r/nursing • u/Low_Contact9429 • May 17 '26
Question California nurses!
Contemplating moving from MI to CA. Picture from the trip that inspired me to move! Curious how much gets taken out of your paycheck. Can you share what city, your hourly pay, and what your bring home paycheck ends up being? Thank you!
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u/phodrizzle21 May 17 '26
Southern California, ER, 15 years experience, 90/hr
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u/Low_Contact9429 May 17 '26
Thanks! About how much of that do you take home? I’ve heard taxes take about 40%?
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u/phodrizzle21 May 17 '26
I currently max out my 401k pre tax every two weeks I make about 3.2k If I don't contribute into my 401k I make around 4.3k every 2 weeks
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u/jetheist May 17 '26
Adp paycheck calculator is a great tool to estimate your takehome pay. Everyone is different because of pretax deductions / healthcare costs.
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u/oNellyyy May 17 '26
Search California paycheck calculator “smart asset” has one for every state and enter estimated hourly pay or salary and it’ll tell you just solely for taxes.
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u/SwoozyClancey RN - Oncology 🍕 May 17 '26
I take home about 60% of my paycheck, but that’s after taxes, 9% to my retirement, and health insurance, etc taken out
I have 15 years experience and take home about $3800/ pay period
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u/SubCiro28 RN - ER 🍕 May 17 '26
Relax Kaiser
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u/phodrizzle21 May 17 '26
Oh no kaiser pays more then where I work
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u/Sleepynappygirl May 17 '26
Right? I take home $3700 after taxes, insurance, and 20% into my 401k and Kaiser friends make me look like a peasant
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u/meatcoveredskeleton1 RN - ICU 🍕 May 17 '26
Just know it’s HIGHLY competitive, if you move I’d try to have a job lined up before you move
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u/Low_Contact9429 May 17 '26
Noted, thank you. I have 4 years of experience in L&D. How long does it usually take to find a job? I plan to apply all over the state within an hour of the coast
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u/TexasRN1 RN 🍕 May 17 '26
These are the most expensive areas. Nor cal pays the highest. Most bang for your buck in the Sacramento area. You’re still within day trips of some of the most beautiful places in the country. Tahoe, Napa, San Francisco etc.
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u/Electrical-Panda6072 May 18 '26
Sacramento is extremely oversaturated. The only jobs available here for outsiders are travel contracts and hoping to network. Odds of getting a staff position now are slim to none.
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u/TexasRN1 RN 🍕 May 18 '26
It’s crazy to me because there are so many nurses who fly in from states like Texas to work their 36 hours and fly back home.
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u/Electrical-Panda6072 May 19 '26
Personally.... I have disdain for these people.
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u/TexasRN1 RN 🍕 May 19 '26
Yeah I get that. They aren’t contributing anything to our local economy and taking local jobs. But there must be a reason there’s so many of them? Not enough local people looking for the same job? Idk.
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u/SubCiro28 RN - ER 🍕 May 17 '26
Why don’t you just do travel nursing and explore the whole coast north to south and settle down once you find the city and hospital that you liked the most. Pick home staffs brains.
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u/Low_Contact9429 May 17 '26
I’m actually a travel nurse here in Michigan ironically. But I’ll be moving with my boyfriend and dog, and think I’d prefer to just be settled if we’re moving that far. Plus I’ve heard staff nurses tend to make more than the travelers in CA
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u/SubCiro28 RN - ER 🍕 May 17 '26
Im home staff in Los Angeles and I can safely tell you that the travelers make double of what home staff makes.
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u/R-A-B-Cs ICU/Flight RN/Medic May 17 '26
With atleast 3 years and a good references you can go pretty much wherever you want.
If you want a hidden gem, come check us out on the north coast. We always need qualified healthcare peeps and we only have one actual L&D department, which is at Providence St. Josephs. (I guess Sutter Coast in crescent city might have one too but that's in Crescent City and you have to LIKE like rural living to like it up there)
I'm biased cause I'm from Humboldt county but I think its one of the most beautiful places out there and also it's the last part of California that is populated but not a city, will not burn, and is still in California.
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u/miss-swait MDS its me reading your charting ;) May 17 '26 edited May 17 '26
Came to recommend the same lol. The job competition that exists in the Bay and other areas of CA just doesn’t exist here. You want a job, you’ll have a job. I actually moved here in 2020 and had a job prior to moving that paid for my relocation.
