As of August 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Chief Medical Examiner in California is $375,324, equivalent to $180 per hour, $7,218 weekly, or $31,277 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Chief Medical Examiner in cities like San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco.

Annually Salaries for Chief Medical Examiner in California vary widely, spanning from $333,212 to $449,517. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($353,281) and 75th percentile ($414,159), while top earners (90th percentile) make $449,517 per year. This $60,878 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Leadership or Acute Care, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, California Chief Medical Examiner often earn 10.3% higher than national averages due to demand from Fortune 13 companies. However, California currently ranks 2 nationwide for Chief Medical Examiner job salary. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Chief Medical Examiner Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Chief Medical Examiner Salary $333,212 CA August 01, 2026
25th Percentile Chief Medical Examiner Salary $353,281 CA August 01, 2026
50th Percentile Chief Medical Examiner Salary $375,324 CA August 01, 2026
75th Percentile Chief Medical Examiner Salary $414,159 CA August 01, 2026
90th Percentile Chief Medical Examiner Salary $449,517 CA August 01, 2026
25% $353,281 10% $333,212 90% $449,517 75% $414,159 $375,324 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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What is a Chief Medical Examiner ?

A medical examiner is an official trained in pathology that investigates deaths that occur under unusual or suspicious circumstances, to perform post-mortem examinations, and in some jurisdictions to initiate inquests. In the US, there are two death investigation systems, the coroner system based on English law, and the medical examiner system, which evolved from the coroner system during the latter half of the 19th century. The type of system varies from municipality to municipality and from state to state, with over 2000 separate jurisdictions for investigating unnatural deaths. In 2002, 22...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/18/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

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Location Avg. Salary Date Updated
Location Coachella, CA Avg. Salary $363,455 Date Updated August 01, 2026
Location Acampo, CA Avg. Salary $386,395 Date Updated August 01, 2026
Location Acton, CA Avg. Salary $387,411 Date Updated August 01, 2026
Location Adelanto, CA Avg. Salary $375,181 Date Updated August 01, 2026
Location Adin, CA Avg. Salary $366,563 Date Updated August 01, 2026
Location Agoura Hills, CA Avg. Salary $386,428 Date Updated August 01, 2026
Location Aguanga, CA Avg. Salary $372,113 Date Updated August 01, 2026
Location Ahwahnee, CA Avg. Salary $364,381 Date Updated August 01, 2026
Location Alameda, CA Avg. Salary $440,101 Date Updated August 01, 2026
Location Alamo, CA Avg. Salary $427,975 Date Updated August 01, 2026
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