Published GME salary scales · 6 institutions
Resident Salary in California 2026–27
The 6 California institutions SalaryDr tracks pay PGY-1 residents between $90,072 and $98,466 in 2026–27 and 2025–26 (median $96,951). After adjusting for local cost of living, Stanford pays the most at $87,798 in U.S.-average dollars.
PGY-1 pay at California institutions
Rank is each institution’s place among all 72 institutions in the Resident Pay Index, by cost-of-living-adjusted PGY-1 pay.
| Institution | City | PGY-1 | Cost-of-living adjusted | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford2025–26 scale | Palo Alto, CA | $96,949 | $87,798 | 1 |
| UCLA | Los Angeles, CA | $98,466 | $86,704 | 2 |
| Kaiser Permanente NorCal | Oakland, CA | $97,940 | $84,714 | 5 |
| UCSF2025–26 scale | San Francisco, CA | $96,953 | $83,860 | 6 |
| UC San Diego2025–26 scale | San Diego, CA | $91,211 | $81,521 | 8 |
| UC Irvine | Orange, CA | $90,072 | $79,312 | 11 |
California compared with the national median
The median PGY-1 salary at California institutions we track is $96,951, $25,287 more than the national median of $71,664 across 72 institutions. After adjusting for cost of living, the California median is $84,287 against a national $74,182.
Institutions marked with an earlier academic year had not published a 2026–27 scale when we last checked; their newest scale is shown.
Training in California? Add your pay in 60 seconds
Published scales are base pay only. Anonymous reports add moonlighting, stipends and hours so applicants can compare programs on what residents actually take home.
Add your pay in 60 secondsResident salaries in other states
- Alabama
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- District of Columbia
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Salaries come from each institution’s published GME salary scale, last checked September 25, 2026; cost of living uses BEA Regional Price Parities. See each institution page for its source. Report an error