PermanentPosted today
Clinical Nurse II, Sedation Program
Stanford Children's Health · Palo Alto, CA
$96.35–$111.14/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
Registered Nurse jobs in San Jose, CA
The median registered nurse pay in the San Jose area is $100.45 per hour ($208,940 a year), with the typical range running from $79.23 to $105.51. 11 open roles with published pay are listed for San Jose and its metro area. The CMS hospital directory lists 4 hospitals in San Jose. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near San Jose.
- $100.45median pay per hour, San Jose
- $79–$106typical range per hour
- 21,460registered nurses employed in the metro area
- 11open roles with published pay in the metro area
Open Registered Nurse roles near San Jose
Roles in other cities of the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area.
PermanentPosted 2 days ago
Clinical Nurse II - 0.7 - Days - Nursery - Intensive Care @ MV
El Camino Health · Mountain View, CA
$93.87–$122.62/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
For youUpdated weekly
650+ more Registered Nurse roles for you in San Jose, CA
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PermanentPosted 2 days ago
Clinical Nurse II - 0.8 - Days - Nursery - Intensive Care @ MV
El Camino Health · Mountain View, CA
$93.87–$122.62/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
PermanentPosted 2 days ago
Clinical Nurse ll - 0.8 - Nights - Nursery - Intensive Care @ MV
El Camino Health · Mountain View, CA
$93.87–$122.62/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
PermanentPosted 6 days ago
Clinical Nurse II - Oncology Center
Stanford Children's Health · Palo Alto, CA
$96.35–$111.14/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
PermanentPosted 6 days ago
PICU Clinical Nurse Specialist
Stanford Children's Health · Palo Alto, CA
$90.19–$112.73/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
PermanentPosted 8 days ago
Clinical Nurse II - Critical Care Float Team
Stanford Children's Health · Palo Alto, CA
$96.35–$111.14/ hour
Top 25% pay
PermanentPosted 15 days ago
Clinical Nurse II, Labor and Delivery
Stanford Children's Health · Palo Alto, CA
$96.35–$111.14/ hour
Top 25% pay
PermanentPosted 28 days ago
Clinical Nurse II, Pediatric Anesthesia Resource Center
Stanford Children's Health · Palo Alto, CA
$96.35–$111.14/ hour
Top 25% pay
PermanentPosted 28 days ago
Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist, Ambulatory
Stanford Children's Health · Palo Alto, CA
$90.19–$112.73/ hour
Top 25% pay
PermanentPosted 30+ days ago
Clinical Nurse II - Pediatric CVICU
Stanford Children's Health · Palo Alto, CA
$96.35–$111.14/ hour
Top 25% pay
More open Registered Nurse roles in San Jose
1 more open role from employers in San Jose. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.
PermanentPosted 22 days ago
Clinical Nurse (RN), Medical Oncology - South Bay Cancer Center - 8-HR, Days, 1.0
Stanford Health Care · San Jose, CA
Pay range with your report
Get the San Jose Registered Nurse pay report
Named employers near San Jose, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportWho is hiring registered nurses near San Jose
| Employer | Roles | Median pay / hour |
|---|---|---|
| Stanford Children's Health | 8 | $103.75 |
| El Camino Health | 3 | $108.25 |
Registered Nurse pay in San Jose, CA
The metro median is 49% above the California statewide median of $67.47 per hour. Nationally the median is $45.00 per hour. BLS counts about 21,460 registered nurses employed in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area, 18.9 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.89).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $60.65 | $126,150 | 35% above U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $79.23 | $164,800 | 76% above U.S. median |
| Median | $100.45 | $208,940 | 123% above U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $105.51 | $219,460 | 134% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $108.77 | $226,240 | 142% above U.S. median |
How San Jose ranks
- 1st of 379 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 1st of 335 after adjusting for local prices
- 1st of 23 California metro areas
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.
What your pay buys in San Jose
- Overall prices in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara run 10% above the U.S. average (index 110.4, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 112% above the U.S. average (index 211.9).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $100.45 median hour buys what $90.97 buys at the national price level, 102% 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 Jose paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$3,616
- Per year: $180,810
- Per month: $15,068
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Travel assignment per diem in San Jose
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $192 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $92 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $1,988 |
| 13-week assignment | $25,844 |
Travel registered 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 Jose
CMS lists 4 hospitals in San Jose, 0 of the 3 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of registered nurses.
| Hospital | Type | Ownership | CMS rating | Emergency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital-San Jose San Jose, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 3 of 5 | Yes |
| Good Samaritan Hospital San Jose, CA | Acute care | For-profit | 2 of 5 | Yes |
| Santa Clara Valley Medical Center San Jose, CA | Acute care | Government and federal | 2 of 5 | Yes |
| San Jose Behavioral Health San Jose, CA | Psychiatric | For-profit | Not rated | No |
Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.
Primary care shortage areas in Santa Clara County
HRSA lists 13 active primary care shortage designations that include Santa Clara County (13 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 16 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.
Registered Nurse pay in nearby cities
| City | Distance | Median pay | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara, CA | 10 mi | $100.45/hr | 133,132 |
| Milpitas, CA | 10 mi | $100.45/hr | 79,746 |
| Fremont, CA | 15 mi | $90.40/hr | 228,192 |
| Union City, CA | 24 mi | $90.40/hr | 66,196 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | 25 mi | $86.01/hr | 62,581 |
| Watsonville, CA | 26 mi | $86.01/hr | 51,320 |
Registered Nurse jobs in California · Registered 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.
Other healthcare roles in San Jose
San Jose city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do registered nurses make in San Jose, CA?
Registered Nurses in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area have a median pay of $100.45 per hour, about $208,940 a year. The middle half earn between $79.23 and $105.51 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is San Jose a good place for registered nurses once cost of living is counted?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara ranks 1st of 335 metro areas for registered nurse pay after adjusting for local prices, and 1st of 379 before adjusting. Overall prices run 10% above the U.S. average.
Who is hiring registered nurses in San Jose?
We list 11 open roles with published pay from 2 employers in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area. Your free report adds named employers and pay near San Jose.
Do I need a California license to work in San Jose as a registered 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 Jose in a shortage area?
HRSA lists 13 active primary care shortage designations that include Santa Clara 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 Jose?
The federal per diem benchmark in San Jose is $192 a night for lodging and $92 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,988 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.
Does Valorem Health place registered nurses in San Jose?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in San Jose and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near San Jose.
Free for every candidate
What do employers near San Jose pay registered nurses? Get the report.
Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.
- 1Pay for your role at other hospitals
The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.
- 2What they are offering now
The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.
- 3Roles open for you right now
Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.
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2,300+ Registered Nurse roles in California, sent free by email
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Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]
Your RN pay reportSan Jose, CA · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026
1Pay for your role at other hospitals
- El Camino HealthMountain View, CA · 3 postings$108.25/ hr$94–$123
- MarinHealthGreenbrae, CA · 16 postings$106.18/ hr$59–$119
- Stanford Children's HealthPALO ALTO, CA · 8 postings$103.75/ hr$90–$113
- Montage HealthMonterey, CA · 7 postings$85.12/ hr$73–$111
Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.
2What they are offering now
Low$50Median$66.48High$79
536 RN postings with published pay in California, 518 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.
3Open now: 536 RN roles
- RN Float PoolPer diem$103.83–$112.14/ hour
- RN Physical RehabilitationPer diem$103.83–$112.14/ hour
+ 534 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.
I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.