Nurse Practitioner Salary in California: $180,961 (2026)

Quick Answer:Across California's 158 metropolitan areas, the average median nurse practitioner pay sits at $180,961/year heading into 2026 — a figure projected from 2025 BLS OEWS wage data for SOC 29-1171. Because California sits at BEA RPP 113.1 (13% above the U.S. baseline), that statewide median translates to roughly $160,001 in nationally-comparable purchasing power. Highest-paying metros: Sunnyvale ($236,997), Santa Clara ($235,441), San Jose ($231,560).

Nurse Practitioner Salary in California - 2025 BLS Data Infographic — California nurse practitioner salary overview (2026)

$180,961

Avg Median Salary

$87.00

Avg Hourly Rate

26,969

Metro Employed

158

Cities

As of 2026, nurse practitioners in California are projected to earn an average median salary of $180,961, significantly higher than the national median of $136,864, representing a 32.2% premium. The highest salaries are found in Sunnyvale at $245,173, while the lowest average is in Thousand Oaks at $153,312. This $91,861 salary gap between cities can be attributed to factors such as cost of living, demand for healthcare services, and the concentration of healthcare facilities in urban areas. California's licensing requirements and scope of practice laws further enhance earning potential. Nurse practitioners in California can practice independently, which often leads to higher salaries as they take on more responsibilities. The state is experiencing a 3.45% annual growth rate in this profession, indicating a strong job market and increasing demand for healthcare services amid a rising population. The total employment for nurse practitioners in California is expected to be approximately 26,969 by 2026. With cities like Santa Clara, San Jose, Oakland, and Fremont also offering high salaries, the outlook remains positive for those entering or advancing in this field. Understanding regional differences and the evolving healthcare landscape can assist prospective nurse practitioners in making informed career choices.

California Nurse Practitioner Salary Range

Entry Level (10th %ile)

$133,505

avg across 158 cities

Median

$180,961

state average

Top Earners (90th %ile)

$237,431

avg across 158 cities

Overall salary range in California: $106,895 (lowest entry-level) to $332,234 (highest top earner)

California vs National Average

California

$180,961

National Median

$136,864

California nurse practitioners earn 32.22% more than the national median (+$44,097/year difference).

California Nurse Practitioner Salary Distribution (2026)

Nurse Practitioner salaries in California range from $133,505 (entry-level, 10th percentile) to $237,431 (top earners, 90th percentile), with a median of $180,961. The California median is $44,097 above the US national median of $136,864. The average hourly rate is $87.00/hr. Approximately 26,969 nurse practitioners are employed across 158 cities.

2019 BLS Actual

$131,231

2025 BLS Actual

$174,926

2026 Current Est.

$180,961

2019–2027 Growth

+42.7%

Salary Trajectory for Nurse Practitioners in California (2019–2027)

2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 3.45% projection.

BLS Actual Estimated Projected

Year	Annual Salary	Status
2019	$131,231	Actual
2020	$140,199	Actual
2021	$141,258	Actual
2022	$160,908	Actual
2023	$169,060	Actual
2024	$177,342	Actual
2025	$174,926	Actual
2026(current)	$180,961	Estimated
2027	$187,204	Projected

Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the California metropolitan area, the median nurse practitioner salary grew 33.3% from $131,231 (2019) to $174,926 (2025). At a 3.45% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $187,204 by 2027 — a total increase of $55,973 (42.65%) from 2019.

Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the California metropolitan area, sourced from annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. 2026–2026 figures are current estimates, and 2027 values are projections, calculated using a 3.45% CAGR derived from 7-year BLS historical data. Actual salaries may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.

Top 5 Highest Paying Cities in California

Sunnyvale

26 employed · $117.87/hr

$245,173

+35.48% vs avg

Santa Clara

32 employed · $117.10/hr

$243,564

+34.59% vs avg

San Jose

1,580 employed · $115.17/hr

$239,549

+32.38% vs avg

Oakland

78 employed · $111.44/hr

$231,796

+28.09% vs avg

Fremont

43 employed · $108.98/hr

$226,684

+25.27% vs avg

Lowest Paying Cities in California

City	Median Salary	vs State Avg	Hourly
Thousand Oaks	$153,312	-15.28%	$73.71
Oxnard	$153,934	-14.94%	$74.01
Lodi	$162,369	-10.27%	$78.06
Brea	$163,019	-9.91%	$78.37
Merced	$164,227	-9.25%	$78.95

Best Value Cities for Nurse Practitioners in California

When adjusted for local cost of living, these California cities offer the most purchasing power for nurse practitioners.

