Project Coordinator salary and cost of hiring in California
The median project coordinator in California earned $120,910 a year in May 2025[1], 18.2% above the US median of $102,320. That puts California at #5 of 51 states for this job.
BLS occupation 13-1082. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-16.
Salary range
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $69,180 | $120,910 | $188,560 | |
| United States | $61,580 | $102,320 | $167,970 |
The middle half of project coordinators in California earns $85,620–$155,850; the top tenth earns $188,560 or more, 2.7 times the bottom tenth.
What a hire really costs
Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry[2]. At the California median that makes about $172,729 a year before recruiting, equipment and office space. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for project coordinators 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 fee[3]; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool[4].
Pay by metro area in California
| Area | Median | 75th percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $172,820 | 10,300 | |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $167,410 | 20,770 | |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $153,290 | 6,860 | |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $154,170 | 90 | |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $139,940 | 10,740 | |
| Napa, CA | $144,420 | 310 | |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $139,070 | 640 | |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $144,440 | 38,540 | |
| Yuba City, CA | $130,480 | 150 | |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $137,630 | 1,000 | |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $134,180 | 440 | |
| Vallejo, CA | $138,970 | 720 | |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $133,460 | 1,030 | |
| El Centro, CA | $135,340 | 140 | |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $136,370 | 1,510 | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $130,330 | 1,410 | |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $132,700 | 910 | |
| Merced, CA | $128,150 | 190 | |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $133,870 | 250 | |
| Chico, CA | $145,790 | 320 | |
| Modesto, CA | $132,730 | 670 | |
| Salinas, CA | $129,160 | 490 | |
| Fresno, CA | $130,310 | 1,720 | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $131,040 | 6,720 | |
| Redding, CA | $127,360 | 270 | |
| Visalia, CA | $124,070 | 450 | |
| North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $123,180 | 440 | |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $125,140 | 430 |
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA pays the most ($135,120) and North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area the least ($86,540): $48,580 a year apart for the same job.
What a project coordinator does
A project coordinator keeps projects on track: plans, tasks, deadlines, status updates and the meeting notes everyone forgets to write.
Neighbours in the ranking
Questions
How much does a project coordinator earn in California?
The median was $120,910 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $85,620 to $155,850.
What does it cost to employ a project coordinator in California?
About $172,729 a year at the median wage once benefits are added, using the 30% benefits share of US private industry (June 2026).
Where in California do project coordinators earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, with a median of $135,120 a year.
Sources
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-1082: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes131082.htm
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
- Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
- Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Data checked 2026-10-16.