Program Leader

Program Leader Salary in California

$24.7K

$116K

$89,370

/year

$42.97

/hour

Program Leader Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$90,556

California

California

$89,370

    Do you get a good deal as a Program Leader?

    Take The Breakroom Quiz to find out if your job offers fair pay and conditions. The 3-minute quiz lets you compare your pay, hours, benefits, and more.

    Take The Breakroom Quiz

    Breakroom banner

    How much does a Program Leader make in California?

    As of Aug 22, 2026, the average annual pay for a Program Leader in California is $89,370 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $42.97 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,718/week or $7,447/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $115,961 and as low as $24,673, the majority of Program Leader salaries currently range between $49,800 (25th percentile) to $115,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $114,974 annually in California. The average pay range for a Program Leader varies little (about 65200), which suggests that regardless of location, there are not many opportunities for increased pay or advancement, even with several years of experience.

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

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

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

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

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Program Leader job is above the average in California in California. Topping the list is Sunnyvale, , with San Jose, and San Francisco, close behind in the second and third positions. San Francisco, beats the average in California by $17,320 (19.4%), and Sunnyvale, furthers that trend with another $18,365 (20.5%) above the $89,370 average.

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

    Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 4% between Sunnyvale, and San Mateo, , 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 Leader role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Sunnyvale

    $107,735

    $51.80

    San Jose

    $107,214

    $51.55

    San Francisco

    $106,690

    $51.29

    Santa Clara

    $106,352

    $51.13

    Livermore

    $106,221

    $51.07

    Santa Cruz

    $104,561

    $50.27

    Oakland

    $104,001

    $50.00

    Richmond

    $103,928

    $49.97

    Hayward

    $103,821

    $49.91

    San Mateo

    $103,143

    $49.59

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

    Analyzing similar jobs related to the Program Leader job category in California, we found 5 that were relevant. However, none pay more than the $89370 state average for Program Leader jobs.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Director Technical Program Management

    $143,740

    $69.11

    Administrative Services Supervisor

    $84,410

    $40.58

    Middle School Counselor

    $59,105

    $28.42

    Before And After School Nanny

    $48,385

    $23.26

    Afterschool Program

    $32,642

    $15.69

    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 Leader salary in California as of August 2026. Shows a bar chart with salary percentiles ranging from $49,800 to $114,974 annually, with the California average at $89,370 per year or $42.97 per hour. Includes a list of the top 10 highest paying cities in California for Program Leader jobs, with Sunnyvale leading at $107,735 annually.