Registered Nurses Salary
Registered Nurses in California make a median of $140,270 a year, or about $67.44 an hour. The range runs from $101K at the entry level to $213K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $132,156 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,471/month, or 29.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $140K get you in California?
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What this looks like in California
California sits well above the national pay line for registered nurses, local pay runs about 44% higher than the U.S. median of $98K. Rent runs $2,471/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level registered nurses (10th percentile) start around $101K. Mid-career wages sit at $140K. Top earners bring in $213K or more, a $112K spread from bottom to top.
Registered Nurses salary by metro in California
24 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $217K | +55% | 22,930 |
| Vallejo | $203K | +45% | 4,120 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $187K | +33% | 41,750 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $175K | +24% | 3,720 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $171K | +22% | 23,590 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $171K | +22% | 1,750 |
| Yuba City | $149K | +6% | 1,080 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $140K | -1% | 28,680 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $139K | -1% | 2,180 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $137K | -2% | 3,280 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $136K | -3% | 109,360 |
| Salinas | $135K | -4% | 3,180 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $135K | -4% | 5,460 |
| Redding | $134K | -4% | 1,720 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $134K | -5% | 35,290 |
| Modesto | $133K | -5% | 4,850 |
| Merced | $132K | -6% | 1,050 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $131K | -6% | 5,710 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $129K | -8% | 5,620 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $128K | -9% | 710 |
| Chico | $127K | -9% | 2,170 |
| Fresno | $125K | -11% | 11,030 |
| Visalia | $125K | -11% | 2,990 |
| El Centro | $103K | -26% | 950 |
Showing 1–10 of 24 metros
Compare to other states
Track registered nurses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $140K, rent takes 30.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for registered nurses in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new registered nurses typically earn — is $101K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,076/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 41% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is registered nurse a high-paying job in California?
Local pay is 44% above the national median — $140K here vs. $98K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does California compare to the national average for registered nurses?
California pays $140K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s +44%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $132K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do registered nurses make in California?
The median is $140,270 a year, that works out to about $67 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $101,260, and experienced registered nurses can clear $213,320. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $140K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,120/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 30.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a registered nurses salary go in California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median registered nurses salary is worth about $132,156 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do registered nurses get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.