California registered nurse salaries by employer, 2025

64,231 people worked as registered nurses for 123 public employers in California in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $181,164, overtime included.

What is the average registered nurse salary in California?

Lowest-paying employer

$100,528

Shasta County
County government; most in public health

Average total pay, full-year California registered nurses1

$181,164

average base pay $155,445

Highest-paying employer

$246,392

University of California, San Francisco
University of California campus

Highest- and lowest-paying among the 60 employers with at least 10 full-year registered nurses. The lists below include every employer with at least 5.

Registered nurses
64,231
36,770 of them worked the full year
Employers
123
101 with 5 or more registered nurses, in 51 counties
Median total pay
$172,678
the middle registered nurse: half earned more, half less
Overtime
$13,085
average per full-year registered nurse

Employers also paid an average of $18,747 into pensions and $17,157 for health, dental and vision cover per full-year registered nurse, on top of wages.1

What stands out in California registered nurse pay

Which California employers pay registered nurses the most?

By average total pay of full-year registered nurses, among employers with at least 5 of them.

Highest average total pay

  1. University of California, San FranciscoUniversity of California campus
    3,484 full-year registered nurses    $246,392
  2. Santa Clara CountyCounty government; most in a health system
    1,889 full-year registered nurses    $242,999
  3. San FranciscoCity government; most in a health system
    1,470 full-year registered nurses    $240,719
  4. Alameda Health SystemHealth care district in Alameda County; most in hospitals
    858 full-year registered nurses    $234,717
  5. Contra Costa CountyCounty government; most in hospitals
    615 full-year registered nurses    $207,342
  6. San Mateo CountyCounty government; most in hospitals
    316 full-year registered nurses    $203,980
  7. University of California, DavisUniversity of California campus
    2,633 full-year registered nurses    $200,401
  8. San Benito Health Care DistrictHealth care district in San Benito County; most in hospitals
    55 full-year registered nurses    $195,149
  9. Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare DistrictHealth care district in Monterey County; most in hospitals
    285 full-year registered nurses    $187,968
  10. University of California, IrvineUniversity of California campus
    2,898 full-year registered nurses    $185,774

California average, $181,164

Highest registered nurse salaries in California: the top employers by total pay, base pay and starting salary

Highest registered nurse starting salaries in California: every employer compared

Compare registered nurse pay at every California employer

Official pay range across each employer's registered nurse titles, what full-year nurses earned, and where most of them work. Nurse practitioners and LVNs aren't in these figures. Click a column to sort it.

Showing 1 to 25 of 101 employers, highest average total pay first.

