CA · Stockton · Updated October 15, 2026

Registered Nurse jobs in Stockton, CA

Pay for registered nurses in the Stockton area centers on $63.39 per hour, or about $131,840 a year. The lower quarter earns under $56.71 and the upper quarter over $78.33. The CMS hospital directory lists 3 hospitals in Stockton. That ranks 17th of 379 U.S. metro areas for registered nurse pay, and 14th of 335 once local prices are factored in. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Stockton.

Open Registered Nurse roles in Stockton

PermanentPosted today

RN Medical Surgical

CommonSpirit Health · Stockton, CA

$66.31–$86.01/ hour
  • Full Time
  • Req 99446730368
Top 25% payNew this week
View role

Get the Stockton Registered Nurse pay report

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

Get my free pay report

Registered Nurse pay in Stockton, CA

The metro median is 6% below the California statewide median of $67.47 per hour. Nationally the median is $45.00 per hour. BLS counts about 5,100 registered nurses employed in the Stockton-Lodi metro area, 17.8 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.84).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$47.36$98,5105% above U.S. median
Lower quartile$56.71$117,96026% above U.S. median
Median$63.39$131,84041% above U.S. median
Upper quartile$78.33$162,93074% above U.S. median
Top 10%$99.53$207,020121% above U.S. median

How Stockton ranks

  • 17th of 379 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 14th of 335 after adjusting for local prices
  • 15th 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 Stockton

  • Overall prices in Stockton-Lodi run 5% above the U.S. average (index 105.1, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 16% above the U.S. average (index 115.6).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $63.39 median hour buys what $60.32 buys at the national price level, 34% 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 Stockton paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$2,282
  • Per year: $114,102
  • Per month: $9,508

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Stockton-Lodi metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Stockton

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$132
Meals and incidentals per day$74
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,442
13-week assignment$18,746

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 Stockton

CMS lists 3 hospitals in Stockton, 0 of the 2 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of registered nurses.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
St Joseph's Medical Center Of Stockton
Stockton, CA
Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
Dameron Hospital
Stockton, CA
Acute careNonprofit2 of 5Yes
St Joseph's Behavioral Health Center
Stockton, CA
PsychiatricFor-profitNot ratedNo

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

Primary care shortage areas in San Joaquin County

HRSA lists 5 active primary care shortage designations that include San Joaquin County (2 population-group, 3 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 19 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
Lodi, CA10 mi$63.39/hr68,642
Manteca, CA14 mi$63.39/hr94,292
Brentwood, CA23 mi$90.40/hr66,286
Antioch, CA27 mi$90.40/hr118,453
Modesto, CA29 mi$81.47/hr220,592
Elk Grove, CA31 mi$81.35/hr182,797

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 Stockton

Stockton city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do registered nurses make in Stockton, CA?

Registered Nurses in the Stockton-Lodi metro area have a median pay of $63.39 per hour, about $131,840 a year. The middle half earn between $56.71 and $78.33 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Stockton a good place for registered nurses once cost of living is counted?

Stockton-Lodi ranks 14th of 335 metro areas for registered nurse pay after adjusting for local prices, and 17th of 379 before adjusting. Overall prices run 5% above the U.S. average.

Who is hiring registered nurses in Stockton?

We list 1 open role with published pay from 1 employer in Stockton. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Stockton.

Do I need a California license to work in Stockton 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 Stockton in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 5 active primary care shortage designations that include San Joaquin 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 Stockton?

The federal per diem benchmark in Stockton is $132 a night for lodging and $74 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,442 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place registered nurses in Stockton?

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

Free for every candidate

What do employers near Stockton 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.

  1. 1
    Pay for your role at other hospitals

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

  2. 2
    What they are offering now

    The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.

  3. 3
    Roles open for you right now

    Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.

Get your free pay report

2,300+ Registered Nurse roles in California, sent free by email

Tell us who you are and what you do. We email the report within 24 hours on business days.

Please enter your first name.
Please enter your last name.
That email doesn't look quite right.
Please choose your role.
Please enter your city or ZIP.

Free for candidates. No phone number, no cold calls. One-click unsubscribe.

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 Stockton, CA
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your RN pay reportStockton, 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.

I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.
Check my pay