Registered Nurses salary
in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
- Middle 50%
- $128,380–$169,920
- vs U.S. median
- +43%
- Metro rank
- #9 of 514
Registered Nurses in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro earn a median of $139,520 a year, based on BLS estimates for 28,680 jobs (May 2025). That is 43% above the U.S. median of $97,550 and 1% below the CA statewide median of $140,270. It ranks #9 of 514 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE28,680 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
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Registered Nurses pay in other CA metros
8 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $216,740 |
| Vallejo, CA | $203,290 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $186,610 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $174,550 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $171,460 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $170,960 |
| Yuba City, CA | $149,320 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $138,820 |
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RELATED HEALTHCARE JOBS IN SAN DIEGO
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Questions
What is the average Registered Nurses salary in San Diego?
The BLS median is $139,520 a year (May 2025). Half of the 28,680 jobs pay between $128,380 and $169,920. The 10th percentile is $102,480 and the 90th is $175,210.
Is San Diego a high-paying metro for Registered Nurses?
That is 43% above the U.S. median of $97,550 and 1% below the CA statewide median of $140,270. It ranks #9 of 514 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Registered Nurses make an hour in San Diego?
About $67.08 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $139,520 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $61.72–$81.69 an hour. Straight-time pay, before overtime and shift differentials.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.