University of California, San FranciscoSan Francisco CountySan Francisco$246,392$11,665University health system$177,042 to $264,5916,036
Santa Clara CountySanta Clara CountySanta Clara$242,999$16,296Health system$146,474 to $264,5304,345
San FranciscoSan Francisco CountySan Francisco$240,719$15,418Health system$168,142 to $225,0822,365
Alameda Health SystemAlameda CountyAlameda$234,717$28,421Hospital$117,777 to $258,6131,611
Contra Costa CountyContra Costa CountyContra Costa$207,342$8,515Hospital$155,797 to $225,7821,306
San Mateo CountySan Mateo CountySan Mateo$203,980$11,854Hospital$149,594 to $194,147544
University of California, DavisStatewideStatewide$200,401$9,064University health system$146,598 to $257,5553,798
San Benito Health Care DistrictSan Benito CountySan Benito$195,149$25,724Hospital$136,614 to $215,176145
Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare DistrictMonterey CountyMonterey$187,968$10,372Hospital$118,061 to $242,050754
University of California, IrvineOrange CountyOrange$185,774$15,129University health system$130,646 to $194,6224,542
San Joaquin CountySan Joaquin CountySan Joaquin$183,905$21,379Hospital$110,556 to $177,4331,131
Monterey CountyMonterey CountyMonterey$178,346$12,869Hospital$112,688 to $195,262656
Alameda CountyAlameda CountyAlameda$176,849$2,054Public health$118,997 to $218,130132
University of California, Los AngelesLos Angeles CountyLos Angeles$175,376$7,990University health system$122,044 to $215,3355,136
University of California, San DiegoSan Diego CountySan Diego$172,285$6,387University health system$126,408 to $204,9374,626
Marin CountyMarin CountyMarin$167,321$6,416Behavioral health$120,682 to $195,37455
Washington Township Health Care DistrictAlameda CountyAlameda$166,945$8,900Hospital$147,576 to $271,443944
California Department of State HospitalsStatewideStatewide$160,251$36,063State hospital$114,120 to $153,0241,850
California Department of Corrections and RehabilitationStatewideStatewide$159,562$27,883State prison$119,820 to $177,1442,013
Sacramento CountySacramento CountySacramento$158,744$12,123Jail or juvenile hall$101,602 to $167,395266
Ventura CountyVentura CountyVentura$158,583$13,714Health system$63,808 to $246,891996
San Diego CountySan Diego CountySan Diego$158,228$21,335Jail or juvenile hall$96,242 to $139,464649
California Correctional Health Care ServicesStatewideStatewide$156,532$26,948State prison$119,820 to $160,680604
Sonoma CountySonoma CountySonoma$156,408$3,894Public health$120,907 to $163,83970
Los AngelesLos Angeles CountyLos Angeles$154,840$15,854Other$89,408 to $143,34196

"Fewer than 5": fewer than 5 registered nurses worked the full year, too few for an average. "Not reported": the employer reported no pay range, so we can't tell who worked the full year. "Left out": the employer's records don't show who worked the full year (each person's own pay reported as their range, or total pay reported as salary), so we set its pay figures aside. Employers with fewer than 5 registered nurses aren't listed. The University of California reported no ranges, so its campuses' ranges come from its contract with the California Nurses Association: the wage tables effective January 2025.

California public nurse pay: registered nurses, nurse practitioners and LVNs

Every public employer in California, 2025. Nurse practitioners and LVNs each have their own page. Range: the middle reported bottom and top of each group's official ranges. Pay: full-year staff, overtime included.1

NursesPositionsOfficial rangeAverage total payAverage overtime
Registered nurses64,231Varies by employer$181,164$13,085
Nurse practitioners3,754$183,097 to $241,623$232,328$10,603
LVNs7,128$70,498 to $80,184$90,412$10,278

Do California nurses earn more in hospitals, prisons or public health?

Registered nurses by where they work, from each title and department: a "Public Health Nurse" or a nurse in a sheriff's department says where the job is. Where a county's health agency doesn't say whether a nurse works in its hospital or its clinics, the nurse counts under health system. Pay: average total pay of full-year nurses, overtime included.1

Where they workPositionsFull yearAverage total pay
University health system24,14214,847$197,901
Hospital20,5429,847$158,384
Health system7,7933,887$225,483
State prison2,6171,903$158,853
Public health2,3391,856$144,049
Clinic1,9141,375$143,828
State hospital1,8501,168$160,251
Jail or juvenile hall1,6171,114$191,798
Behavioral health790470$155,061
Other334123$162,962
Veterans home241160$144,657
University campus5220$139,916

University health system: the six University of California campuses with an academic health center.4 University campus: the other campuses' nurses. Health system: city and county health agencies whose departments don't say hospital or clinic.

Which California jobs count as registered nurses here, and which don't?

The State Controller's files list every public job by title. We decided each nursing title by hand, from its name and department.

Counted as registered nurses

  • Staff and clinical nurses at every level. Registered Nurse I to V, Clinical Nurse, Staff Nurse and the University of California's Clin Nurse 1 to 4, in every unit.
  • Charge nurses and lead nurses. They work shifts on the unit, so they stay with staff nurses.
  • Public health, psychiatric, correctional and detention nurses. Each labeled by where they work.
  • Per diem and relief nurses. In every headcount; in pay figures only when they worked a full year.

