The average salary for a nurse in California is around $59,357 per year.
Avg Salary
Nurses earn an average yearly salary of $59,357.
Wages typically start from $45,829 and go up to $120,584.
5% above national average Updated in 2017
Nurse earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level nurse earnings begin at:
$57.97 per hour
$120,584 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level nurse earnings begin at:
$38.86 per hour
$80,836 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level nurse earnings begin at:
$28.54 per hour
$59,357 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level nurse earnings begin at:
$23.86 per hour
$49,621 per year
10th percentile
Starting level nurse earnings begin at:
$22.03 per hour
$45,829 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Nurse salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Arizona | $67,446 |
| Washington | $67,108 |
| New Jersey | $61,200 |
| California | $59,357 |
| Maryland | $55,000 |
| New York | $53,794 |
| Colorado | $53,282 |
| Georgia | $52,102 |
| Wisconsin | $52,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,595 |
| Minnesota | $51,189 |
| Illinois | $51,023 |
| Massachusetts | $48,736 |
| Alabama | $47,840 |
| Ohio | $47,401 |
| Tennessee | $46,819 |
| Texas | $46,712 |
| South Carolina | $46,500 |
| Michigan | $45,394 |
| Florida | $45,335 |
| Indiana | $44,807 |
| Oklahoma | $41,424 |
| Virginia | $41,028 |
| Missouri | $40,042 |
| North Carolina | $36,836 |
| Utah | $34,500 |
How do nurse salaries compare to similar careers?
Nurses earn 6% more than similar careers in California. On average, they make less than registered nurses but more than opticians.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Registered nurse salary | $83K |
| Health educator salary | $44K |
| Nurse salary | $59K |
| Physical therapist salary | $73K |
| Psychologist salary | $47K |
| Medical and clinical laboratory technician salary | $41K |
| Optician salary | $36K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)