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Nurse practitioner salary in California

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$168,520median pay per year in California, or $81.02 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $120,340lowest 10% earn less
  2. $145,98025th percentile
  3. $168,520median
  4. $209,35075th percentile
  5. $240,830top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $132,300[3]

Nurse practitioners in California had a median pay of $168,520 a year in May 2025[1]. That was the highest median among the 50 states and DC[5].

Jobs in CA
25,120[4]
Rank by median pay
1 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
+27.4%[6]

How much do nurse practitioners make in California?

The median is the middle point. Half of nurse practitioners in California earned more than $168,520 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $81.02 an hour[1]. The average was a bit higher at $176,760 a year[7].

Across the US, the median for nurse practitioners was $132,300 a year[3]. California was $36,220 (27.4%) higher[6]. In California, the median for all jobs was $58,240[8]. Nurse practitioners earned $110,280 more than that[9].

The lowest-paid 10% of nurse practitioners in California earned less than $120,340[2]. The highest-paid 10% earned more than $240,830[2]. By metro area, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest median at $231,560[10]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had a median of $219,080[11]. OEWS counts wage and salary workers only. It leaves out the self-employed, and it does not include bonuses outside regular pay or the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

California vs US pay

Pay for nurse practitioners in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$168,520[1]$132,300[3]
Median per hour$81.02[1]$63.61[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$120,340[2]$101,340[13]
Top 10% earn more than$240,830[2]$174,420[13]
Jobs25,120[4]323,040[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for nurse practitioners, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[11]$161,47010,060
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$219,0803,110
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$163,8602,340
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$169,9201,710
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$231,5601,580
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$172,0101,170
Fresno, CA$166,570570
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$165,580430

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for nurse practitioners in the states that border California, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[14]$155,6802,820
Nevada$140,6701,930
Arizona$134,4207,220

Median pay for nurse practitioners in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for nurse practitioners are projected to grow 41% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: master's degree[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a nurse practitioner make in California?
The median pay for nurse practitioners in California was $168,520 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $176,760 a year[7].
How much does a nurse practitioner make an hour in California?
The median was $81.02 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile was $57.86 an hour and the 90th percentile was $115.78[17].
Which city in California pays nurse practitioners the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest median annual wage among California metro areas with a published median, at $231,560[10].
Is California a good state for nurse practitioners?
On pay, California had the 1st highest median annual wage for nurse practitioners among the 50 states and DC[5]. It was $36,220 above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a nurse practitioner in California?
This is a US figure and not specific to California. Across the US, the typical education for entry is a Master's degree, with no related work experience or on-the-job training listed[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Nurse Practitioners in California was $168,520 per year and $81.02 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Nurse Practitioners in California: 10th percentile $120,340, 25th percentile $145,980, 75th percentile $209,350, 90th percentile $240,830. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Nurse Practitioners in the US as a whole was $132,300 per year and $63.61 per hour, with about 323,040 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 25,120 people worked as Nurse Practitioners in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 1st highest median annual wage for Nurse Practitioners out of the 50 states and DC with a published median (the highest of all). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Nurse Practitioners in California ($168,520) was $36,220 (27.4%) higher than the US median ($132,300). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Nurse Practitioners in California was $176,760 per year and $84.98 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Nurse Practitioners in California was $110,280 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 25 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Nurse Practitioners, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median annual wage, $231,560. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Nurse Practitioners in the US: 10th percentile $101,340, 25th percentile $117,990, 75th percentile $156,700, 90th percentile $174,420. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Nurse Practitioners in states that border California (highest first): Oregon $155,680; Nevada $140,670; Arizona $134,420. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Nurse Practitioners is projected to grow 41% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 29,400 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Nurse Practitioners: education needed for entry: Master's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Nurse Practitioners in California: 10th percentile $57.86, 25th percentile $70.18, 75th percentile $100.65, 90th percentile $115.78. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.