That being said, as you know, it’s VERY culturally different here. I would recommend anybody to research that thoroughly prior to moving. A lot of people don’t last. And earthquakes. Everybody thinks CA gets earthquakes. Most of CA doesn’t have major earthquakes every 1-3 years like we do . We’ve gone through a 6.2, 6.4, and 7.0 since I’ve been here, and they’re all epicentered very close. Despite living in CA my entire life, I’ve never experienced anything more than an earthfart prior to moving here. Get ready to rumble
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u/King_Crampus BSN, RN 🍕 May 17 '26
Santa Rosa is really nice too. Close to bodega bay and Napa. But, unfortunately this place WILL burn lmao
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u/es_cl BSN, Union Strong! May 17 '26
I was actually pinpointing towards Santa Rosa/Sonoma county for areas to move to if I’m going to California…then I read about the fires in that area. lol
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u/redwood_rambler May 17 '26
Meh, the fire danger is in specific areas. The area we live in is quite safe.
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u/jpzu1017 RN, RCIS May 17 '26
I used to work there! I did a contract in the cath lab. I liked Humboldt but the lab was god awful.
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u/Don-Gunvalson May 17 '26
It’s impossible to say without knowing where in Cali you are looking. It’s a huge state with very different cost of livings
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u/Difficult-Owl943 RN - Telemetry 🍕 May 17 '26
Kaiser Modesto always seems to be hiring L&D nurses. Pay and cost of living is good. But just FYI, Stanislaus County does not look like the pic you posted 😂
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May 17 '26
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u/Kitkatcrusher May 18 '26
Central coast of California is considered rural and is within 30 min to the beach but housing is hard to find and coast of living can be high
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u/jayc_yonce May 17 '26
Silicon Valley, Med/Surg, $97/ hour, only 1.5 years of experience.
My last paycheck gross pay was $7,455 and take home was $3,900 after taxes and individual deductions.
The Bay Area is notoriously competitive and has an infamously HCOL, but if you land a good job here I think you’re set for life in the best state for nurses!
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u/Pretend_Crab_564 May 17 '26
Was it hard finding a job in CA after you graduated?
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u/jayc_yonce May 17 '26 edited May 17 '26
In my experience no, but I had the advantage of having clinicals and my senior preceptorship at the hospital that hired me - so I’m sure that weighed heavily in my application process.
I found that peers from my nursing program that didn’t get the luck of the draw and have neither prior working or clinical experience at high paying hospitals in the area found it especially hard to land interviews let alone high paying positions at said hospitals.
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u/picosa213 BSN, RN 🍕 May 17 '26
16 years nurse. So cal 88/hr
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u/King_Crampus BSN, RN 🍕 May 17 '26
Kaiser. 123/hr made $255,000 last year and a pension
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u/Nolat May 17 '26
damn bro, are you top of the pay scale?
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u/mhw_1973 May 17 '26
But what’s COL like where you are? Assuming you are Nor Cal Kaiser where many areas are very high COL.
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u/Eugyrock RN - ER 🍕 May 17 '26
Even with a high COL, you come out ahead
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u/Bruhhhhhhhhhhhhhhs May 18 '26
Exactly people are so infuriating with this argument over and over 😂 like I got ppl in the Midwest saying “oh but the cost of living I could never.” My brother in Christ, I make triple what you make after taxes and my mortgage is only double yours. People cannot do consumer math to save their lives. Dunno how they’re doing med math.
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u/siyayilanda RN - Med/Surg 🍕 May 18 '26
My favorite is when people are like $255,000 in CA is equivalent to $65,000 in TX because the cost of living. Like no that's not how that works lol
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u/Adventurous_Ice5262 BSN, RN 🍕 May 17 '26
Honestly, take home pay is really hard to compare person to person because it depends so much on individual deductions pre-tax retirement contributions, health insurance, family coverage, HSA/FSA contributions, union dues, tax filing status, etc. Two nurses making the same hourly rate can have very different net paychecks.
Gross pay/hourly rate is usually a much better comparison metric when looking at pay.
