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Registered Nurses Salary in California

Registered Nurses in California earn a median $140,270 a year, 44% above the U.S. median.

Median in CA
$140,270 a year
U.S. median
$97,550 a year
Employment
338,940
Location quotient
0.86
Share of jobs vs. U.S. (1.00 = same)

Pay range in California

10%: $101,260Median: $140,27090%: $213,320
Median (50%)
$140,270 · $67.44 an hour
Mean (average)
$150,280 · $72.25 an hour (estimate error ±0.3%)
10th percentile
$101,260 · $48.68 an hour
25th percentile
$122,440 · $58.87 an hour
75th percentile
$173,170 · $83.25 an hour
90th percentile
$213,320 · $102.56 an hour
Employment
338,940 (estimate error ±1.1%)
Jobs per 1,000
18.61
Location quotient
0.86 (1.00 = national share)

Registered Nurses pay by metro area in California

Includes metro areas that cross into this state and nonmetropolitan areas

Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.

AreaMedian wageEmployment
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$216,74022,930
Vallejo, CA$203,2904,120
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$186,61041,750
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$174,5503,720
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$171,46023,590
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$170,9601,750
Yuba City, CA$149,3201,080
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$139,52028,680
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA$138,8202,180
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$137,3603,280
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$135,560109,360
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area$135,5601,610
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area$135,2701,290
Salinas, CA$134,9103,180
Stockton-Lodi, CA$134,5805,460
Redding, CA$134,3501,720
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$133,94035,290
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area$133,8302,200
Modesto, CA$132,5904,850
Merced, CA$131,6201,050
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$131,1605,710
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$128,8105,620
Hanford-Corcoran, CA$128,160710
Chico, CA$127,3602,170
Fresno, CA$125,42011,030
Visalia, CA$125,1802,990
El Centro, CA$103,450950
Napa, CANot reported1,610

H-1B filings for registered nurses in California

FY 2026 through Q3, by work location

Details

9 certified filings with a median offered wage of $121,805.

More

Frequently asked questions

How much do registered nurses make in California?
The median wage for registered nurses in California is $140,270 a year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). There are about 338,940 jobs in the state.
Where in California do registered nurses earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has the highest median wage in the state for this occupation at $216,740 a year.