Average Registered Nurse Salary in California

Registered nurses in California earn an average of $124,000 per year (or $59.62 per hour).

Nationwide
United States
$82,750
California
49% higher than the national average
$124,000
Your personal salary estimate
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California registered nurses earn 49% higher than the national average salary for RNs, at $82,750 (or $39.78 per hour).

Registered nurse salary range in California

10%
$78,070
MEDIAN
$125,340
90%
$165,620
Annual Salary Hourly Wage
90th Percentile $165,620 $79
75th Percentile $155,930 $74
Median $125,340 $60
25th Percentile $98,960 $47

80% of California RNs earn between $78,070 and $165,620.

Cost-of-living adjusted registered nurse salary in California

Cost-Of-Living Adjusted
California
$112,318
Overall Average
California
$124,000

Adjusted for cost-of-living, California RNs earn about $112,318 per year. Cost-of-living in California is 10% higher than the national average, meaning they face higher prices for food, housing, and transportation compared to other states.

Highest paying cities in California for registered nurses

Sunnyvale, CA $155,230 per year
Oakland, CA $151,640 per year
Fairfield, CA $146,360 per year
Santa Rosa, CA $141,440 per year
Napa, CA $139,680 per year
Santa Cruz, CA $139,590 per year
Roseville, CA $135,490 per year
Salinas, CA $130,520 per year
Modesto, CA $127,730 per year
Corcoran, CA $124,790 per year

California nursing salaries vary from region to region across the state. The area where registered nurses are paid the highest is Sunnyvale, where the average RNs salary is $155,230 and 20,640 registered nurses are currently employed. The Oakland area comes in second, with a $151,640 average RN salary and 41,160 registered nurses employed.

How much do similar professions get paid in California?

Nurse Anesthetist $232,540 per year
Nurse Midwife $159,590 per year
Nurse Practitioner $151,830 per year
Dental Hygienist $109,970 per year
Physical Therapist $104,500 per year
Licensed Practical Nurse $65,140 per year
Pharmacy Technician $49,990 per year

At a $124,000 average annual salary, RNs in California tend to earn less than nurse anesthetists ($232,540), nurse midwives ($159,590), and nurse practitioners ($151,830). They tend to earn more than dental hygienists ($109,970), physical therapists ($104,500), licensed practical nurses ($65,140), and pharmacy technicians ($49,990).

More about registered nurses

Registered nurses are licensed practitioners who help provide crucial care to patients in a wide variety of settings. Generally, they work under the supervision of a doctor or a nurse practitioner. Their day-to-day responsibilities depend on the specialty in which they choose to practice. Some of the most common specialties include ICU, pediatric, and medical-surgical nurses.

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