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Registered nurse salary in California

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$140,270median pay per year in California, or $67.44 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $101,260lowest 10% earn less
  2. $122,44025th percentile
  3. $140,270median
  4. $173,17075th percentile
  5. $213,320top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $97,550[3]

Registered nurses in California earned a median wage of $140,270 a year[1]. That was the highest median for this job out of the 50 states and DC[5].

Jobs in CA
338,940[4]
Rank by median pay
1 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
+43.8%[6]

How much do registered nurses make in California?

The median wage for a registered nurse in California was $140,270 a year, or $67.44 an hour[1]. Half of these nurses earned more than that and half earned less[1]. The average was a bit higher at $150,280 a year[7]. About 338,940 people held these jobs in the state[4].

The California median was $42,720 (43.8%) above the US median for registered nurses[6]. It was also $82,030 above the median for all jobs in California[8]. Pay still spans a wide range. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $101,260 a year[2], while the top 10% earned more than $213,320[2].

Where you work in the state matters. Of the 24 California metro areas with a published median, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest, at $216,740[9]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont came in at $186,610 and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom at $171,460[10]. Keep in mind that these figures leave out people who work for themselves[11]. They also skip bonuses that are not tied to output and the value of benefits like health plans[11].

California vs US pay

Pay for registered nurses in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$140,270[1]$97,550[3]
Median per hour$67.44[1]$46.90[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$101,260[2]$68,940[12]
Top 10% earn more than$213,320[2]$137,470[12]
Jobs338,940[4]3,379,720[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for registered nurses, and the median pay in each[10].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[10]$135,560109,360
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$186,61041,750
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$133,94035,290
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$139,52028,680
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$171,46023,590
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$216,74022,930
Fresno, CA$125,42011,030
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$131,1605,710

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for registered nurses in the states that border California, highest first[13].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[13]$129,01039,730
Nevada$103,67027,070
Arizona$99,50073,150

Median pay for registered nurses in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for registered nurses are projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035[14]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: bachelor's degree[15].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a registered nurse make in California?
The median wage for registered nurses in California was $140,270 a year[1]. The average was $150,280 a year[7].
How much does a registered nurse make an hour in California?
The median hourly wage was $67.44[1]. The 10th percentile was $48.68 an hour and the 90th percentile was $102.56 an hour[16].
Which city in California pays registered nurses the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest median of the 24 California metro areas with published data, at $216,740 a year[9].
Is California a good state for registered nurses?
On pay, California ranked 1st for the median registered nurse wage among the 50 states and DC[5]. Its median was $42,720 (43.8%) above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a registered nurse in California?
Across the US, the typical entry path for registered nurses is a bachelor's degree, with no related work experience and no on-the-job training needed[15]. This is a national figure, not one specific to California[15].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Registered Nurses in California was $140,270 per year and $67.44 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 Registered Nurses in California: 10th percentile $101,260, 25th percentile $122,440, 75th percentile $173,170, 90th percentile $213,320. 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 Registered Nurses in the US as a whole was $97,550 per year and $46.90 per hour, with about 3,379,720 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 338,940 people worked as Registered Nurses 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 Registered Nurses 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 Registered Nurses in California ($140,270) was $42,720 (43.8%) higher than the US median ($97,550). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Registered Nurses in California was $150,280 per year and $72.25 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Registered Nurses in California was $82,030 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 24 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Registered Nurses, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median annual wage, $216,740. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. 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
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Registered Nurses in the US: 10th percentile $68,940, 25th percentile $80,330, 75th percentile $112,350, 90th percentile $137,470. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Registered Nurses in states that border California (highest first): Oregon $129,010; Nevada $103,670; Arizona $99,500. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Registered Nurses is projected to grow 5.6% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 180,800 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Registered Nurses: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Registered Nurses in California: 10th percentile $48.68, 25th percentile $58.87, 75th percentile $83.25, 90th percentile $102.56. 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.