Nurse Salary In California 2021
The nurse is a vital part of the healthcare team and plays an important role in patient care. The nurse is responsible for administering medications, monitoring patients, managing their pain and performing other duties as needed. Nurses must be licensed by the state in which they work and must meet certain requirements to obtain their license. Nurses also need to continue their education throughout their careers by taking additional classes or earning advanced degrees.
Nurse Salary In California 2021
Nurses can earn a salary ranging from $45,000 to $100,000 depending on the type of job they have and how long they have been working in the field. According to PayScale’s Salary Survey, nurses can earn anywhere between $40,000 per year up to $80,000 per year when working at hospitals or medical centers in California. Nurses who work at private practice offices earn an average salary of about $72,000 per year while those who work at home health agencies earn about $68,000 per year on average.
Nurse Salary In California 2021
California is one of the highest paying states for registered nurses. The registered nurse salary in California is $113.240 per year. This means that nurses in California earn an average of $54.44 per hour. On the other hand, the national average for registered nurses is $77,460 per year. This annual salary is approximately $37.24 per hour.
(Data courtesy of the Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Use Salary Explorer to see which cities in California are paying registered nurses the most.
Highest Paying Cities inCaliforniaFor Travel Nurses
Average gross weekly nurse pay in the top cities/wider metro area
Imperial – $3,714
Moreno Valley – $3,504
Chico – $3,144
Glendale – $2,920
Anaheim – $2,917
Arcata – $2,908
Riverside – $2,882
Santa Clara – $2,873
San Jose – $2,837
San Francisco – $2,598
(Trusted Health Data)
Highest Paying Cities inCaliforniaFor Registered Nurses
Average annual nurse salary in the following cities/wider metro areas
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara – $140,740
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward – $138,000
Santa Cruz-Watsonville – $134,000
Salinas – $133,580
Vallejo-Fairfield – $131,970
Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade – $126,560
Yuba City – $119,260
Modesto – $112,790
Stockton-Lodi – $110,220
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara – $108,940
(Data courtesy of the Bureau of Labor Statistics)
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Full breakdown of pay data and cost of living in cities across the US
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Highest Paying Nurse Specialties inCalifornia
Average annual nurse salary for the following nurse specialties
Med/Surg Nurse – $108,635 (Range of $98,279 – $121,022)
Progressive Care Nurse – $96,851 (Range of $85,254 – $109,794)
Operating Room Nurse – $88,093 (Range of $79,040 – $97,385)
Emergency Nurse – $85,706 (Range of $76,535 – $95,195)
ICU Nurse – $85,132 (Range of $76,704 – $92,516)
Labor and Delivery Nurse – $82,700 (Range of $75,300 – $93,700)
Pediatric Nurse – $80,900 (Range of $73,400 – $92,700)
(Data courtesy of Salary.com)
Cost of LivingCalifornia
While nurse salaries in California may be 47% higher than the national average, living in California isn’t cheap. California ranks notoriously high on the national cost of living index. While your nursing salary may be higher, the cost of rent alone may make up for it. For more detailed cost of living by city, check out the nurse Salary Explorer.
(Data courtesy of World Population Review)
Job Growth for Nurses inCalifornia
California is a popular destination for staff and travel nurses alike. In 2018, California was home to more than 319,800 nurses.
However, California has a strong job outlook, as the number of nurses in State Name is expected to grow. Registered nurse jobs are forecasted to grow by more than 17% between 2018 and 2028, bringing the total number of working nurses in California to more than 373,200.
(Data courtesy of Projections Central)
