Registered nurse pay in San Francisco, CA
Registered nurses in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area earn a typical $186,610 a year. The middle half earn $137,120 to $215,630, and the top 10% earn more than $223,770. About 41,750 people do this job there.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Registered Nurses, SOC 29-1141).
Pay range
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $119,290 |
| 25th percentile | $137,120 |
| Median (typical) | $186,610 |
| 75th percentile | $215,630 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $223,770 |
Typical pay here ranks No. 2 of 50 large metros for registered nurses before taxes and prices.
After taxes and cost of living
At the typical $186,610, a single filer keeps about $125,800 a year after federal, Social Security, Medicare, and California state income tax. Prices in San Francisco are 16% above the US average, so that take-home buys what $108,800 would in a typical US city. That ranks San Francisco No. 3 of 50 large metros for registered nurses after cost of living.
Where registered nurses’ pay goes furthest
- San Jose, CA$216,740 typical · worth $132k
- Sacramento, CA$171,460 typical · worth $109k
- Seattle, WA$128,260 typical · worth $89k
- Riverside, CA$133,940 typical · worth $88.9k
All 50 metros for registered nurses →
Where does your salary land?
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Common questions
How much does a registered nurse make in San Francisco, CA?
The typical (median) registered nurse in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area earns $186,610 a year. The middle half earn between $137,120 and $215,630, and the top 10% earn more than $223,770. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
What is a good salary for a registered nurse in San Francisco?
Anything above $186,610 pays more than half of registered nurses in San Francisco. $215,630 or more puts you in the top quarter, and $223,770 in the top 10%. Experience and employer move where you should be in that range.
How much does a registered nurse in San Francisco take home after taxes?
At the typical $186,610, a single filer keeps about $125,800 a year ($10,480 a month) after federal, Social Security, Medicare, California state income tax. With local prices 16% above the US average, that buys what $108,800 would in a typical US city.
Where do registered nurses get paid the most after cost of living?
Among the 50 largest US metros, typical registered nurse pay goes furthest after taxes and prices in San Jose, CA, Sacramento, CA, Seattle, WA. San Francisco, CA ranks No. 3.
More: Registered nurse pay in every large metro · Pay for other jobs in San Francisco, CA
Local prices: BEA regional price parities, 2024. Updated November 2026.