Quick answer
Registered Nurses in California earned a median of $140,270 a year ($67.44 an hour) in May 2025, 44% above the national median of $97,550; 338,940 were employed there, ranking #1 of 53 states and territories by median pay, per BLS OEWS.
Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025
| Measure | California | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $140,270 | $97,550 |
| Mean annual wage | $150,280 | $101,420 |
| Median hourly wage | $67.44 | $46.90 |
| 10th percentile | $101,260 | $68,940 |
| 25th percentile | $122,440 | $80,330 |
| 75th percentile | $173,170 | $112,350 |
| 90th percentile | $213,320 | $137,470 |
| Employment | 338,940 | 3,379,720 |
| Jobs per 1,000 | 18.609 | — |
| Location quotient | 0.86 | 1.00 |
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Last updated 2026-10-16. Data only, not financial or tax advice.