How much do registered nurses make in California?
What registered nurses earn in California and its metro areas, compared with the rest of the country (May 2025 BLS data).
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Median pay in California
$140,270
a year, or $67.44 an hour. That is 44% more than the national median of $97,550.
The middle half of registered nurses in California earn $122,440 to $173,170.
Pay range in California
- Bottom 10% earn under
- $101,260
- 25th percentile
- $122,440
- Median
- $140,270
- 75th percentile
- $173,170
- Top 10% earn over
- $213,320
Rank among states
#1 of 50
California pays registered nurses more than 49 of the other 49 states.
Jobs in California
338,940
18.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the state, 0.86× the U.S. concentration.
Registered Nurse pay in California cities
Metro and rural (nonmetropolitan) areas as BLS defines them.. Click a column to sort.
| Area | Pay a year | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $65.18 | 109,360 | |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $89.71 | 41,750 | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $64.40 | 35,290 | |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $67.08 | 28,680 | |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $82.43 | 23,590 | |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $104.20 | 22,930 | |
| Fresno, CA | $60.30 | 11,030 | |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $63.06 | 5,710 | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $61.93 | 5,620 | |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $64.70 | 5,460 | |
| Modesto, CA | $63.75 | 4,850 | |
| Vallejo, CA | $97.74 | 4,120 | |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $83.92 | 3,720 | |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $66.04 | 3,280 | |
| Salinas, CA | $64.86 | 3,180 | |
| Visalia, CA | $60.18 | 2,990 | |
| North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $64.34 | 2,200 | |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $66.74 | 2,180 | |
| Chico, CA | $61.23 | 2,170 | |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $82.19 | 1,750 | |
| Redding, CA | $64.59 | 1,720 | |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $65.17 | 1,610 | |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $65.04 | 1,290 | |
| Yuba City, CA | $71.79 | 1,080 | |
| Merced, CA | $63.28 | 1,050 | |
| El Centro, CA | $49.73 | 950 | |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $61.61 | 710 |
States with similar registered nurse pay
Hawaii
$136,320
median a year · −3% vs California
Oregon
$129,010
median a year · −8% vs California
Washington
$124,200
median a year · −11% vs California
Alaska
$109,480
median a year · −22% vs California
New York
$109,440
median a year · −22% vs California
New Jersey
$106,500
median a year · −24% vs California
Other healthcare salaries in California
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
$34,320
median a year · 970,150 jobs
Medical Assistants
$49,660
median a year · 117,060 jobs
Nursing Assistants
$47,630
median a year · 110,060 jobs
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
$79,750
median a year · 82,850 jobs
Dental Assistants
$50,110
median a year · 56,220 jobs
Pharmacy Technicians
$55,110
median a year · 39,860 jobs
Pharmacists
$164,610
median a year · 34,030 jobs
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians
$76,010
median a year · 29,210 jobs
Physical Therapists
$124,190
median a year · 26,580 jobs
Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other
$60,390
median a year · 26,540 jobs
Physicians, All Other
$281,590
median a year · 25,530 jobs
Nurse Practitioners
$168,520
median a year · 25,120 jobs
Questions about registered nurse pay in California
How much does a registered nurse make in California?
Registered Nurses in California earned a median of $140,270 a year ($67.44 an hour) in May 2025, 44% more than the national median of $97,550. The middle half earned $122,440 to $173,170.
Where in California do registered nurses earn the most?
Among areas in California, pay was highest in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $216,740.
How does California rank for registered nurse pay?
California ranks #1 of 50 states for registered nurses pay. No other state pays more. Pay figures don't account for differences in cost of living.
How many registered nurses work in California?
About 338,940 people worked as registered nurses in California in May 2025, or 18.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the state.
California hospitals
California hospital star ratings
California hospital finances
California shortage areas
Hospitals per capita
All healthcare salaries
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all industries. Median pay is the middle wage; where BLS publishes no median, the average (mean) is shown, marked "(avg)". Values marked "+" are above the most BLS reports exactly. Pay doesn't reflect cost of living, overtime or shift differentials.