Healthcare · United States

Registered Nurse Salary in Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles sits near the top of the United States table for registered nurses — 4th of 21 metros, at a median of US$135,560. The national median is US$97,600, so Los Angeles carries a 39% premium.

Observed data:city percentiles from public labour-market sources for this exact role and metro.

Showing amounts in USD (USD default). FX as of Sun, 01 Nov 2026 00:02:31 +0000. Convert currencies

Average salary
US$135,560
gross / year
Est. take-home
US$114,292
~16% effective tax
Hourly equivalent
US$65.18
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
vs. the United States avg
+39%
above average

Gross salary figures come from public labour-market data. Take-home, rent, savings, and inflation adjustments are simplified models for research — not payroll, listings, or immigration advice. Methodology.

Registered Nurse pay in Los Angeles, by the numbers

After a simplified 16% national tax estimate that is about US$9,500 a month, in a metro with a cost-of-living index of 100.

Registered Nurse pay in Los Angeles: national and in-state ranking

Directly above Los Angeles is San Diego (US$139,520); directly below is Portland (US$130,310). The full range runs from US$83,520 in Jacksonville to US$216,740 in San Jose.

CA has 4 metros with observed figures for this role. Their average is US$169,600, and Los Angeles comes 4th, -20% against it; elsewhere in the state: San Diego (US$139,520), San Jose (US$216,740) and San Francisco (US$186,610).

Is US$135,560 a good salary in Los Angeles?

Price levels in Los Angeles (index 100) neither inflate nor shrink the paycheck much; adjusted for costs it is worth about US$135,600.

Its place holds after a cost-of-living adjustment — 4th of 21 either way.

Take-home on the median comes to roughly US$9,500 monthly (16% effective tax in our simplified model). Rent for a modeled 1-bedroom is 17% of it, and the single-adult budget ends about US$6,030 in the black.

Los Angeles vs nearby CA metros

San Diego (also in CA) pays US$139,520, 3% more than Los Angeles; modeled monthly leftover is US$250 higher.

San Jose (also in CA) pays US$216,740, 60% more than Los Angeles; modeled monthly leftover is US$5,140 higher.

New York (similar cost level, COL 100) pays US$119,720, 12% less than Los Angeles; modeled monthly leftover is US$1,010 lower.

Where Registered Nurse ranks among Los Angeles jobs

Of the 9 roles we track in Los Angeles, Registered Nurse is 3rd by median; the highest is Lawyer (US$194,410).

Closest neighbours in the Los Angeles list: Software Engineer at US$160,920 (+19%) and Data Scientist at US$129,740 (-4%).

Where Los Angeles stands for junior and senior registered nurses

Entry-level registered nurses fare better here (4th of 21 at the 10th percentile, US$100,980) than senior ones (5th at the 90th, US$174,200).

For the top 10% of earners, San Jose leads with US$235,190 at the 90th percentile, +35% against Los Angeles.

How wide registered nurse pay runs in Los Angeles

Offers in Los Angeles vary less than for many roles: US$100,980 at the 10th percentile and US$174,200 at the 90th (1.7×).

Registered Nurse pay in Los Angeles: US$100,980 to US$174,200

US$100,98010THUS$112,07025THUS$135,560MEDIANUS$167,80075THUS$174,20090TH
Estimated pay distribution — the curve peaks at the median and widens with the pay range.

More context: United States salary hub (economy, inflation, visas) · Registered Nurse pay across the United States · cost-of-living calculator

Compare Registered Nurse pay

See how a registered nurse stacks up against similar healthcare roles in the United States.

Registered Nurse salary in other United States cities

CityMedian
San Diego, CAUS$139,520/yr
Portland, ORUS$130,310/yr
Seattle, WAUS$128,260/yr
New York, NYUS$119,720/yr

Frequently asked questions

What is the average registered nurse salary in Los Angeles?
Typically US$135,560. Entry-level offers start near US$100,980 and senior ones reach US$174,200; per hour the median works out to US$65.
Which United States city pays registered nurses the most?
San Jose has the highest observed median at US$216,740, 60% above Los Angeles, which ranks 4th of 21. After adjusting for prices, San Jose leads.
Does Los Angeles pay registered nurses more than the rest of CA?
No — 4th of 4 CA metros, -20% against the in-state average of US$169,600.
Can a registered nurse in Los Angeles save money on the median salary?
In our model, yes: US$9,500 take-home, US$1,650 modeled rent, and US$6,030 left after other modeled costs each month.
Is registered nurse a high-paying job in Los Angeles?
It ranks 3rd of 9 occupations with observed Los Angeles data. The top-paying tracked role is Lawyer at US$194,410.