Office Manager salary in Chico, CA
Chico pays office managers less than California as a whole but still more than the country. The median is $70,420 a year1: 9.2% below the California statewide median of $77,590 and 1.3% above the US median of $69,500. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#96 of 519). BLS counts about 660 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-1011, area Chico, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Chico against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chico, CA | $47,800 | $70,420 | $100,510 | |
| California | $50,870 | $77,590 | $121,650 | |
| United States | $45,610 | $69,500 | $104,710 |
The middle half of office managers in Chico earns $59,200–$78,720. The top tenth earns $100,510 or more, 2.1 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.3 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $19,520 wide, against $34,420 across California and $29,140 nationally: employers in Chico pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an office manager here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $47,800 | $3,983 | $22.98 | $61,677 |
| 25th percentile | $59,200 | $4,933 | $28.46 | $76,387 |
| Median | $70,420 | $5,868 | $33.86 | $90,865 |
| 75th percentile | $78,720 | $6,560 | $37.85 | $101,574 |
| 90th percentile | $100,510 | $8,376 | $48.32 | $129,690 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $11,220 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $8,300, or about $10,710 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $69,500 falls between the 25th percentile and the median in Chico, and the California statewide median of $77,590 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Chico
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $20,445 to the $70,420 median and brings it to $90,865 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for office managers we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Chico
Of the 17 roles we track in Chico, this one ranks #6 by median pay, between marketing specialists ($70,820) and payroll specialists ($59,720). Project Coordinator is the highest at $103,320.
| Role | Median | vs office manager | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiter | +5.0% | 310 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +0.6% | 320 | |
| Office Manager | this role | 660 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -15.2% | 80 | |
| Paralegal | -17.2% | 90 |
Measured against the US median, office managers rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in Chico (+1.3%), between payroll specialists (+2.5%) and HR assistants (+1.0%). The typical role here is at +0.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Office managers hold 11.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Chico, 8.9% across California and 9.1% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in California
Across the 28 areas of California with data for this job, the median runs from $66,410 in El Centro to $95,010 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $28,600 a year. Of the 20 areas in California with more office managers than Chico, 1 pays less: the North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetro area ($69,970).
| Area | Median | vs Chico | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | +2.0% | 2,430 | |
| Fresno, CA | +2.0% | 3,670 | |
| Yuba City, CA | +0.8% | 380 | |
| Chico, CA | this area | 660 | |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California (Nonmetro) | -0.6% | 940 | |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California (Nonmetro) | -1.2% | 540 | |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | -1.3% | 370 |
Chico against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Chico is #336 of 517 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside California, Pittsfield and Fort Wayne pay just above Chico and Lexington Park and Portland-South Portland just below. All four are within $680 a year of the median in Chico. Of the three markets with about as many office managers, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Chico | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bend, OR | +7.9% | 670 | jobs | |
| Fort Wayne, IN | +1.0% | 1,510 | pay | |
| Pittsfield, MA | +0.7% | 580 | pay | |
| Chico, CA | this area | 660 | ||
| Lexington Park, MD | -0.2% | 530 | pay | |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | -0.3% | 2,600 | pay | |
| Winchester, VA-WV | -10.6% | 670 | jobs | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | -15.8% | 660 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an office manager in Chico, CA?
About $90,865 a year at the median, or $7,572 a month: $70,420 in pay plus about $20,445 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do office managers earn in Chico?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $70,420 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $47,800, the 90th $100,510, and the middle half earned $59,200 to $78,720.
Is Chico cheaper than the rest of California for office managers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $70,420 against $77,590 statewide. The next area up in California is Yuba City at $71,010, the next down the North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetro area at $69,970.
How many office managers work in Chico?
BLS counts about 660 in the May 2025 survey. 20 areas in California have more; the closest in size is Santa Cruz-Watsonville, with about 860.
Does an office manager cost more than a payroll specialist in Chico?
Yes: $10,700 a year more at the median. The medians are $70,420 and $59,720.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-1011: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.