Registered Nurse Salary in Los Angeles, CA
Registered Nurses in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area earn a median $135,560 a year — 39% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $93,781 take-home, or $7,815 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median registered nurse salary in Los Angeles, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$21,268
- Social Security (6.2%)$8,405
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,966
- California income tax$8,377
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$1,762
- Take-home pay$93,781
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 9.30% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Registered Nurse pay by experience in Los Angeles, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $100,980 | $48.55 | $73,395 | $6,116 |
| 25th percentile | $112,070 | $53.88 | $80,021 | $6,668 |
| Median (50th) | $135,560 | $65.17 | $93,781 | $7,815 |
| 75th percentile | $167,800 | $80.67 | $112,400 | $9,367 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $174,200 | $83.75 | $116,096 | $9,675 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $135,560 buys in Los Angeles, CA
Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 13.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.70× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median registered nurse's $93,781 take-home pay has the buying power of $82,579 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Registered Nurse jobs are less concentrated in Los Angeles, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.80), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for registered nurses, adjusted for cost of living
Los Angeles, CA ranks #26 of 206 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $216,740 | $142,511 | $129,059 |
| 2 | Vallejo, CA | $203,290 | $134,031 | $123,555 |
| 3 | Santa Rosa, CA | $174,550 | $116,298 | $107,899 |
| 4 | Sacramento, CA | $171,460 | $114,514 | $107,353 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $186,610 | $123,394 | $106,730 |
| 6 | Bend, OR | $135,010 | $92,480 | $89,260 |
| 7 | Bakersfield, CA | $128,810 | $89,883 | $89,094 |
| 8 | Seattle, WA | $128,260 | $98,932 | $89,021 |
| 26 | Los Angeles, CA | $135,560 | $93,781 | $82,579 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 206 metros →
About the job: registered nurses
Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients. May advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management. Licensing or registration required.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +5.6% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Registered Nurse salaries elsewhere in California
- San Jose, CA — $216,740
- Vallejo, CA — $203,290
- Santa Rosa, CA — $174,550
- Sacramento, CA — $171,460
- San Francisco, CA — $186,610
- Bakersfield, CA — $128,810
- Stockton, CA — $134,580
- Modesto, CA — $132,590
Frequently asked questions
How much does a registered nurse make in Los Angeles, CA?
The median registered nurse salary in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area is $135,560 a year, or about $65.17 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $112,070 and $167,800.
What is a registered nurse’s take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA?
On the median $135,560 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $93,781 a year ($7,815 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $10,140 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Los Angeles, CA a good place to work as a registered nurse?
Pay here is 39% above the national median of $97,550. Local prices are 13.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $82,579 would in a typical U.S. city. Los Angeles, CA ranks #26 of 206 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Los Angeles, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Los Angeles, CA is $2,245 a month ($2,755 for two bedrooms) — 29% of a median registered nurse’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Los Angeles, CA
- Physicians, All Other — $196,760
- Pediatricians, General — $176,900
- Physician Assistant — $161,890
- Nurse Practitioner — $161,470
- Veterinarian — $160,080
- Pharmacist — $157,440
- Dentists, General — $139,990
- Optometrist — $138,940
- Dental Hygienist — $122,980
- Occupational Therapist — $122,040
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographer — $119,430
- Speech-Language Pathologist — $109,740