Salary · CA · SOC 29-1171

Nurse Practitioner (NP) salary in California, per year and per hour

BLS data for May 2025. Median, mean, and percentile pay for nurse practitioners in California, with every metro area BLS publishes.

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, released May 15, 2026. Publisher page

Quick answer

The median pay for nurse practitioners in California was $168,520 a year, or $81.02 an hour, in May 2025 (BLS). The middle 80% earned $120,340 to $240,830. About 25,120 were employed.

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Nurse Practitioner pay in California vs the US

Nurse Practitioner wages in California and the US, May 2025
Measure	CA annual	CA hourly	US annual
Median (50th percentile)	$168,520	$81.02	$132,300
Mean (average)	$176,760	$84.98	$137,300
10th percentile	$120,340	$57.86	$101,340
25th percentile	$145,980	$70.18	$117,990
75th percentile	$209,350	$100.65	$156,700
90th percentile	$240,830	$115.78	$174,420

Employment in California: 25,120. Location quotient: 0.66 (1.0 = the national share of jobs).

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

Nurse Practitioner salary by metro area in California

Nurse Practitioner median wage by metro area, California
Metro area	Median annual	Median hourly	Employed
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$161,470	$77.63	10,060
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$219,080	$105.33	3,110
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$163,860	$78.78	2,340
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	$169,920	$81.69	1,710
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$231,560	$111.33	1,580
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$172,010	$82.70	1,170
Fresno, CA	$166,570	$80.08	570
Bakersfield-Delano, CA	$165,580	$79.61	430
Modesto, CA	$173,380	$83.36	380
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	$148,800	$71.54	320
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	$167,040	$80.31	280
Stockton-Lodi, CA	$159,150	$76.52	280
Visalia, CA	$159,430	$76.65	250
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	$165,580	$79.60	200
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA	$167,190	$80.38	190
Vallejo, CA	$182,370	$87.68	180
Chico, CA	$167,080	$80.33	140
Salinas, CA	$166,090	$79.85	140
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA	$162,950	$78.34	140
Redding, CA	$160,480	$77.15	120
Merced, CA	$158,750	$76.32	100
El Centro, CA	$164,700	$79.18	70
Hanford-Corcoran, CA	$168,540	$81.03	70
Yuba City, CA	$165,020	$79.34	70
Napa, CA	$176,270	$84.74	60

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

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Nurse Practitioner salary in California

Median pay: $168,520 a year ($81.02 an hour)

Middle 80% earn $120,340 to $240,830 a year

Employed: 25,120

BLS OEWS, May 2025. Source: Rivvi

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<div style="font:14px/1.45 system-ui,sans-serif;color:#222;border:1px solid #E6E6EE;border-radius:12px;padding:14px 16px;max-width:360px;background:#fff"><div style="font-weight:600;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:6px">Nurse Practitioner salary in California</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Median pay: <strong>$168,520</strong> a year ($81.02 an hour)</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Middle 80% earn $120,340 to $240,830 a year</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Employed: 25,120</div><div style="margin-top:8px;font-size:12px;color:#555">BLS OEWS, May 2025. Source: <a href="https://rivvi.ai/salary/nurse-practitioner/ca" style="color:#3C38C9">Rivvi</a></div></div>

Questions

How much does an NP make per hour in California?

The median hourly wage was $81.02 in May 2025, per BLS. The 10th percentile was $57.86 and the 90th was $115.78.

What is the average NP salary in California?

BLS reports a mean (average) of $176,760 a year and a median of $168,520 for May 2025. The median is the middle wage; the mean is pulled up by the highest earners.

Do nurse practitioners in California earn more than the US median?

The California median of $168,520 is 27% higher than the US median of $132,300 (BLS, May 2025).

How does California rank for nurse practitioner pay?

California ranks 1 of 51 states (plus DC) by median annual wage for nurse practitioners (BLS, May 2025).

Where do these numbers come from?

The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates, SOC 29-1171. Figures BLS did not publish are left out.