Registered Nurses Salary in California
BLS OEWS May 2025 • 27 metro areas • California
Registered Nurses in California earn a median salary of $144,257 per year on average across 27 metro and nonmetro areas, +54.1% vs the national median of $93,600. An estimated 319,370 registered nurses are employed across California, with salaries ranging from $118,580 to $208,940 depending on location.
$144,257
Avg median salary in California
$208,940
Highest paying metro
$118,580
Lowest paying metro
319,370
Employed in California
Compare Registered Nurses salaries & buying power
Pick two cities to see how salary and purchasing power differ.
Registered Nurses
inRegistered Nurses salaries by city in California
| Metro area | Median salary | 25th pct | 75th pct | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $208,940 | $164,790 | $219,460 | 21,460 |
| Vallejo, CA | $192,470 | $134,620 | $210,170 | 4,410 |
| San Francisco, CA | $188,020 | $150,580 | $212,190 | 40,750 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $178,900 | $121,910 | $203,280 | 1,610 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $172,390 | $130,960 | $210,730 | 3,770 |
| Modesto, CA | $169,460 | $128,780 | $170,910 | 5,260 |
| Sacramento, CA | $169,210 | $132,320 | $201,640 | 23,400 |
| Yuba City, CA | $144,220 | $129,050 | $172,200 | 1,070 |
| Chico, CA | $141,720 | $113,680 | $157,040 | 2,490 |
| Salinas, CA | $135,080 | $120,450 | $174,680 | 3,060 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California | $134,620 | $108,860 | $155,950 | 1,020 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $133,470 | $112,380 | $144,030 | 3,140 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $133,470 | $105,380 | $193,320 | 1,950 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $133,440 | $108,150 | $165,290 | 107,340 |
| San Diego, CA | $133,090 | $121,720 | $163,450 | 27,660 |
| Stockton, CA | $131,840 | $117,960 | $162,930 | 5,100 |
| Hanford, CA | $130,740 | $112,930 | $163,350 | 810 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California | $130,680 | $107,050 | $161,320 | 1,470 |
| Riverside, CA | $130,160 | $109,210 | $164,250 | 34,570 |
| North Coast Region of California | $129,740 | $105,190 | $156,970 | 1,850 |
| Oxnard, CA | $128,520 | $106,860 | $159,970 | 5,430 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $127,510 | $105,040 | $156,360 | 5,410 |
| Merced, CA | $126,880 | $108,870 | $136,170 | 930 |
| Fresno, CA | $126,630 | $102,780 | $141,350 | 10,440 |
| Redding, CA | $124,990 | $104,260 | $161,920 | 1,620 |
| Visalia, CA | $120,160 | $98,630 | $125,230 | 2,740 |
| El Centro, CA | $118,580 | $101,200 | $132,270 | 610 |