Nurse Practitioner Salary in California: $168,520 Median (May 2025)
Part of Nursing in California — schools, RN and NP pay, and licensing on one page.
Nurse practitioners in California earn a median of $168,520 per year — $81.02 an hour — $36,220 above the national NP median of $132,300, ranking #1 of 51 states and D.C. The middle 80% of California NPs earn between $120,340 and $240,830. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — the federal wage survey, not job-board self-reports.
California NP pay range (May 2025)
Dark band = middle 50% of California NPs (25th–75th percentile). Light band = middle 80%. New NPs typically start near the left edge.
NP vs RN Pay in California
The median NP in California out-earns the median RN by $28,250 per year (20%). Same state, same license underneath — the difference is the graduate degree and the scope that comes with it.
Compare California With Any State
Weighing a move, telehealth, or a compact-state license? Put California side by side with any other NP market.
| May 2025 BLS | California | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $168,520 | $131,670 |
| Median hourly wage | $81.02/hr | $63.31/hr |
| Entry-level range (10th pct) | $120,340 | $96,880 |
| Experienced (75th pct) | $209,350 | $147,660 |
| Top earners (90th pct) | $240,830 | $161,980 |
| NPs employed | 25,120 | 25,970 |
The NP path starts with an RN license
Every NP passed the NCLEX first. If you’re earlier on the ladder: compare California’s board-approved nursing programs by real first-time pass rates, and see the full earning ladder from CNA to CRNA.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do nurse practitioners make in California?
NPs in California earn a median of $168,520 per year — $81.02 per hour — $36,220 above the national NP median of $132,300 (BLS May 2025). That ranks California #1 of 51 states and D.C. by median NP pay.
How much more do NPs make than RNs in California?
The median NP in California earns $168,520 versus $140,270 for the median RN — a difference of $28,250 per year (20%). The step up requires a master's or doctoral NP program on top of the RN license.
What is a starting NP salary in California?
New NPs generally start near the lower percentiles: in California, the 10th percentile is $120,340 and the 25th percentile is $145,980. Most NPs move toward the $168,520 median within their first several years of practice.
How many nurse practitioners work in California?
25,120 nurse practitioners are employed in California per the BLS May 2025 estimates.
NP salary in other states
Keep going
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- GuideThe Nurse Salary Ladder: What CNA, LPN, RN, NP, and CRNA Actually Earn (2026)One profession, a 5x pay spread. Every rung of the nursing career ladder — median pay, education path, and time investment — from real BLS data, in one interactive climb from CNA to CRNA.
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