Paycheck Atlas

Registered Nurses salary in California

The median registered nurses in California earns $140,270 a year, 44% above the US median. After tax that is roughly $8,110 a month.

10th percentile
$101,260
25th percentile
$122,440
Median percentile
$140,270
75th percentile
$173,170
90th percentile
$213,320

Based on 338,940 employed. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025. Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience; reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only an approximation.

What you keep

$97,322 take-home a year
Gross pay$140,270
Federal income tax−$22,399
Social Security + Medicare−$10,731
California income tax (approx.)−$9,819
Monthly take-home$8,110
Every two weeks$3,743

Does it go far here?

$126,689Median pay in California is worth this at average US prices (local price level 110.7 vs 100).
25%of take-home pay goes to the median rent ($2,036 a month, Census ACS).

Top-paying jobs in California

JobMedian pay
Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric$400,150
Neurologists$357,080
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$353,900
Psychiatrists$353,500
General Internal Medicine Physicians$313,890
Obstetricians and Gynecologists$301,240
Nurse Anesthetists$292,410
Physicians, All Other$281,590

All registered nurses salaries · Take-home pay in California