Average Registered Nurse Salary in Santa Cruz

Registered nurses in Santa Cruz earn an average of $139,590 per year (or $67.11 per hour).

Nationwide
United States
$82,750
Santa Cruz, CA
68% higher than the national average
$139,590
Your personal salary estimate
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Santa Cruz registered nurses earn 68% higher than the national average salary for RNs, at $82,750 (or $39.78 per hour).

Registered nurse salary range in Santa Cruz, CA

10%
$84,570
MEDIAN
$164,710
90%
$164,710
Annual Salary Hourly Wage
90th Percentile $164,710 $79
75th Percentile $164,710 $79
Median $164,710 $79
25th Percentile $105,650 $50

80% of Santa Cruz RNs earn between $84,570 and $164,710.

Cost-of-living adjusted registered nurse salary in Santa Cruz

Cost-Of-Living Adjusted
Santa Cruz, CA
$127,595
Overall Average
Santa Cruz, CA
$139,590

Adjusted for cost-of-living, Santa Cruz RNs earn about $127,595 per year. Cost-of-living in Santa Cruz is 9% higher than the national average, meaning they face higher prices for food, housing, and transportation compared to other states.

Highest paying cities in California for registered nurses

Santa Clara, CA $155,230 per year
San Francisco, CA $151,640 per year
Fairfield, CA $146,360 per year
Santa Rosa, CA $141,440 per year
Napa, CA $139,680 per year
Sacramento, CA $135,490 per year
Salinas, CA $130,520 per year
Modesto, CA $127,730 per year
Corcoran, CA $124,790 per year
Paso Robles, CA $122,730 per year

California nursing salaries vary from region to region across the state. The area where registered nurses are paid the highest is Santa Clara, where the average RNs salary is $155,230 and 20,640 registered nurses are currently employed. The San Francisco area comes in second, with a $151,640 average RN salary and 41,160 registered nurses employed.

How much do similar professions get paid in Santa Cruz, CA?

Nurse Practitioner $150,280 per year
Dental Hygienist $114,370 per year
Physical Therapist $100,550 per year
Licensed Practical Nurse $66,800 per year
Pharmacy Technician $48,000 per year

At a $139,590 average annual salary, RNs in Santa Cruz tend to earn less than nurse practitioners ($150,280). They tend to earn more than dental hygienists ($114,370), physical therapists ($100,550), licensed practical nurses ($66,800), and pharmacy technicians ($48,000).

More about registered nurses

Registered nurses are licensed practitioners who help provide crucial care to patients in a wide variety of settings. Generally, they work under the supervision of a doctor or a nurse practitioner. Their day-to-day responsibilities depend on the specialty in which they choose to practice. Some of the most common specialties include ICU, pediatric, and medical-surgical nurses.

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