{"id":296299,"date":"2026-05-02T07:17:42","date_gmt":"2026-05-02T07:17:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/296299\/"},"modified":"2026-05-02T07:17:42","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T07:17:42","slug":"ca-nurses-make-most-in-us-see-cities-with-highest-salaries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/296299\/","title":{"rendered":"CA nurses make most in US: See cities with highest salaries"},"content":{"rendered":"

California is home to many of the highest-paying cities for nurses<\/a>, according to a new report.<\/p>\n

Where you begin your nursing career can have a big impact on both your salary and long-term job stability, according to University of West Alabama Online, which offers a range of degree programs.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs health care systems respond to staffing shortages and population growth, registered nurses are evaluating which regions offer the strongest financial and professional opportunities,\u201d the university said in its April 7 report.<\/p>\n

California was home to 22 of the top 25 cities that offer the highest salaries for registered nurses<\/a>, the study found.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s where nurses are earning the most:<\/p>\n

\"A California leads when it comes to nurse pay, with 22 of the top 25 highest-paying metropolitan areas in the country, according to University of West Alabama Online. Getty Images How much do registered nurses earn in the US?<\/p>\n

Using wage data from 2019 to 2024, the University of West Alabama Online analyzed where nurses are earning the most<\/a> in the United States.<\/p>\n

Nationwide, the average annual pay for registered nurses has risen about 27%, climbing from $77,460 in 2019 to $98,430 in 2024.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis steady rise in average salary highlights the increasing value of nursing professionals across health care facilities and health systems,\u201d the University of West Alabama Online said.<\/p>\n

The report found that nurses in California earn the highest wages<\/a> in the country, making at least 26% more than the national average of $98,430 a year.<\/p>\n

Which California city pays nurses the most?<\/p>\n

According to University of West Alabama Online, registered nurses working in California earn the most in San Jose.<\/p>\n

Nurses in the Silicon Valley city earn an annual salary of $189,880, \u201cnearly double the national average,\u201d the online university said.<\/p>\n

What are top 10 cities for nursing salaries?<\/p>\n

Here are the top 10 California metropolitan areas where registered nurses earn the most<\/a>, along with their average annual salaries:<\/p>\n

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara \u2014 $189,880 a yearSan Francisco-Oakland-Fremont \u2014 $178,450Vallejo \u2014 $175,620Santa Rosa-Petaluma \u2014 $171,490Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom \u2014 $163,020Santa Cruz-Watsonville \u2014 $159,540Modesto \u2014 $154,140Yuba City \u2014 $146,470San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles \u2014 $144,320Salinas \u2014 $143,410<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile these figures reflect strong earning potential, prospective students should also weigh the cost of living, particularly in high-paying states like California,\u201d the online university said. \u201cA high RN salary may stretch differently depending on housing, transportation and daily expenses.\u201d<\/p>\n

Where do nurses make the least in the US?<\/p>\n

According to University of West Alabama Online, here\u2019s where registered nurses make the lowest annual salaries in the country:<\/p>\n

Dothan, Alabama \u2014 $67,520 a yearFlorence-Muscle Shoals, Alabama \u2014 $68,850Decatur, Alabama \u2014 $69,030Gadsden, Alabama \u2014 $69,620Anniston-Oxford, Alabama \u2014 $70,740Sioux Falls, South Dakota-Minnesota \u2014 $71,060Springfield, Missouri \u2014 $72,290Waterloo-Cedar Falls, Iowa \u2014 $72,440Jackson, Tennessee \u2014 $73,030Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, Alabama \u2014 $73,150<\/p>\n

Though these cities pay less, the online university said, \u201cthey often also come with significantly lower costs of living.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"California California leads when it comes to nurse pay, with 22 of the top 25 highest-paying metropolitan areas in the country, according to University of West Alabama Online. Getty Images How did West Alabama university come up with rankings?<\/p>\n

The University of West Alabama Online said it analyzed data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Projections Central to compare nurse pay across major cities and states.<\/p>\n

The university focused on the most recent wage data available from 2019 through 2024.<\/p>\n

Have a question about life in California?<\/p>\n

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We\u2019ll answer your questions \u2014 big and small \u2014 about state laws, history, culture, recreation and travel.<\/p>\n

Ask your questions in the form below (can\u2019t see it? Click here<\/a>) or email howtocalifornia@mcclatchy.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\n \"Profile
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

Angela Rodriguez<\/a><\/p>\n

The Modesto Bee<\/p>\n

Angela Rodriguez is a service journalism reporter for The Bee. She is a graduate of Sacramento State with a bachelor\u2019s degree in journalism. During her time there, she worked on the State Hornet covering arts and entertainment.\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"California is home to many of the highest-paying cities for nurses, according to a new report. Where you…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":296300,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[121,123,122],"class_list":["post-296299","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sacramento","tag-sacramento","tag-sacramento-headlines","tag-sacramento-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/296299","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=296299"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/296299\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/296300"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=296299"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=296299"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=296299"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}