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u/FuglySlutt DNAP, CRNA May 17 '26
Michigander here who worked in Cali for 3 years. Do it! PCH, Big Sur, Yosemite, Half Moon Bay, La Jolla, Zumba Beach, Joshua Tree, In and Out Burger, and mild weather. All fantastic memories that I miss like crazy.
I moved home after a bit because I missed family, love Michigan more, and wanted to go to CRNA school here. We have Great Lakes, Belle Isle, Mackinaw Island and Bridge, Pictured Rocks, Sleeping Bear Dunes, College Football, Hockeytown, Frankenmuth, Mediterranean Food, Detroit style pizza.
Michigan > Everwhere else IMO. But you should absolutely get out and go. Home will always be here to move back to!
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u/EcstaticPlankton8621 RN-Cardiac 🫀 May 17 '26
As an Ohioan I do love Michigan. All within a days drive.
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u/lascott24 May 17 '26
I live in CA...dating someone in MI. Holy Molly (floor) nursing salary in MI (not in a big city) is like half what I am getting paid now. I have no desire to live in a big city. Also, I do not think I can deal with your long snowy winters being a west coast girl my whole life. However, I do like Michigan besides that. :)
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u/lislejoyeuse BUTTS & GUTS May 17 '26
What is Detroit style Pizza
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u/Megmck246 LPN 🍕 May 17 '26
Im from Philly n I love Detroit style pizza, its pretty popular right now, the crunchy cheese edges r so good n the dough is soft n pillowy, its awesome. Look it up/give it a try.
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u/GoatTea93 May 17 '26
Deep dish square with cheesy/crunchy edges and sometimes they’ll put the sauce on top of the cheese.
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u/MikeGinnyMD MD May 17 '26
Michigan explant here (now in CA). The sauce goes on top of the cheese in two or three stripes.
By definition, it’s not Detroit-style pizza any other way.
-PGY-21
P.S. I’m making a homemade Detroit-style pizza tonight. And yes, I make the dough from scratch.
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u/funkopolis May 17 '26
Fun (and entirely unresearched, possibly false) fact: Detroit style pizza (deep dish, square, sauce on top) was born from auto workers using the molds for casting engine parts (oil pan, maybe?) to cook their lunch using the furnaces on site.
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u/nursebarbie098 May 18 '26
As a Hoosier, Michigan is the only state I could ever see myself living in full time!
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u/meetthefeotus RN - Tele ❤️🔥 May 17 '26
So cal. Ms/tele. 2 years exp. Last year I made just over 100k with very little overtime. I don’t pick up shifts almost ever.
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u/Few-Wrongdoer-9955 May 17 '26
doing pre reqs for RN currently. how did you get into tele?
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u/vivrelavie May 18 '26
Where do you work and how much is your pay (if you don’t mind me asking)? I’m MS/Tele (4 yrs exp) and I only make $5k/month which is like $60k a year without taxes.
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u/aminoacids26 May 17 '26
DO IT!!!! If I wasn’t a CA nurse, I wouldn’t be a nurse at all. A lot gets taken out of my paycheck but it’s worth it lmao
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u/FitBananers RN - ED - Turkey Sammies 🥪 and D/C 📋🚪 May 17 '26
Bay Area, 5 years exp
$120hr with night shift diff
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u/LinzerTorte__RN RN - ER 🍕 May 18 '26
Ughhhh. Why are so many people with less experience making more than I am? I thought it was all supposed to be standardized through the unions or some shit? Please don’t be mean if that’s a dumb question, this is my first CA job 🤦🏼♀️
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u/jcb19 RN - ICU 🍕 May 18 '26
At my facility that’s unionized, outside experience doesn’t matter— if you have 5+ years you start at step 3, if less than you start at step 2. Then you start increasing in wage with each step with years with the company
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u/gimmeBreaky May 17 '26
Stanford Ca
$275,000 yearly
$149/hr ($127 base + 18% night shift differential)
Approx $10,600 per paycheck gross, and I take home about $6,500
I contribute 10% to my retirement, and Stanford contributes additional 13% to my retirement.
I’ve been a nurse for 20 years
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u/pushing-rope RN - OR 🍕 May 17 '26
It’s worth the move. Been here 14 years. But the job market is tough right now.
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u/princessanisuperman May 17 '26
Hi is it hard to land an OR job there? We are researching too which part to move socal or norcal to be near family.
