Nurses in California are among the highest‑paid in the country, with many full‑time registered nurses (RNs) earning around six figures per year when working 36–40 hours a week.

How much do nurses make in California? (Quick Scoop)

Big picture: average pay

  • Recent job market data shows average RN pay around 80–85 dollars per hour in California, which can translate to well over 150,000 dollars a year if you’re working full‑time with some overtime.
  • Several salary guides and state‑level breakdowns still cluster the typical RN annual salary roughly in the 120,000–135,000 dollar range , depending on the source and how overtime/bonuses are counted.
  • California consistently ranks as one of the top states for nursing pay, clearly above the U.S. average.

Think of it like this: in many states, a solid RN job might land you in the 70,000–90,000 dollar band; in California, that same level of experience very often lands comfortably into six figures.

Pay ranges and percentiles

Salary studies often break down RN pay in California like this:

  • 25th percentile: about 99,000 dollars per year (around 47 dollars/hour).
  • Median (50th percentile): about 125,000 dollars per year (about 60 dollars/hour).
  • 75th percentile: about 156,000 dollars per year (about 74 dollars/hour).
  • 90th percentile: about 166,000 dollars per year (about 79 dollars/hour).

In other words, a large majority of RNs fall somewhere between the high‑70,000s and mid‑160,000s annually, with experienced or specialized nurses clustering toward the upper end.

What affects how much you make?

Several factors change what “how much do nurses make in California” looks like for a specific person:

  • Location in California
    • Metro areas like San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, and parts of LA pay some of the highest RN wages in the state, often with averages in the mid‑140,000s to 160,000+ dollars per year.
* More rural or inland regions usually pay less, though still strong compared with national numbers.
  • Type of employer
    • Hospitals and outpatient centers generally pay more than nursing homes or clinics.
* Academic medical centers and big health systems can pay into the 130,000–150,000+ dollar range with robust benefits.
  • Experience and specialty
    • New‑grad RNs will be lower on the scale, then ramp up rapidly in the first five years.
    • Specialties like ICU, ER, OR, oncology, and critical care often pay more than basic med‑surg roles, especially in unionized hospitals.
  • Shift type and overtime
    • Nights, weekends, holidays, and per‑diem roles can significantly boost effective hourly pay.
    • Many forum discussions talk about RNs crossing 180,000–200,000 dollars when combining base pay, differentials, and overtime in high‑pay markets.

City examples (2025–2026 style snapshot)

Here’s a simplified look at typical annual RN salaries in selected California areas based on recent guides and regional breakdowns (rounded):

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Area</th>
      <th>Approx. average RN annual pay</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>San Francisco–Oakland</td>
      <td>≈ 155,000–165,000 dollars[web:1][web:5]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>San Jose / Santa Clara</td>
      <td>≈ 150,000–160,000 dollars[web:1][web:5]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Los Angeles–Long Beach</td>
      <td>≈ 125,000–140,000 dollars[web:1][web:5]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>San Diego</td>
      <td>≈ 115,000–125,000 dollars[web:1][web:5]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Sacramento / Roseville</td>
      <td>≈ 140,000–145,000 dollars[web:1]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

These are broad averages for staff RNs and don’t include every hospital or specialty but give a realistic ballpark if you’re scanning job postings today.

Real‑world & forum flavor

Public forums and nursing communities often paint a picture that matches the data but with more nuance:

  • Some nurses in the Bay Area and LA talk about very high pay bands , but also describe heavy workloads, high stress, and intense cost of living pressures.
  • Others note that while “California pays more,” housing, taxes, and everyday expenses can eat into that paycheck, so the lifestyle upgrade isn’t always as dramatic as the salary alone suggests.
  • Union representation, patient‑ratio laws, and strong hospital systems are often credited for those higher wages, especially in big coastal cities.

It’s a bit like being paid top dollar to live in a very expensive, busy city: the numbers look huge, but your take‑home comfort depends a lot on how you manage housing and lifestyle. TL;DR: Most staff RNs in California today can realistically expect somewhere in the low‑six‑figure to mid‑six‑figure range , with average pay often around 120,000–150,000 dollars per year and higher in major metro areas or specialized roles.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.