Registered Nurse salary in California
Registered Nurses in California earn a median of $67.47 per hour, about $140,330 a year, 50% above the U.S. median of $45.00. The middle half earn between $57.55 and $82.79 per hour. The highest median among California metro areas is in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, at $100.45 per hour. Source: BLS, May 2024.
- $67.47median pay per hour
- $140,330median pay per year
- 326,720registered nurses employed in California
- #1of 50 states by median pay
Registered Nurse pay in California: percentiles
| Level | California per hour | California per year | U.S. per hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $48.14 | $100,130 | $31.75 |
| Lower quartile | $57.55 | $119,700 | $37.79 |
| Median | $67.47 | $140,330 | $45.00 |
| Upper quartile | $82.79 | $172,200 | $51.90 |
| Top 10% | $100.42 | $208,870 | $65.06 |
Registered Nurse pay by metro area in California
| Metro area | Median / hr | Median / year | Employed | vs California median | After cost of living |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $100.45 | $208,940 | 21,460 | 49% above | $90.97 |
| Vallejo, CA | $92.53 | $192,470 | 4,410 | 37% above | $85.30 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $90.40 | $188,020 | 40,750 | 34% above | $78.19 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $86.01 | $178,900 | 1,610 | 27% above | $78.26 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $82.88 | $172,390 | 3,770 | 23% above | $76.89 |
| Modesto, CA | $81.47 | $169,460 | 5,260 | 21% above | $78.26 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $81.35 | $169,210 | 23,400 | 21% above | $76.26 |
| Yuba City, CA | $69.34 | $144,220 | 1,070 | 3% above | $66.52 |
| Chico, CA | $68.14 | $141,720 | 2,490 | 1% above | $67.33 |
| Salinas, CA | $64.94 | $135,080 | 3,060 | 4% below | $59.56 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $64.17 | $133,470 | 1,950 | 5% below | $59.09 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $64.17 | $133,470 | 3,140 | 5% below | $58.98 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $64.16 | $133,440 | 107,340 | 5% below | $56.50 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $63.99 | $133,090 | 27,660 | 5% below | $57.19 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $63.39 | $131,840 | 5,100 | 6% below | $60.32 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $62.86 | $130,740 | 810 | 7% below | $61.86 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $62.58 | $130,160 | 34,570 | 7% below | $58.79 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $61.79 | $128,520 | 5,430 | 8% below | $55.90 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $61.30 | $127,510 | 5,410 | 9% below | $60.76 |
| Merced, CA | $61.00 | $126,880 | 930 | 10% below | $62.07 |
| Fresno, CA | $60.88 | $126,630 | 10,440 | 10% below | $59.59 |
| Redding, CA | $60.09 | $124,990 | 1,620 | 11% below | $59.68 |
| Visalia, CA | $57.77 | $120,160 | 2,740 | 14% below | $57.87 |
| El Centro, CA | $57.01 | $118,580 | 610 | 16% below | — |
Metro areas with 30 or more workers in the BLS sample. After cost of living divides the median by the BEA regional price index (U.S. = 100).
Registered Nurse pay in states next to California
What employers are posting in California
- 536roles with published pay
- $66.48median pay per hour
- $50–$79typical published range
- 33employers hiring
| Employer | Roles | Median pay / hour |
|---|---|---|
| Sharp HealthCare | 107 | $68.59 |
| CommonSpirit Health | 83 | $64.27 |
| Central Maine Healthcare Corporation | 56 | $57.21 |
| Sharp Healthcare | 52 | $68.59 |
| Kaweah Delta Health Care District | 45 | $60.38 |
| Palomar Health | 34 | $66.48 |
| ScionHealth | 25 | $50.33 |
| MarinHealth | 16 | $106.18 |
Midpoints of pay ranges in 536 postings collected October 15, 2026. Posted pay is a different measure from the BLS survey above and can run higher or lower.
Registered Nurse jobs in California · Registered Nurse salary nationwide · California state guide · California licensing guide
Common questions
How much does a registered nurse make in California?
The median is $67.47 per hour, about $140,330 a year. The lowest 10% earn under $48.14 and the top 10% earn over $100.42 (BLS, May 2024).
Which California city pays registered nurses the most?
Among California metro areas, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has the highest median at $100.45 per hour. See the metro table for the rest and for pay after cost of living.
Where does California rank for registered nurse pay?
California ranks 1st of 50 states by median registered nurse pay.
Is this the same as the pay in job postings?
No. BLS figures come from a survey of employers and cover all workers in the occupation. Posted pay is the range an employer lists on one open role. Both are useful: use the survey for the market and the posting for a specific job.
What do employers near you pay registered nurses? Get the report.
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- 1Pay for your role at other hospitals
The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.
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Your RN pay reportCalifornia · 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
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.