PermanentPosted today
STAFF NURSE II
CommonSpirit Health · San Luis Obispo, CA
$51.57–$76.96/ hour
New this week
Registered Nurse jobs in San Luis Obispo, CA
The median registered nurse pay in the San Luis Obispo area is $64.17 per hour ($133,470 a year), with the typical range running from $50.66 to $92.94. 3 open roles with published pay are listed for San Luis Obispo. The CMS hospital directory lists 2 hospitals in San Luis Obispo. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near San Luis Obispo.
- $64.17median pay per hour, San Luis Obispo
- $51–$93typical range per hour
- 1,950registered nurses employed in the metro area
- 3open roles with published pay
Open Registered Nurse roles in San Luis Obispo
Per diemPosted today
RN CASUAL
CommonSpirit Health · San Luis Obispo, CA
$51.57–$76.96/ hour
New this week
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670+ more Registered Nurse roles for you in San Luis Obispo, CA
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PermanentPosted 3 days ago
RN
CommonSpirit Health · San Luis Obispo, CA
$51.57–$76.96/ hour
New this week
Get the San Luis Obispo Registered Nurse pay report
Named employers near San Luis Obispo, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportRegistered Nurse pay in San Luis Obispo, CA
The metro median is 5% below the California statewide median of $67.47 per hour. Nationally the median is $45.00 per hour. BLS counts about 1,950 registered nurses employed in the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles metro area, 16.1 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.76).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $47.54 | $98,880 | 6% above U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $50.66 | $105,370 | 13% above U.S. median |
| Median | $64.17 | $133,470 | 43% above U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $92.94 | $193,320 | 107% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $94.24 | $196,020 | 109% above U.S. median |
How San Luis Obispo ranks
- 13th of 379 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 20th of 335 after adjusting for local prices
- 11th 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 Luis Obispo
- Overall prices in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles run 9% above the U.S. average (index 108.6, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 44% above the U.S. average (index 144.4).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $64.17 median hour buys what $59.09 buys at the national price level, 31% 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 Luis Obispo paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$2,310
- Per year: $115,506
- Per month: $9,626
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Travel assignment per diem in San Luis Obispo
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $170 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $86 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $1,792 |
| 13-week assignment | $23,296 |
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 Luis Obispo
CMS lists 2 hospitals in San Luis Obispo, 1 of the 2 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of registered nurses.
| Hospital | Type | Ownership | CMS rating | Emergency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| French Hospital Medical Center San Luis Obispo, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 5 of 5 | Yes |
| Adventist Health Sierra Vista San Luis Obispo, CA | Acute care | For-profit | 3 of 5 | Yes |
Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.
Primary care shortage areas in San Luis Obispo County
HRSA lists 1 active primary care shortage designation that include San Luis Obispo County (1 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 17 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 Maria, CA | 26 mi | $64.17/hr | 111,346 |
| Santa Barbara, CA | 81 mi | $64.17/hr | 87,291 |
| Delano, CA | 86 mi | $61.30/hr | 53,198 |
| Bakersfield, CA | 92 mi | $61.30/hr | 417,468 |
| Hanford, CA | 93 mi | $62.86/hr | 60,594 |
| Tulare, CA | 99 mi | $57.77/hr | 72,601 |
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.
San Luis Obispo city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do registered nurses make in San Luis Obispo, CA?
Registered Nurses in the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles metro area have a median pay of $64.17 per hour, about $133,470 a year. The middle half earn between $50.66 and $92.94 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is San Luis Obispo a good place for registered nurses once cost of living is counted?
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles ranks 20th of 335 metro areas for registered nurse pay after adjusting for local prices, and 13th of 379 before adjusting. Overall prices run 9% above the U.S. average.
Who is hiring registered nurses in San Luis Obispo?
We list 3 open roles with published pay from 1 employer in San Luis Obispo. Your free report adds named employers and pay near San Luis Obispo.
Do I need a California license to work in San Luis Obispo 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 Luis Obispo in a shortage area?
HRSA lists 1 active primary care shortage designation that include San Luis Obispo 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 Luis Obispo?
The federal per diem benchmark in San Luis Obispo is $170 a night for lodging and $86 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,792 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 Luis Obispo?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in San Luis Obispo and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near San Luis Obispo.
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What do employers near San Luis Obispo 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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Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]
Your RN pay reportSan Luis Obispo, 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.