City	Nominal Salary	CoL Index	Adjusted Salary
San Jose	$239,549	110.423	$216,938
Sunnyvale	$245,173	113.1	$216,775
Santa Clara	$243,564	113.1	$215,353
Oakland	$231,796	113.1	$204,948
Fremont	$226,684	113.1	$200,428

Adjusted salary = nominal salary × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average. Lower index = lower cost of living.

Salary by Experience Level in California

Experience Level	Estimated Annual	Est. Hourly	Description
Entry Level (0-2 years)	$133,505	$64.19	10th percentile, new graduates
Mid Career (3-7 years)	$180,961	$87.00	50th percentile, median salary
Experienced (7+ years)	$237,431	$114.15	90th percentile, top earners

Estimates based on BLS percentile data averaged across California metro areas. Individual pay varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.

All 158 Cities in California

#	City	Median Salary	Hourly	Entry (P10)	Top (P90)	Employed
1	Sunnyvale	$245,173	$117.87	$184,409	$332,234	26
2	Santa Clara	$243,564	$117.10	$180,631	$317,650	32
3	San Jose	$239,549	$115.17	$169,317	$293,188	1,580
4	Oakland	$231,796	$111.44	$169,112	$322,995	78
5	Fremont	$226,684	$108.98	$157,590	$320,250	43
6	San Francisco	$226,638	$108.96	$158,568	$283,412	3,110
7	Vallejo	$188,662	$90.70	$138,561	$297,036	180
8	Napa	$182,351	$87.66	$159,282	$233,549	60
9	Santa Ana	$182,049	$87.52	$128,846	$247,956	69
10	Modesto	$179,362	$86.24	$143,247	$258,211	380
11	Folsom	$179,147	$86.13	$131,916	$232,011	17
12	Fontana	$178,681	$85.90	$126,615	$243,458	32
13	Irvine	$178,484	$85.81	$134,025	$248,078	72
14	Ontario	$178,152	$85.65	$131,205	$237,780	42
15	Sacramento	$177,944	$85.55	$109,181	$248,383	1,170
16	Pomona	$177,613	$85.39	$132,880	$234,074	36
17	Simi Valley	$177,516	$85.35	$133,187	$239,885	23
18	Escondido	$177,474	$85.33	$133,265	$233,137	31
19	Roseville	$177,211	$85.20	$139,340	$241,150	35
20	Fairfield	$177,155	$85.17	$132,337	$232,054	25
21	Fullerton	$176,502	$84.86	$130,277	$236,874	25
22	Daly City	$176,349	$84.79	$129,921	$229,789	20
23	El Monte	$176,294	$84.76	$130,500	$236,163	20
24	Vista	$176,197	$84.72	$130,273	$235,372	24
25	Concord	$176,156	$84.69	$130,176	$235,689	29
26	San Bernardino	$176,001	$84.61	$122,634	$248,558	33
27	Clovis	$175,892	$84.56	$129,562	$227,788	19
28	Riverside	$175,782	$84.51	$135,137	$221,352	1,710
29	Garden Grove	$175,711	$84.48	$128,436	$234,177	37
30	Temecula	$175,669	$84.46	$129,046	$227,499	25
31	Santa Clarita	$175,552	$84.40	$132,529	$244,975	41
32	Lancaster	$175,322	$84.29	$128,240	$244,216	40
33	Inglewood	$175,322	$84.29	$128,240	$244,216	21
34	Corona	$175,101	$84.19	$127,551	$242,879	24
35	Richmond	$175,073	$84.17	$126,959	$232,011	25
36	Rialto	$174,989	$84.13	$127,469	$231,729	17
37	Torrance	$174,767	$84.02	$126,256	$242,303	26
38	Elk Grove	$174,433	$83.87	$126,013	$229,399	25
39	Oceanside	$174,392	$83.85	$125,918	$229,146	28
40	Hanford	$174,355	$83.83	$120,933	$216,521	70
41	Whittier	$174,341	$83.82	$134,157	$225,313	22
