Is this a competitive Mathematicians salary in California in 2026?
Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.
$Competitive · ~P50
P10$81K
P25$101K
P50$127K
P75$156K
P90$182K
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Demand: COOLING. Demand is cooling -- tech openings are at 3.1% and easing (JOLTS, June 2026). Employers have more leverage, so the median (or slightly below) is competitive; you do not need to stretch.
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Merit budget: Wages in information & tech are rising about 2.9% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 2.5-3.0% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $126,714 to $156,478 (market median to the 75th percentile). The median is plenty in this softer market.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.
How Mathematicians pay is moving in 2026
Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI
Pay trend
Median pay for this role rose 4.1% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, outpacing the 2.9% wage growth of the Information sector (BLS ECI).
Hiring demand · COOLING
the Information sector is running a 3.1% job-openings rate with quits at 1.1% (BLS JOLTS). The openings rate has drifted up from 2.9% to 3.1% over the past quarter.
Pay spread
Top earners (P90) make about 2.8 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is wider than typical, so expect large pay differences by experience, employer size, and geography; build generous ranges and differentiate strongly.
What changed recently
Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: sector openings rebounded to 3.1% (up 0.6pp) but remain the lowest of any major sector. Employers keep hiring leverage.
Jul 31, 2026ECI Q2 2026: sector wages growing 2.9% per year, down from 3.5% the prior quarter.
Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS June 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The median salary for Mathematicians in California is $126,714 per year ($60.92/hr). This is 0% higher than the national median of $126,714.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Conduct research in fundamental mathematics or in application of mathematical techniques to science, management, and other fields. Solve problems in various fields using mathematical methods.
Wage Percentiles: California
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours) · National adjusted
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
vs National
P10Entry level
$39.05
$81,224
+17.3%
P25
$48.67
$101,234
+14.3%
P50MEDIAN
$60.92
$126,714
+0.0%
P75
$75.23
$156,478
-0.3%
P90Top earners
$87.51
$182,021
-6.7%
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P10–P90 breakdown, career outlook, industry wages, and JOLTS market signal for Mathematicians
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Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
-0.7%
Little or no change
Annual openings
100
per year, on avg
Workforce today
2K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
0% from new growth100% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Master's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 2 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999100
1K
$136,990
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
NAICS 611300
320
$73,590
Wage range across top 5 industries: $73,590 to $136,990 (86% spread)
See the complete picture
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median mathematicians salary in California?
The median (P50) annual salary for Mathematicians in California is approximately $126,714, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. This is 0% higher than the national median of $126,714. For the full P10–P90 breakdown and market context, open CompSignal.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.
