurance agent hourly pay in California cities.

Oakland →Fremont →San Francisco →

Entry Level

Starting salaries for new insurance agents.

Oakland →Fremont →San Francisco →

Senior / Experienced

Top earner salaries for experienced insurance agents.

Oakland →Fremont →San Francisco →

Compare Cities in California

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View all comparisons →

Explore More Insurance Agent Salary Data

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much do insurance agents make in California in 2026?

The average median insurance agent salary in California is $77,720/year across 157 metro areas, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Salaries range from $46,702 in Lodi to $101,338 in Oakland. This makes California one of the higher-paying states, at 20.46% above the national median of $64,522. The state employs approximately 39,279 insurance agents.

What is the highest paying city for insurance agents in California?

Oakland offers the highest insurance agent salary in California at $101,338/year ($48.72/hr), based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). The top 3 highest-paying cities are Oakland ($101,338), Fremont ($99,103), San Francisco ($99,083). Higher pay in these metros is typically driven by cost of living, demand for insurance services, and competition among employers for licensed insurance agents.

How does California insurance agent pay compare to the national average?

California's average insurance agent salary of $77,720 is 20.46% above the national median of $64,522 in 2026. The state employs approximately 39,279 insurance agents across 157 metropolitan areas. When comparing salaries, consider cost-of-living differences — a lower nominal salary in an affordable area may provide better purchasing power than a higher salary in an expensive metro.

What is the entry-level insurance agent salary in California?

Entry-level insurance agents (10th percentile) in California earn approximately $42,041/year on average, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Starting salaries range from $28,952 in lower-paying areas to $58,776 in the highest-paying metros. New graduates should expect salaries at the lower end and can typically reach the area median within 3–5 years of clinical experience.

How many insurance agents are employed in California?

California employs approximately 39,279 insurance agents across 157 metropolitan areas, based on the latest BLS data. This makes California one of the larger employers of insurance agents nationally. Demand continues to grow as the insurance field expands and the population ages.

Which California city offers the best value for insurance agents?

When adjusted for cost of living, Oakland offers the highest purchasing power for insurance agents in California, with an adjusted salary of $89,600 (nominal: $101,338, CoL index: 113.1). This means your dollar goes 12% less far compared to the national average, making it important to negotiate higher base pay.

Written by Jordan Lee, MBA

Career Analyst

Jordan has over 10 years of experience in the insurance industry. He specializes in property and casualty insurance. He has worked in both agency and corporate settings.

Clinically reviewed by Maria Gonzalez, CICData verified by Raj Patel, LUTCF

Methodology & Data Source

Statewide salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. A 3.60% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to each metro area's reported salary to estimate current 2026 insurance agent compensation across California. State averages are employment-weighted across 157 metro areas — larger metro areas with more insurance agentscontribute proportionally more to the average, producing figures that better reflect typical compensation. Individual pay varies by city, employer, certifications, and experience.

Data Sources & Methodology

Source: BLS, OEWS, 7-year dataset (2019–2025). Per-city data from annual BLS metropolitan area surveys.

2026 figures are projected from 2025 BLS data using a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.60%, derived from historical BLS wage trends for insurance agents (SOC 41-3021).

Compiled and verified by Jordan Lee, MBA, a licensed insurance agent with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov

Last verified: June 10, 2026

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