42	San Rafael	$174,328	$83.82	$133,945	$225,156	11
43	Rancho Cucamonga	$174,170	$83.73	$125,408	$228,514	46
44	Hayward	$174,073	$83.69	$125,186	$239,466	23
45	Woodland	$174,028	$83.67	$133,225	$230,616	15
46	Buena Park	$174,001	$83.65	$133,338	$224,622	20
47	Encinitas	$173,987	$83.65	$133,306	$224,132	16
48	Downey	$173,976	$83.64	$124,439	$239,587	22
49	Dublin	$173,878	$83.60	$133,043	$224,213	14
50	Redlands	$173,824	$83.57	$132,914	$230,374	16
51	Chino	$173,729	$83.53	$132,507	$223,271	17
52	Westminster	$173,674	$83.49	$131,843	$229,869	21
53	Santa Monica	$173,660	$83.49	$132,344	$223,043	20
54	San Mateo	$173,643	$83.48	$124,201	$237,995	21
55	Tulare	$173,592	$83.45	$132,180	$222,817	17
56	San Buenaventura	$173,531	$83.43	$137,034	$238,068	19
57	Mission Viejo	$173,415	$83.37	$131,935	$222,673	23
58	Moreno Valley	$173,414	$83.37	$128,400	$237,594	53
59	Pleasanton	$173,388	$83.36	$131,870	$228,465	16
60	Pasadena	$173,142	$83.25	$131,860	$236,292	35
61	Santee	$173,021	$83.18	$130,993	$221,364	9
62	Santa Cruz	$172,958	$83.15	$130,906	$226,224	190
63	Glendale	$172,865	$83.11	$135,467	$235,801	36
64	Chico	$172,844	$83.10	$136,275	$210,945	140
65	Santa Rosa	$172,803	$83.08	$120,468	$245,125	280
66	Mountain View	$172,776	$83.07	$130,409	$220,553	13
67	Pittsburg	$172,763	$83.06	$129,669	$226,811	19
68	Novato	$172,708	$83.03	$130,070	$219,886	11
69	Costa Mesa	$172,643	$83.00	$130,700	$235,047	23
70	Berkeley	$172,463	$82.92	$134,524	$223,262	23
71	Huntington Beach	$172,421	$82.89	$134,946	$240,261	50
72	Fresno	$172,317	$82.84	$133,761	$219,645	570
73	Jurupa Valley	$172,268	$82.82	$134,588	$233,327	24
74	Hemet	$172,218	$82.80	$129,084	$218,712	14
75	Union City	$172,204	$82.79	$129,052	$218,665	11
76	West Covina	$172,184	$82.78	$134,393	$232,933	25
77	Chino Hills	$172,137	$82.76	$128,715	$224,254	21
78	Gilroy	$171,891	$82.64	$128,311	$234,825	10
79	Salinas	$171,820	$82.60	$140,030	$220,897	140
80	San Marcos	$171,796	$82.59	$127,382	$234,504	17
81	Tustin	$171,646	$82.52	$127,029	$223,093	18
82	San Ramon	$171,633	$82.51	$127,701	$222,609	19
83	Eastvale	$171,469	$82.44	$127,316	$222,068	10
84	Murrieta	$171,463	$82.44	$132,884	$230,615	25
85	Vacaville	$171,463	$82.44	$132,884	$237,443	15
86	Brentwood	$171,388	$82.40	$127,123	$233,123	13
87	Hesperia	$171,306	$82.36	$126,931	$232,847	14
88	Bakersfield	$171,293	$82.36	$110,391	$212,538	430
89	Santa Maria	$171,293	$82.35	$134,951	$228,293	200
90	Lake Elsinore	$171,293	$82.36	$126,899	$232,363	18
91	Petaluma	$171,151	$82.28	$135,952	$226,940	12
92	Citrus Heights	$171,075	$82.24	$126,388	$221,202	19
93	El Cajon	$170,921	$82.17	$126,051	$229,244	18
94	San Clemente	$170,870	$82.15	$125,734	$230,943	10
95	Bellflower	$170,803	$82.12	$125,750	$231,153	11
96	Palmdale	$170,727	$82.08	$131,006	$234,499	29
97	La Mirada	$170,726	$82.08	$135,099	$213,835	10
98	Yuba City	$170,713	$82.08	$119,868	$216,252	70
99	Apple Valley	$170,694	$82.07	$125,494	$219,506	19
100	Menifee	$170,644	$82.04	$130,985	$228,315	20
