Checked
California Unemployment Benefits
California paid an average of $371 a week in regular unemployment benefits in Sep 2026.
- Average weekly benefit
- $371
- Sep 2026
- A year earlier
- $370
- +0.3% change
- First payments
- 58,036
- People starting benefits in the month
- Paid in the last 12 months
- $6.16B
Average weekly benefit
Monthly, regular state program
Show as a table
| Period | California |
|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | $371 |
| Dec 2025 | $370 |
| Dec 2024 | $368 |
| Dec 2023 | $370 |
| Dec 2022 | $357 |
| Dec 2021 | $307 |
| Dec 2020 | $269 |
| Dec 2019 | $333 |
| Dec 2018 | $325 |
| Dec 2017 | $320 |
| Dec 2016 | $312 |
| Dec 2015 | $301 |
Monthly activity
Initial claims, first payments, weeks paid and final payments (benefits exhausted)
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Month | Initial claims | First payments | Weeks paid | Average weekly | Exhausted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | 151,754 | 58,036 | 1,158,128 | $371 | 32,376 |
| Aug 2026 | 158,618 | 72,218 | 1,414,151 | $370 | 39,745 |
| Jul 2026 | 178,671 | 83,767 | 1,281,034 | $370 | 37,195 |
| Jun 2026 | 187,542 | 75,769 | 1,319,742 | $370 | 38,805 |
| May 2026 | 163,639 | 68,757 | 1,411,392 | $369 | 44,141 |
| Apr 2026 | 176,390 | 69,889 | 1,371,405 | $368 | 39,990 |
| Mar 2026 | 173,707 | 79,510 | 1,692,516 | $368 | 43,541 |
| Feb 2026 | 172,315 | 83,860 | 1,418,702 | $370 | 38,182 |
| Jan 2026 | 205,916 | 101,950 | 1,469,824 | $371 | 42,044 |
| Dec 2025 | 209,779 | 86,534 | 1,485,022 | $370 | 43,295 |
| Nov 2025 | 186,114 | 73,300 | 1,365,671 | $369 | 40,281 |
| Oct 2025 | 187,261 | 71,032 | 1,281,161 | $370 | 38,865 |
| Sep 2025 | 163,611 | 70,427 | 1,385,080 | $370 | 39,944 |
| Aug 2025 | 166,771 | 73,995 | 1,513,242 | $367 | 43,363 |
| Jul 2025 | 190,515 | 91,605 | 1,475,693 | $368 | 44,537 |
| Jun 2025 | 201,485 | 84,294 | 1,613,503 | $368 | 46,937 |
| May 2025 | 176,688 | 72,558 | 1,422,135 | $368 | 44,415 |
| Apr 2025 | 190,322 | 80,103 | 1,541,839 | $367 | 44,269 |
| Mar 2025 | 183,423 | 86,382 | 1,781,627 | $366 | 45,534 |
| Feb 2025 | 185,069 | 92,000 | 1,516,757 | $368 | 41,146 |
| Jan 2025 | 223,646 | 106,592 | 1,555,466 | $370 | 44,742 |
| Dec 2024 | 208,268 | 92,277 | 1,659,603 | $368 | 48,895 |
| Nov 2024 | 186,226 | 71,430 | 1,248,932 | $368 | 39,205 |
| Oct 2024 | 185,930 | 69,310 | 1,304,295 | $369 | 40,120 |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average unemployment benefit in California?
- California paid an average of $371 per week of regular unemployment benefits in Sep 2026, according to the state's report to the U.S. Department of Labor.
- How do I apply for unemployment in California?
- Apply with the California state unemployment insurance agency. CareerOneStop, sponsored by the Department of Labor, lists each state's agency and website.