CA · San Diego · Updated October 15, 2026

Licensed Practical Nurse jobs in San Diego, CA

The median licensed practical nurse pay in the San Diego area is $37.16 per hour ($77,280 a year), with the typical range running from $32.79 to $39.80. 18 open roles with published pay are listed for San Diego. The CMS hospital directory lists 9 hospitals in San Diego. The free report below lists employers near San Diego and what they pay.

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Open Licensed Practical Nurse roles in San Diego

More open Licensed Practical Nurse roles in San Diego

9 more open roles from employers in San Diego. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.

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Named employers near San Diego, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

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Who is hiring licensed practical nurses near San Diego

EmployerRolesMedian pay / hour
Sharp HealthCare12$35.27
Sharp Healthcare4$35.27
Veterans Health Administration1$36.55
BrightSpring Health Services1$37

Licensed Practical Nurse pay in San Diego, CA

The metro median is in line with the California statewide median of $37.10 per hour. Nationally the median is $29.97 per hour. BLS counts about 6,640 licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses employed in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area, 4.3 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 1.06).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$30.14$62,6901% above U.S. median
Lower quartile$32.79$68,2009% above U.S. median
Median$37.16$77,28024% above U.S. median
Upper quartile$39.80$82,78033% above U.S. median
Top 10%$47.40$98,59058% above U.S. median

How San Diego ranks

  • 20th of 386 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 67th of 341 after adjusting for local prices
  • 10th of 24 California metro areas

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses (SOC 29-2061), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.

What your pay buys in San Diego

  • Overall prices in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad run 12% above the U.S. average (index 111.9, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 79% above the U.S. average (index 179.3).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $37.16 median hour buys what $33.21 buys at the national price level, 11% above the national median.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.

Estimate your San Diego paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$1,338
  • Per year: $66,888
  • Per month: $5,574

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in San Diego

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$205
Meals and incidentals per day$86
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$2,037
13-week assignment$26,481

Travel licensed practical nurse assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.

Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).

Hospitals in San Diego

CMS lists 9 hospitals in San Diego, 5 of the 5 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of licensed practical nurses.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Uc San Diego Health Hillcrest - Hillcrest Med Ctr
San Diego, CA		Acute careNonprofit5 of 5Yes
Va San Diego Healthcare System
San Diego, CA		Acute Care - Veterans AdministrationGovernment and federal5 of 5Yes
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego
San Diego, CA		Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Scripps Mercy Hospital
San Diego, CA		Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Sharp Memorial Hospital
San Diego, CA		Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Nmc San Diego
San Diego, CA		Acute Care - Department of DefenseGovernment and federalNot ratedYes
Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego
San Diego, CA		Children'sNonprofitNot ratedNo
Aurora San Diego
San Diego, CA		PsychiatricFor-profitNot ratedNo
Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital
San Diego, CA		PsychiatricNonprofitNot ratedNo

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

Primary care shortage areas in San Diego County

HRSA lists 25 active primary care shortage designations that include San Diego County (4 population-group, 21 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 20 on a 0 to 25 scale, where a higher score means a greater shortage.

Shortage areas are where demand for nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other clinicians is greatest. Federal loan repayment programs such as the NHSC and Nurse Corps cover some clinicians who work at eligible shortage-area sites. Eligibility is set by each program and by the site, so ask your recruiter before you plan around it.

Source: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas data warehouse, designated areas only. A designation can cover part of a county.

Licensed Practical Nurse pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
La Mesa, CA7 mi$37.16/hr60,767
Santee, CA9 mi$37.16/hr59,104
Temecula, CA47 mi$36.33/hr112,431

Licensed Practical Nurse jobs in California · Licensed Practical Nurse jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in California

California is not in the Nurse Licensure Compact as of October 15, 2026, so a nurse licensed elsewhere applies to the California board for a license by endorsement before working here.

California taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.

California state guide · Nurse Licensure Compact guide

Other healthcare roles in San Diego

San Diego city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do licensed practical nurses make in San Diego, CA?

Licensed Practical Nurses in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area have a median pay of $37.16 per hour, about $77,280 a year. The middle half earn between $32.79 and $39.80 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is San Diego a good place for licensed practical nurses once cost of living is counted?

San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad ranks 67th of 341 metro areas for licensed practical nurse pay after adjusting for local prices, and 20th of 386 before adjusting. Overall prices run 12% above the U.S. average.

Who is hiring licensed practical nurses in San Diego?

We list 18 open roles with published pay from 4 employers in San Diego. Your free report adds named employers and pay near San Diego.

Do I need a California license to work in San Diego as a licensed practical nurse?

California is not in the Nurse Licensure Compact as of October 15, 2026, so a nurse licensed elsewhere applies to the California board for a license by endorsement before working here. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.

Is San Diego in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 25 active primary care shortage designations that include San Diego County. Shortage areas often have more openings, and some loan repayment programs cover clinicians who work at eligible sites.

What is the per diem for a travel assignment in San Diego?

The federal per diem benchmark in San Diego is $205 a night for lodging and $86 a day for meals and incidentals, about $2,037 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place licensed practical nurses in San Diego?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in San Diego and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near San Diego.

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What do employers near San Diego pay licensed practical nurses? Get the report.

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    Pay for your role at other hospitals

    The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.

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    What they are offering now

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Pay report · LPN / LVN near San Diego, CA
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your LPN / LVN pay reportSan Diego, CA · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • Sharp HealthCareSan Diego, CA · 24 postings$35.27/ hr$31–$43
  • Sharp HealthcareSan Diego, CA · 7 postings$35.27/ hr$31–$42
  • CommonSpirit HealthWOODLAND, CA · 5 postings$41.23/ hr$31–$51
  • Enloe Medical CenterChico, CA · 2 postings$40.37/ hr$34–$48

Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.

2What they are offering now

Low$28Median$35.27High$44

73 LPN / LVN postings with published pay in California, 67 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 73 LPN / LVN roles

  1. Vocational Nurse (Wound Care)Permanent
    $91k–$118k/ year
    Veterans Health Administration · Palo Alto, CA · posted today
  2. LVNPermanent
    $45.27–$51.06/ hour
    CommonSpirit Health · Woodland, CA · posted today

+ 71 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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