101	Yucaipa	$170,571	$82.00	$125,208	$230,375	14
102	Norwalk	$170,560	$82.00	$130,621	$227,590	22
103	Rancho Cordova	$170,408	$81.92	$124,826	$229,391	20
104	El Centro	$170,382	$81.91	$106,895	$220,886	70
105	Montebello	$170,245	$81.85	$124,445	$229,279	16
106	Compton	$170,176	$81.82	$124,112	$217,807	25
107	Porterville	$170,054	$81.76	$124,001	$217,841	11
108	Lompoc	$170,032	$81.75	$133,564	$211,596	8
109	Anaheim	$170,014	$81.74	$122,586	$234,563	51
110	Hawthorne	$169,769	$81.62	$123,336	$216,905	13
111	Antioch	$169,714	$81.59	$128,674	$231,087	17
112	Chula Vista	$169,710	$81.59	$117,568	$228,783	51
113	Burbank	$169,699	$81.59	$123,275	$225,168	22
114	San Diego	$169,513	$81.50	$135,913	$223,080	2,340
115	Alhambra	$169,306	$81.39	$135,808	$226,147	13
116	Livermore	$169,306	$81.39	$130,174	$226,147	21
117	Orange	$169,256	$81.37	$127,796	$223,695	21
118	South Gate	$169,251	$81.37	$134,985	$225,966	25
119	Victorville	$169,214	$81.35	$127,701	$223,116	30
120	West Sacramento	$169,156	$81.32	$134,757	$225,649	9
121	Poway	$169,112	$81.30	$131,301	$209,058	8
122	San Leandro	$168,884	$81.20	$134,627	$230,474	23
123	Indio	$168,694	$81.10	$133,654	$224,114	23
124	Lake Forest	$168,694	$81.10	$133,654	$224,114	14
125	San Luis Obispo	$168,572	$81.04	$137,320	$217,876	140
126	Carson	$168,394	$80.96	$133,633	$229,266	21
127	Rocklin	$168,367	$80.95	$133,568	$229,176	10
128	Carlsbad	$168,096	$80.82	$130,549	$227,759	23
129	Newport Beach	$168,081	$80.80	$132,890	$222,091	12
130	Redwood City	$168,068	$80.80	$132,685	$221,508	13
131	Turlock	$168,027	$80.78	$132,588	$227,610	17
132	Manteca	$167,972	$80.75	$132,631	$221,731	13
133	Perris	$167,958	$80.75	$131,911	$221,686	12
134	Madera	$167,823	$80.68	$132,277	$220,809	8
135	Long Beach	$167,595	$80.58	$117,308	$237,420	89
136	Baldwin Park	$167,523	$80.54	$131,397	$219,825	19
137	Palo Alto	$167,523	$80.54	$131,569	$226,365	15
138	Lakewood	$167,456	$80.50	$131,408	$220,031	19
139	Los Angeles	$167,041	$80.31	$124,088	$223,638	10,060
140	Beaumont	$166,965	$80.27	$129,571	$218,425	9
141	Tracy	$166,925	$80.26	$130,159	$217,865	14
142	Alameda	$166,870	$80.23	$130,030	$223,774	12
143	Laguna Niguel	$166,829	$80.20	$129,251	$224,065	16
144	Milpitas	$166,748	$80.16	$129,744	$223,370	16
145	Camarillo	$166,394	$80.00	$128,914	$216,560	13
146	Oakley	$166,326	$79.97	$124,551	$216,353	8
147	Davis	$166,284	$79.95	$128,489	$215,673	14
148	Upland	$166,162	$79.88	$127,692	$221,868	18
149	Redding	$166,017	$79.81	$120,240	$217,783	120
150	La Habra	$165,917	$79.77	$127,631	$220,532	16
151	Lynwood	$165,849	$79.74	$127,643	$214,789	16
152	Visalia	$164,930	$79.29	$136,626	$215,424	250
153	Stockton	$164,641	$79.16	$124,543	$221,776	280
154	Merced	$164,227	$78.95	$134,061	$202,452	100
155	Brea	$163,019	$78.37	$130,012	$211,140	10
156	Lodi	$162,369	$78.06	$127,708	$213,400	14
157	Oxnard	$153,934	$74.01	$127,616	$211,586	320
158	Thousand Oaks	$153,312	$73.71	$120,721	$209,079	32