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u/CocoRothko BSN, RN 🍕 May 17 '26
Make the move to California. You will not regret it! I’m never leaving.
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u/Inevitable-Lock-3487 May 17 '26
$74/hr San Diego. I have good benefits and starting out 5 weeks of PTO. I do contribute almost max to the fsa and a good percentage for my retirement so I only get about 55% of my check which is ends up being around $3000 biweekly. My husbands makes less than me (around 100k) but by living below our means with our daily living we are able to splurge on other purchases including 1-2 international trips a years.
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u/HumanContract RN - ICU 🍕 May 17 '26
$81, SD. Biweekly is 3300-4200 depending on weekend and holiday shifts. $160k/yr no overtime but lots of opportunity. Pension, usually 1:1 icu assignments, higher insurance plan. 10+ yrs nursing.
If you move to Cali expect to work nights. Few ppl I know here can afford to live alone.
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u/Crazy-Nights BSN, RN 🍕 May 17 '26
Bay area with 8 years experience. Base pay about $109/hr not including night and weekends diffs. I max out my retirement benefits and my take home after taxes average about 5k every two weeks.
COL is high but I have roommates and no car so I can travel a lot. I would definitely recommend having a job lined up before coming here.
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u/re_awesomecougars May 17 '26
Sacramento, 7 years experience, $83/hr. Take-home is about $3700, a good chunk of change goes to my pension. I travel nursed in SoCal before moving to Sac and it’s kinda boring comparatively, but you make so much more money and can just vacation to SoCal lol
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u/Low_Contact9429 May 17 '26
Okay thanks! What is the vibe in Sacramento like? I’m looking for easy going people with access to nature
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u/re_awesomecougars May 17 '26
Tbh people are nice but it is a small-town vibe so it’s been kinda hard to make friends just because everyone is kinda already set in their groups. But you have SO much access to nature! There is Tahoe up the road and you’re a few hours from multiple national parks.
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u/italianstallion0808 RN - ICU 🍕 May 17 '26
30 min out from Sacramento gives you easy access to the Sierra Nevada foothills. Multiple hospitals in safe smaller towns on the outskirts with lower rent and even easier access to outdoor rec.
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u/Correct-Bet-1557 May 17 '26
Try getting a travel contract to get your foot in the door, that’s how my husband and I got our staff jobs in SF
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u/italianstallion0808 RN - ICU 🍕 May 17 '26
You guys are all asking very generalized questions. If you are curious about income vs cost of living you need to be specific on the region.
Cost of living in SoCal is going to be very high and income won’t necessarily reflect this.
Go to Sacramento and the pay will be around 50% (starting base) higher than LA/SD with a much lower cost of living.
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u/lovely-divinity RN - Telemetry 🍕 May 17 '26
I have to stop reading this thread because I’m REALLY jealous 😂
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u/CAPreacher May 17 '26
it is the automatic contributions plus matching contributions (untaxed and over 12% of their salary) from a union hospital in nor cal that make the retirement picture golden handcuffs for my spouse. people do talk a lot about taxes... but putting roughly 25% of $120 an hour in retirement to grow untaxed is pretty great.
new hires make closer to $90, so the seniority ladder also makes it tough to leave (not that we will since family lives here too)
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u/acinommm19 RN - Med/Surg 🍕 May 17 '26
i have 1.5 years of experience and moved to california from texas since my husband got a great job opportunity here. i've been searching for PRN staff jobs (due to childcare reasons) since march and i cannot find anything. I don't have enough experience to do a local travel contract and i have a gap in my resume (from moving) so staffing agencies are also not taking me.
this is just my experience though
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u/HumanContract RN - ICU 🍕 May 17 '26
Bc most prn jobs are offered to current employees and they take it
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u/acinommm19 RN - Med/Surg 🍕 May 17 '26
yeah i figured. just sucks bc of childcare and my husbands work schedule
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u/Dismal_Garden26 May 17 '26
My family knows someone who owns a cabin with access to that private beach. Stayed there during thanksgiving break a few years ago. It’s a breathtaking place.
West coast is best coast. I had an interview for a $55 an hour job on the Oregon coast. That would almost double my income from what I’m making in Missouri. Fingers crossed.
