Program Instructor

Program Instructor Salary in California

$10.9K

$38.5K

$87.3K

$44,363

/year

$21.33

/hour

Program Instructor Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$44,952

California

California

$44,363

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    How much does a Program Instructor make in California?

    As of Jul 26, 2026, the average annual pay for a Program Instructor in California is $44,363 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $21.33 an hour. This is the equivalent of $853/week or $3,696/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $87,341 and as low as $10,856, the majority of Program Instructor salaries currently range between $35,500 (25th percentile) to $54,300 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $64,148 annually in California. The average pay range for a Program Instructor varies greatly (by as much as 18800), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

    California ranks number 50 out of 50 states nationwide for Program Instructor salaries.

    To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Program Instructor jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

    Find your next high paying job as a Program Instructor on ZipRecruiter today.

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Program Instructor Jobs in California

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Program Instructor job is above the average in California in California. Topping the list is Redwood City, , with Sunnyvale, and San Francisco, close behind in the second and third positions. San Francisco, beats the average in California by $8,598 (19.4%), and Redwood City, furthers that trend with another $10,674 (24.1%) above the $44,363 average.

    With these 10 cities paying on average above the average for California, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Program Instructor appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

    Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 6% between Redwood City, and Richmond, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Program Instructor role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Redwood City

    $55,037

    $26.46

    Sunnyvale

    $53,479

    $25.71

    San Francisco

    $52,961

    $25.46

    Santa Clara

    $52,793

    $25.38

    Livermore

    $52,728

    $25.35

    San Jose

    $52,683

    $25.33

    Novato

    $52,506

    $25.24

    Daly City

    $52,085

    $25.04

    Santa Cruz

    $51,904

    $24.95

    Richmond

    $51,590

    $24.80

    What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Program Instructor Jobs in California

    Analyzing similar jobs related to the Program Instructor job category in California, we found 5 that were relevant. However, none pay more than the $44363 state average for Program Instructor jobs.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Virtual Clinical Nursing Instructor

    $93,487

    $44.95

    Agriculture Instructor

    $59,461

    $28.59

    Remote Community College Instructor

    $43,525

    $20.93

    Contract Community College Instructor

    $42,522

    $20.44

    Mla

    $31,087

    $14.95

    About Our Data

    ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

    Infographic detailing Program Instructor salary in California as of July 2026. Shows a bar chart with salary percentiles ranging from $35,500 to $64,148 annually, with the California average at $44,363 per year or $21.33 per hour. Includes a list of the top 10 highest paying cities in California for Program Instructor jobs, with Redwood City leading at $55,037 annually.