Registered Nurse (RN) Salary in California
Median annual base pay is $104,000 across 50 reported Registered Nurse (RN) salaries in California.
Updated 22 August 2026
Salary Distribution (By Percentile)
| P10 | P25 | Median | P75 | P90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $79,300 | $94,598 | $104,000 | $130,000 | $182,200 |
Salary by Experience
| Experience | Median | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 6-10 yrs | $180,960 | 7 |
Top Cities in California
| City | Median | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego | $140,400 | 7 |
| Los Angeles | $105,000 | 9 |
| San Jose | $99,200 | 9 |
Salary by Level
| Level | Common titles | Median | Reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | New Grad RN · RN I · Staff Nurse | — | 3 |
| Junior / Early Career | Nurse Consultant I · Clinical Specialist · RN II | — | 1 |
| Mid-Level | Nurse Consultant II · Senior Clinical Specialist · RN III | — | 4 |
| Senior | Senior Nurse Consultant · Medical Science Liaison · Senior RN | — | 2 |
| Lead / Expert | Principal Nurse Consultant · Lead Clinical Specialist · Nurse Administrator | — | 1 |
| Manager | Nursing Consulting Manager · Clinical Operations Manager · Nursing Operations Manager | — | 1 |
Registered Nurse (RN) salaries in other states
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
Common questions
How much does a Registered Nurse (RN) make in California?
The median Registered Nurse (RN) salary in California is $104,000 per year, based on 50 reported salaries.
Which city in California pays Registered Nurse (RN)s the most?
San Diego has the highest median at $140,400 per year, of the cities with enough reports to publish a median.
How much do Registered Nurse (RN)s with 6-10 yrs of experience make in California?
$180,960 per year at the median — $76,960 above the Registered Nurse (RN) median in California.
Am I underpaid as a Registered Nurse (RN)?
All Registered Nurse (RN) salaries · Browse salaries by role