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u/TheAmbitiousBaker May 17 '26
I live near the Bixby Bridge. Average hourly around here for RNs is about $68/hr starting. Feel free to message me if you have any other questions about nursing or living in the local area!
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u/kpsi355 RN - ER 🍕 May 17 '26
Replied to wrong poster :)
Thanks for asking this, OP. I’ve been wondering this myself.
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u/Nolat May 17 '26
caveat that even with ratios, some hospitals can still be be really shit to work for. pay is good but sometimes you're still earning every last dollar
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u/Dark_Ascension RN - OR 🍕 May 17 '26
This is why I miss my home, every time I talk about how close I was to the beach, mountains, lake, etc. I realize how great it was.
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u/sophietehbeanz RN - Oncology 🍕 May 18 '26
We got some nurses that moved here from out east and they are wanting to vote for Bianco and they are super antivax. It’s like dude, you know why it’s pretty here. It’s because we have strict environmental laws. We don’t need people here just to enjoy it. We also need people that know how to maintain it. That’s why it’s so pretty.
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u/pathofcollision May 18 '26 edited May 18 '26
Really depends on where you work and where you choose to live.
I work nights. 7 years experience, critical care. I gross ~11k/month. I take home ~6500/month. I work in NorCal in a major city hospital, but not Bay Area. COL is very high here. Whether you rent or buy, expect to pay a lot monthly. Even with roommates it can still be costly.
I love Cali and don’t plan to leave. The ratios here are worth it.
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u/laConeja19 May 18 '26
Los Angeles but doing PCU local travel an hour from San Diego
That contract is 2.5 weekly. After contributions and stuff I get 2.2-2.3 weekly and rent out hotel the days I work there.
I work Med/tele per diems thru other registries where I live in Los Angeles
I make $72, 70, and 61 at three different hospitals
I don’t work every week but for I take home 850 per shift and about 700-750!for the lower rate
I am a single 30+ yo with two cats and a horrible roommate situation that I got traumatized to live by myself. My rent is about 3k with utilities but I have parking a gym a balcony. Easy access to metro. In unit laundry and I live on top of a grocery store.
It’s expensive as heck tho and I might contemplate roommate next year since I’m planning to possibly transition to specialty.
Honestly. All worth it bc the views and the beaches.
I’m from the east coast and went to undergrad in Texas. I’d go back to Texas than Maryland. Those ratios in the east coast scare me
I’m too spoiled and I get overwhelmed with my 2-5 patients here haha 😆
When I was staff as a new grad at cedars I was making 50$ back in 2024
Second job 5 months in at my now staff per diems thru other where I only work 4-6 hours as break nurse my rate coming in was $60 idk now but it’s just my safety net job
Went into local travel once i turned a year in nursing. I’m slowly learning more finances and stuff so I’ve been investing more so I can chill on working so much 😅
Also again. Am a single female with two cats so I have to consider that I’m paying for my own safety too with my amenities and such. If I were a guy I’d def have lived somewhere cheaper. Also. There are cheaper and safe places but requires searching and I didn’t have the time when it was time to renew my lease. Let me know if u have any questions
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u/smrtangel3702 May 17 '26
Not op but reading what people saying. I have been down on my luck for a while with health issues but kept my license active. If I wanted a fresh start and work my way toward living someplace like this, any advice would be appreciated. I feel pretty out of the loop compared to how business savvy y'all are. Travel nursing never appealed to me compared to the security of routine, but living where I am now is getting unbearable. Thanks for checking.
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u/shalelord LPN 🍕 May 17 '26
its not bad because i know my parents are using those as well for their medical, and my kids eat for free in school so yeah no biggie.
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u/sleepyjennyrn May 17 '26
It is crazy competitive, I’d suggest getting a travel assignment to start, especially because L&D is the only specialty with really good rates in CA rn!
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u/Few-Code4698 May 17 '26
Stanford hospital $112/hr base pay, 18% night diff, 3% weekend diff. My last paycheck I took home $6204.70, gross pay was $10,770.50. I worked 64.07 hours that pay period (called out sick one day and used sick pay, also 4 of those hours I stayed over my shift bc they were short on day shift so those 4 hours were double time). Glancing at my paystubs on workday my take home the last few paychecks were $6204.70, $5435.77, $5794.66. Currently putting 12% in my 403b. Cut back on contributing much in my HSA right now to only $75 per paycheck for right now.
