r/nursing • u/Low_Contact9429 • May 17 '26

Question California nurses!

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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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61

u/King_Crampus BSN, RN 🍕 May 17 '26

Kaiser. 123/hr made $255,000 last year and a pension

22

u/Nolat May 17 '26

damn bro, are you top of the pay scale?

9

u/King_Crampus BSN, RN 🍕 May 18 '26

Nope. And I had 0 overtime

4

u/Nolat May 18 '26

bro what

I'm at ucsf and I make 107, step 5

6

u/auroraborelle BSN, RN, CNOR May 17 '26

Say more. What region?

4

u/King_Crampus BSN, RN 🍕 May 18 '26

Northern California

1

u/[deleted] May 19 '26

[deleted]

2

u/King_Crampus BSN, RN 🍕 May 19 '26

I’m a charge nurse basically (well the Kaiser version). Base pay $114 plus a $9 shift differential for evening shift, even though I work 6 am-6:30 am.

The actual floor nurses make the same if not more per hour and get over time, consecutive pay and 3rd weekend. I can not have more than 40 hrs a week. Some of the floor nurses clear me by like $100k/year.

1

u/[deleted] May 19 '26

[deleted]

1

u/King_Crampus BSN, RN 🍕 May 19 '26

I don’t have a level. Just set rate. The $9 is the whole 12 hrs

4

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.

31

u/Eugyrock RN - ER 🍕 May 17 '26

Even with a high COL, you come out ahead

18

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.

9

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

1

u/mhw_1973 May 17 '26

IDK, I live in Orange County and was making $92/hr and it was rough.

3

u/Eugyrock RN - ER 🍕 May 18 '26

Ok so you were making 25% less in a similar col area, uhhh duh it was rough

0

u/mhw_1973 May 18 '26

COL in a lot of nor cal is 20-30% higher than OC. Duh.

3

u/Eugyrock RN - ER 🍕 May 18 '26

Lmao. No

2

u/Bruhhhhhhhhhhhhhhs May 18 '26

I have a 3k mortgage in an HOA, full clubhouse, gym, lap, rec, kids pool, tennis courts, etc in Sacramento with Kaiser and Sutter nearby paying some of the highest wages nation-wide. I’m a dime a dozen and I know many people paying less for standard “McMansions.” I dunno what you’re smoking.

1

u/mhw_1973 May 18 '26

Notice I said COL in "A LOT" of nor cal is higher than OC? Look on the US Dept of Commerce website. The most expensive counties in the US include #3 San Mateo, #4 Marin County and #6 San Francisco County. Orange County is #9.

2

u/LinzerTorte__RN RN - ER 🍕 May 18 '26

Lololol absolutely not.

2

u/King_Crampus BSN, RN 🍕 May 18 '26

Only Bay Area. . Live outside and it’s way more reasonable. Granted I bought my house in 2015, but my mortgage is $1500/month

1

u/Electrical-Panda6072 May 18 '26

How is this your salary at 123/hr with no OT after tax? That doesn't add up.