Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| California | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $140,270 | $98,331 | +43% |
| Median hourly wage | $67.44 | $47.27 | +43% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $126,712.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $133,409 | $100,750 | $162,750 | 244 |
| Oakland | $120,498 | $91,000 | $147,000 | 196 |
| Los Angeles | $110,170 | $83,200 | $134,400 | 173 |
| Long Beach | $103,284 | $78,000 | $126,000 | 153 |
| San Diego | $101,563 | $76,700 | $123,900 | 161 |
| Sacramento | $92,956 | $70,200 | $113,400 | 130 |
| Fresno | $81,767 | $61,750 | $99,750 | 105 |
The median annual salary for a Registered Nurse in California is $140,270, or about $67.44 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Registered Nurses is $98,331. California is +43% above the national median.
Entry-level registered nurses in California typically earn from $100,750 depending on the city and employer.
With 338,940 registered nurse jobs on record and a median salary of $140,270, California offers above-average pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, registered nurses rank 65 of the 793 occupations reported in California — higher than 92% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric at $400,150, Neurologists at $357,080, Psychiatrists at $353,500 — all figures are median annual wages for California.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. California levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 145.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, registered nurses rank 65 of the 793 occupations reported in California — higher than 92% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in California | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $400,150 | $820 |
| Neurologists | $357,080 | $1,090 |
| Psychiatrists | $353,500 | $5,420 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $313,890 | $6,370 |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $301,240 | $1,610 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $292,410 | $2,230 |
California levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 145.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 793 occupations in California.