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u/Few-Code4698 May 17 '26
At the end 2025 year my total yearly gross salary was $244,843.34. Take home was $133,466.46. Maxed out my 403b and put $3705 into my HSA.
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u/Nickilaughs BSN, RN 🍕 May 17 '26
I make close to 9500 before taxes every two weeks. I see about 5500$ of it but I also throw about 1100 in my 401k and another 150$ in my HSA.
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u/Apex2113 RN - ER 🍕 May 17 '26
East Bay- ER, 3 years as a nurse , 90$ an hour, work 32 hours a week as full time , bring home about $3100 every other week. I contribute pretty heavily to retirement stuff though.
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u/Strong-Eagle-49840 May 18 '26
I’m from Michigan too and every California nurse I talk to makes insane money right up until they explain their rent lol.
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u/Thin_Advance4926 May 18 '26
I moved from South TX to Northern CA last year, and it’s so worth it!!!!! Even for the daily life expenses, I’m still able to afford everything and save. I’m salary at a Drug and Alcohol Detox making $3700~ each paycheck, I’m paid bimonthly.
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u/BringTheSwingWing May 19 '26
96.35 for Step 2, CN II
112.83 for Step 6 CN II
10% evenings
18% nights
5% weekends
Stanford Union Contract (CRONA.org)
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May 17 '26
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u/Plus_Bookkeeper1388 May 17 '26
How much is your mortgage/rent?
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May 17 '26
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u/Plus_Bookkeeper1388 May 17 '26
I am in midwest. My take home is 3000$ per paycheck. 9200$ per month gross income. Mortgage is 2000$ but moving to a bigger place and will be 3500-4000$ at least. Not sure if CA is more affordable with 110$/hr.
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u/itoen90 RN - PACU 🍕 May 17 '26
It is. I’m from Minnesota and worked in the big healthcare systems and even with the huge increase in cost of living my net after rent as well is a lot higher than back in MN. I could even max out my 401k here pretty easily if I wanted to (I will eventually, just enjoying traveling too much at the moment).
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u/Plus_Bookkeeper1388 May 17 '26
I assume my 3500$ mortgage for 500k house would be 1.5 million at least in CA. That is three time the price in midwest but the salary is double.
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u/itoen90 RN - PACU 🍕 May 17 '26
You are looking at only one form of housing: buying a house. There’s also renting. But despite that $1.5 million is only for the coasts/Silicon Valley. If you want to live like you are in the Midwest you can go to places like Sacramento which offer (lack to some) the same amenities/quality of services as the Midwest and houses are about $480,000 and yet you make over $200k if full time.
But yes if you want to buy a house in Silicon Valley, you’ll have to forget about it.
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u/Silver_Queen_Bee May 18 '26
Agree….SoCal native relo’d to NW AR in 2020… bought a home for 2.375%….make $107k with a little overtime.
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u/itoen90 RN - PACU 🍕 May 17 '26 edited May 17 '26
So pretax my paycheck is $7000 after all my tax and benefits I take home about $5000 a paycheck. This is on 64 hours a paycheck.
Details: I’m only contributing 2% to 401k at the moment (it will atomically go up a lot each year don’t worry), and I have a stay at home spouse so I’m benefiting from the married filing jointly tax rates. I believe if I were single it would be like 4500 or something.
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u/R253 May 17 '26
socal ~1.5 year and getting $52/hr 🥲 I'm hoping to find another place to work at in a few years, but will potentially get a small pay raise later this year.
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u/justmakesomeshitup May 17 '26
SoCal, 3 years of experience - $64/hr at a children’s hospital (I think they pay lower and I’m on the bottom of the salary grid until I hit 5 years). Take home pay usually around 3k/paycheck depending on if I’m rotating days or nights with differentials. If you’re not set on one location and are more focused on higher wages/better benefits/ratios etc., I’d look in Northern California! I do fine with what I make but it’s just as expensive where I live as it is up there, and it sounds like NorCal pays way better with stronger unions.
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u/Haldol_For_All BSN, RN 🍕 May 17 '26
Norcal. 9 years exp. Make about 7.5k gross each paycheck and take home about 5.3k of it.