Shown separately or left out

  • Nurse practitioners and LVNs. In the table above, each with its own page, not in the registered nurse figures.
  • Supervisors, nurse managers and directors. Their titles mean different jobs at different employers.
  • Nursing assistants, nurse techs and student nurses. They aren't registered nurses.
  • Nurse educators, case managers, utilization reviewers, navigators, infection prevention and quality staff. Nursing jobs away from patient care, and health plan nurses (Inland Empire Health Plan).
  • Nurse anesthetists, midwives and clinical nurse specialists. Specialist jobs with their own pay.
  • School nurses. School employers report to the State Controller voluntarily, for an earlier year.
  • Private hospitals and clinics. Kaiser, Sutter, Dignity Health, Stanford and other private employers don't report their pay to the State Controller.

Every California employer with a registered nurse pay page, by county

101 employers with at least 5 registered nurses. Open a county to see its employers. Employers without an average had fewer than 5 full-year registered nurses, or their records don't show who worked the full year. The map shades each county by the average total pay of full-year registered nurses across its employers; click a county to open its list.

Average total pay, full-year registered nurses, 2025under $113,000$113,000 to $125,000$125,000 to $144,000$144,000 to $182,000$182,000 or moreLeft outNo employer in the dataEach shade holds about a fifth of the counties. Outlines: US Census Bureau.

Questions about registered nurse pay in California

How much do nurses make in California?

Registered nurses in California's public jobs who worked the full year earned an average of $181,164 in 2025, including $13,085 in overtime. The middle nurse earned $172,678: half earned more, half less. These figures cover public employers only, not private hospitals.

Do these figures include Kaiser and other private hospitals?

No. They cover nurses who work for public employers: the University of California, county and city governments, health care districts and state departments. Private hospitals and clinics don't report their pay to the State Controller.

How much does a nurse practitioner make in California?

Full-year nurse practitioners at California public employers averaged $232,328 in 2025, overtime included, on a middle official range of $183,097 to $241,623.

How much does an LVN make in California?

Full-year licensed vocational nurses at California public employers averaged $90,412 in 2025, overtime included, on a middle official range of $70,498 to $80,184.

What is the starting salary for a new nurse in California?

It depends on the employer. Across the 64 public employers that report a range for their staff nurse title, the middle starting salary is $95,483 a year: the bottom of the range. Full-year nurses in level I titles (Clinical Nurse I, Registered Nurse I) averaged $132,595 in total pay.

Which California public employer pays nurses the most?

Among employers with at least 10 full-year registered nurses, University of California, San Francisco has the highest average total pay, $246,392, followed by Santa Clara County ($242,999) and San Francisco ($240,719).

How much more do experienced nurses earn?

Titles with levels show it: full-year nurses in level I titles averaged $132,595, in level II $184,632 and in level III $205,827. Each employer sets its own levels, so the table on each employer's page is the closer guide.

Sources for the California registered nurse figures

Every person who held a registered nurse position at any point in 2025 counts toward the headcount. Pay figures use only people who worked roughly the full year: those whose regular pay reached at least 90% of the bottom of their official range. Total pay is gross wages before tax, including overtime, lump sums and other pay. Every figure covers at least 5 people.

  1. State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages, pension formulas and employer contributions as reported by each city, county and special district.
  2. Association of Bay Area Governments, Our Members: the nine Bay Area counties.
  3. University of California and California Nurses Association, Registered Nurses (NX) contract, Appendix A: wage tables: each campus's hourly rates effective January 2025, lowest to highest step; yearly figures are the hourly rate times 2,088 hours, the tables' monthly rate times 12.
  4. University of California Health, Academic Health Centers: the six campuses with an academic health center (Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego and San Francisco).

How we read the data