Registered Nurses Salary
Registered Nurses in Chico, CA make a median of $127,360 a year, or about $61.23 an hour. The range runs from $103K at the entry level to $160K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.2), that's roughly $125,850 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,625/month, or 21.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $127K get you in Chico?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chico’s Regional Price Parity (101.2). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About registered nurses
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What this looks like in Chico
Chico sits well above the national pay line for registered nurses, local pay runs about 31% higher than the U.S. median of $98K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,625/month, 21.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 101.2) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Chico offers a genuinely strong financial position for registered nursess at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for registered nurses in metros near Chico, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $136K | $119K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $187K | $161K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $134K | $126K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $140K | $125K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chico, CA
Entry-level registered nurses (10th percentile) start around $103K. Mid-career wages sit at $127K. Top earners bring in $160K or more, a $57K spread from bottom to top.
Registered Nurses pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Registered Nurses salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $140K | +44% | 338,940 |
| Hawaii | $136K | +40% | 12,940 |
| Oregon | $129K | +32% | 39,730 |
| Washington | $124K | +27% | 69,260 |
| Alaska | $109K | +12% | 7,510 |
| New York | $109K | +12% | 205,810 |
| New Jersey | $107K | +9% | 92,680 |
| Massachusetts | $105K | +7% | 88,200 |
| Nevada | $104K | +6% | 27,070 |
| Connecticut | $103K | +5% | 40,110 |
| District of Columbia | $103K | +5% | 11,440 |
| Minnesota | $102K | +4% | 70,110 |
| Rhode Island | $101K | +3% | 10,090 |
| Colorado | $100K | +3% | 54,490 |
| Maryland | $100K | +2% | 52,910 |
| New Hampshire | $100K | +2% | 15,390 |
| Delaware | $100K | +2% | 14,290 |
| Arizona | $100K | +2% | 73,150 |
| Vermont | $97K | -0% | 7,410 |
| Pennsylvania | $96K | -1% | 146,520 |
| Illinois | $96K | -2% | 138,910 |
| Texas | $96K | -2% | 271,380 |
| Wisconsin | $96K | -2% | 68,060 |
| New Mexico | $94K | -3% | 17,980 |
| Michigan | $94K | -3% | 104,950 |
| Virginia | $94K | -4% | 77,490 |
| Georgia | $94K | -4% | 100,950 |
| Idaho | $92K | -5% | 16,880 |
| Maine | $87K | -11% | 16,540 |
| Montana | $85K | -13% | 10,950 |
| Nebraska | $85K | -13% | 24,720 |
| Utah | $85K | -13% | 27,420 |
| North Carolina | $84K | -14% | 111,120 |
| Florida | $84K | -14% | 229,940 |
| Wyoming | $84K | -14% | 5,330 |
| Indiana | $84K | -14% | 68,980 |
| Oklahoma | $83K | -15% | 38,270 |
| Ohio | $83K | -15% | 143,730 |
| South Carolina | $82K | -16% | 49,750 |
| Missouri | $82K | -16% | 76,310 |
| Tennessee | $82K | -16% | 72,200 |
| Kentucky | $81K | -17% | 50,300 |
| North Dakota | $81K | -17% | 11,340 |
| Louisiana | $80K | -18% | 48,970 |
| West Virginia | $80K | -18% | 23,430 |
| Kansas | $79K | -19% | 33,800 |
| Arkansas | $79K | -19% | 29,400 |
| Iowa | $79K | -19% | 34,420 |
| South Dakota | $78K | -20% | 14,710 |
| Mississippi | $77K | -21% | 29,060 |
| Alabama | $77K | -21% | 54,340 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track registered nurses salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chico?
Yes — at the median salary of $127K, rent takes 21.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,625/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for registered nurses in Chico?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new registered nurses typically earn — is $103K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,204/month. At HUD’s $1,625/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is registered nurse a high-paying job in Chico?
Local pay is 31% above the national median — $127K here vs. $98K nationally.
How does Chico compare to the national average for registered nurses?
Chico pays $127K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s +31%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.2), the purchasing-power equivalent is $126K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do registered nurses make in Chico, CA?
The median is $127,360 a year, that works out to about $61 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $103,400, and experienced registered nurses can clear $160,170. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $127K enough to live in Chico?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,485/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,625/month, which eats 21.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a registered nurses salary go in Chico?
Chico has a Regional Price Parity of 101.2 (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 $125,850 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.