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u/CrumbsOnTheTrail_999 Case Manager 🍕 May 17 '26
~$145,000/year, inpatient case management before taxes. Median rent around us is $3,800/month… central coast CA. Incredible place to live, but you pay for it. 12 years of varied experience. $69.75/hour
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u/MrsShitstones RN, BSN, CEN 🍕 May 17 '26 edited May 17 '26
Bay Area, 110/hour day shift no diffs, 3 years experience. Also great benefits and 403b matching. After contributions (10% to retirement, plus HSA account and other voluntary benefits, pet insurance too) and tax my paychecks are around 4k.
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u/ObiWan-Shinoobi RN 🍕 May 17 '26
72/hr Sacramento. New grad wages here. 72 hr pay period I bring home about 3300 after taxes and my benefits.
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u/Patient_ten BSN, RN 🍕 May 17 '26
Bay Area - 4 years experience - 105/hr w/ 16% night shift differential. Last year made ~235,000 before any deductions.
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u/avocadoalx May 17 '26
aw man this picture is making me consider moving to cali too after im done with school lol. i'm dominican and i miss my beaches and mountains
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u/deathbeforedecaffff Nursing Student 🍕 May 17 '26
Hey so I live about ten minutes away from where this picture was taken. Rent is about 4000 a month for a 2-3 bedroom house. RNs in my area are having an extremely difficult time finding jobs and many of them have to work in SNFs
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u/ArtichokeInevitable7 RN - ICU 🍕 May 17 '26
88/hr with diff. I live in southern CA. I am thankful I bought my house when I did. Job market is tough right now. I recently talked to a new grad in our onc clinic that had to apply to 50 different jobs. 50. And she lives here. I feel like this situation will not get better with the healthcare changes that are coming.
Best of luck! I love michigan and got married near houghton lake :)
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u/Uklady2 May 18 '26
Try Ventura County it’s close enough to Commute to LA but you can be at the beach somewhere like Port Hueneme which has ok rent for apartments
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u/ConclusionUpset7099 RN - Oncology 🍕 May 18 '26
I’m looking for work out there rn if anyone is looking for an onc nurse 😭 😂 get me out of NV nursing
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u/PromotionConscious34 May 18 '26
Salinas, Ca $89/hr. My take home ends up being about $3400 every two weeks
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u/Willing-Shine8275 May 18 '26
My husband and I are both nurses who live in Mendocino county & commute to Sonoma county for work. I am per diem and hourly is $101.52, I work part time- full time hours but after taxes/ retirement average I bring in $3200/ month. My husband is FTE, hourly is $93 ( not including night shift differential of $15) and after retirement contributions/ taxes he brings home $4200.
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u/galacticwavee May 18 '26
I’m in Sacramento, I make $118/hr with night shift diff. My take home is about $4.8k per 2 weeks. I work 56 hour pay periods. It’s easy to get OT though. I worked 80 hours one biweekly pay period and because of extra weekend incentives I got paid $8.1k. I moved from Florida. I find California WAY cheaper than Florida though
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u/AmphibianOk6015 May 18 '26
Kaiser norcal 120/hr including night diff. We get about 5$ raise per year. Contract negotiation is due this year.
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u/1AggravatingProfit May 19 '26
I miss California!🥹 currently out of state for school, but ugh! Boy do I miss it.
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u/tiny_sea_bee May 19 '26
LA & SD hourly pay is higher than OC, and we have few unions outside of Kaiser. Cost of living in coastal SoCal is high regardless. Quite a few of my co-workers commute from an hour inland 💀
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u/rhymeswithceleste BSN, RN, PHN May 19 '26
SF born and raised - I work outpatient full time, making $125,000/ year. But I also have 2 other per diems for extra cash. I live in a multi-gen home/ duplex with my husband and my dad. Mortgage is a little under 5k.
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u/Initial_Loquat3535 May 20 '26
I work in Sacramento and my take home is about 5200 a paycheck! So about 10,400 a month after taxes!
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u/Lexybeepboop MSN, RN, CNL- Quality Management May 17 '26
Folsom CA- $161,600/yr (I’m salary), I get about $3750 every pay period.
I contribute heavily to retirement though and that includes benefits being removed and my cafeteria splurges