Nurse Practitioners Pay Range in California
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$120,340
- 25th Percentile — Junior$145,980
- 50th Percentile — Median$168,520
- 75th Percentile — Senior$209,350
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$240,830
Half of Nurse Practitioners in California earn more than $168,520. The top 10% make $240,830 or more, while entry-level workers start around $120,340.
Nurse Practitioners in California: Key Facts
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025
- California ranks 1st of 51 states for Nurse Practitioners pay, at $176,760 per year (28.7% above the U.S. average of $137,300).
- 25,120 people work as Nurse Practitioners in California — 7.8% of all U.S. Nurse Practitioners jobs.
- Location quotient 0.66: Nurse Practitioners jobs are less concentrated in California than in the U.S. overall.
- Pay range: the lowest-paid 10% earn under $120,340; the top 10% earn over $240,830.
- Hourly equivalent: $84.98 per hour (2,080 hours/year).
- Among healthcare jobs in California, Psychiatrists pays the most ($315,380).
Nurse Practitioners Job Market in California
Key factors affecting compensation
California's key industries are Technology, Entertainment, Agriculture, and its job market is rated very strong. Nurse Practitioners here earn $176,760 on average, placing the state 1st nationally.
With a cost-of-living index of 1.42 (U.S. = 1.00), a California salary of $176,760 is roughly equivalent to $124,479 at the national average cost of living.
Compared with nearby states in the pay ranking, Oregon ($155,780), New Jersey ($155,750), New York ($153,900) are the closest alternatives for Nurse Practitioners weighing a move.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Other Healthcare Jobs in California
Related career salary benchmarks
- Psychiatrists $315,380/yr California +78.4% vs this role
- Radiologists $309,990/yr California +75.4% vs this role
- Nurse Anesthetists $283,780/yr California +60.5% vs this role
- General Internal Medicine Physicians $273,270/yr California +54.6% vs this role
- Obstetricians and Gynecologists $272,520/yr California +54.2% vs this role
- Surgeons All Other $255,620/yr California +44.6% vs this role
- Family Medicine Physicians $252,930/yr California +43.1% vs this role
- Physicians All Other $249,620/yr California +41.2% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average Nurse Practitioners salary in California?
The average Nurse Practitioners salary in California is $176,760 per year (median $168,520), which is 28.7% above the national average of $137,300.
How does California rank for Nurse Practitioners pay?
California ranks 1st out of 51 states. The highest-paying state is California ($176,760/yr).
How much do entry-level Nurse Practitioners make in California?
The lowest-paid 10% of Nurse Practitioners in California earn about $120,340 per year and the 25th percentile is $145,980.
How much do Nurse Practitioners make per hour in California?
About $84.98 per hour, based on the $176,760 annual average and 2,080 working hours per year.
How many Nurse Practitioners work in California?
BLS counts 25,120 Nurse Practitioners jobs in California (OEWS May 2025).
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