CA · Santa Clara · Updated October 15, 2026

Registered Nurse jobs in Santa Clara, CA

Registered Nurses in the Santa Clara area earn a median of $100.45 per hour, about $208,940 a year, and the middle half of them earn between $79.23 and $105.51. That ranks 1st of 379 U.S. metro areas for registered nurse pay, and 1st of 335 once local prices are factored in. 11 open roles with published pay are listed for Santa Clara and its metro area. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near Santa Clara.

Open Registered Nurse roles near Santa Clara

Roles in other cities of the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area.

PermanentPosted 6 days ago

PICU Clinical Nurse Specialist

Stanford Children's Health · Palo Alto, CA

$90.19–$112.73/ hour
  • Full-time
  • Req 101718869968
Top 25% payNew this week
View role

More open Registered Nurse roles in Santa Clara

3 more open roles from employers in Santa Clara. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.

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

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Who is hiring registered nurses near Santa Clara

EmployerRolesMedian pay / hour
Stanford Children's Health8$103.75
El Camino Health3$108.25

Registered Nurse pay in Santa Clara, 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).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$60.65$126,15035% above U.S. median
Lower quartile$79.23$164,80076% above U.S. median
Median$100.45$208,940123% above U.S. median
Upper quartile$105.51$219,460134% above U.S. median
Top 10%$108.77$226,240142% above U.S. median

How Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara

  • 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 Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara

ItemFederal 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 Santa Clara

CMS lists 2 hospitals in Santa Clara, 0 of the 1 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of registered nurses.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Kaiser Foundation Hospital-Santa Clara
Santa Clara, CA
Acute careNonprofit2 of 5Yes
Kaiser Permanente Psychiatric Health Facility-Sant
Santa Clara, CA
PsychiatricFor-profitNot ratedYes

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

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Sunnyvale, CA4 mi$100.45/hr156,792
Cupertino, CA5 mi$100.45/hr58,710
Fremont, CA9 mi$90.40/hr228,192
Union City, CA17 mi$90.40/hr66,196
Redwood City, CA17 mi$90.40/hr82,982
Hayward, CA20 mi$90.40/hr158,440

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.

California state guide · Nurse Licensure Compact guide

Other healthcare roles in Santa Clara

Santa Clara city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do registered nurses make in Santa Clara, 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 Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara?

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 Santa Clara.

Do I need a California license to work in Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara?

The federal per diem benchmark in Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara?

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

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The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval: Health Care Staffing Services Certification, since 2022American Staffing Association memberNATHO member: National Association of Travel Healthcare OrganizationsNALTO member: National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations

Pay report · RN near Santa Clara, CA
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your RN pay reportSanta Clara, 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

  1. RN Float PoolPer diem
    $103.83–$112.14/ hour
    CommonSpirit Health · Santa Cruz, CA · posted today
  2. RN Physical RehabilitationPer diem
    $103.83–$112.14/ hour
    CommonSpirit Health · Santa Cruz, CA · posted today

+ 534 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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