More California Salary Data

Hourly Rates

Explore nurse practitioner hourly pay in California cities.

Sunnyvale →Santa Clara →San Jose →

Entry Level

Starting salaries for new nurse practitioners.

Sunnyvale →Santa Clara →San Jose →

Senior / Experienced

Top earner salaries for experienced nurse practitioners.

Sunnyvale →Santa Clara →San Jose →

Compare Cities in California

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Explore More Nurse Practitioner Salary Data

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much do nurse practitioners make in California in 2026?

The average median nurse practitioner salary in California is $180,961/year across 158 metro areas, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Salaries range from $153,312 in Thousand Oaks to $245,173 in Sunnyvale. This makes California one of the higher-paying states, at 32.22% above the national median of $136,864. The state employs approximately 26,969 nurse practitioners.

What is the highest paying city for nurse practitioners in California?

Sunnyvale offers the highest nurse practitioner salary in California at $245,173/year ($117.87/hr), based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). The top 3 highest-paying cities are Sunnyvale ($245,173), Santa Clara ($243,564), San Jose ($239,549). Higher pay in these metros is typically driven by cost of living, demand for advanced practice nursing services, and competition among employers for licensed nurse practitioners.

How does California nurse practitioner pay compare to the national average?

California's average nurse practitioner salary of $180,961 is 32.22% above the national median of $136,864 in 2026. The state employs approximately 26,969 nurse practitioners across 158 metropolitan areas. When comparing salaries, consider cost-of-living differences — a lower nominal salary in an affordable area may provide better purchasing power than a higher salary in an expensive metro.

What is the entry-level nurse practitioner salary in California?

Entry-level nurse practitioners (10th percentile) in California earn approximately $133,505/year on average, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Starting salaries range from $106,895 in lower-paying areas to $184,409 in the highest-paying metros. New graduates should expect salaries at the lower end and can typically reach the area median within 3–5 years of clinical experience.

How many nurse practitioners are employed in California?

California employs approximately 26,969 nurse practitioners across 158 metropolitan areas, based on the latest BLS data. This makes California one of the larger employers of nurse practitioners nationally. Demand continues to grow as the advanced practice nursing field expands and the population ages.

Which California city offers the best value for nurse practitioners?

When adjusted for cost of living, San Jose offers the highest purchasing power for nurse practitioners in California, with an adjusted salary of $216,938 (nominal: $239,549, CoL index: 110.423). This means your dollar goes 9% less far compared to the national average, making it important to negotiate higher base pay.

Written by Maria Gonzalez, MSN, NP-C

Career Analyst

Maria has 10 years of experience in adult healthcare. She works in a community health clinic. Her specialty is chronic disease management.

Clinically reviewed by James Patel, DNP, APRNData verified by Aisha Khan, MSN, FNP-BC

Methodology & Data Source

Statewide salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. A 3.45% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to each metro area's reported salary to estimate current 2026 nurse practitioner compensation across California. State averages are employment-weighted across 158 metro areas — larger metro areas with more nurse practitionerscontribute proportionally more to the average, producing figures that better reflect typical compensation. Individual pay varies by city, employer, certifications, and experience.

Data Sources & Methodology

Source: BLS, OEWS, 7-year dataset (2019–2025). Per-city data from annual BLS metropolitan area surveys.

2026 figures are projected from 2025 BLS data using a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.45%, derived from historical BLS wage trends for nurse practitioners (SOC 29-1171).

Compiled and verified by Maria Gonzalez, MSN, NP-C, a licensed nurse practitioner with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov

Last verified: June 10, 2026

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