SOC 29-2061 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses — California
California · 10 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in California comes to $79,750 a year, ahead of the national median of $64,400 by 23.8%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in California comes to $79,750 a year, ahead of the national median of $64,400 by 23.8%. Pay ranges from under $64,390 at the tenth percentile to more than $100,450 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $74,840 to $93,720.
The area has 82,850 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 1.09 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. California ranks number 6th out of 51 states by median pay for this occupation. Within the state, San Jose records the highest median at $95,320. Of the 793 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 317th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $64,390 | −0.0% |
| 25th | $74,840 | +16.2% |
| Median (50th) | $79,750 | +23.8% |
| 75th | $93,720 | +45.5% |
| 90th | $100,450 | +56.0% |
| Mean | $82,340 | +27.9% |
Highest-paying metro areas in California
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose | $95,320 | 3,290 | |
| 2 | San Francisco | $94,310 | 8,800 | |
| 3 | Santa Rosa | $92,580 | 870 | |
| 4 | Vallejo | $85,430 | 870 | |
| 5 | Napa | $83,690 | 280 | |
| 6 | Sacramento | $81,570 | 4,760 | |
| 7 | Santa Cruz | $81,000 | 340 | |
| 8 | Salinas | $80,910 | 710 | |
| 9 | San Luis Obispo | $79,940 | 440 | |
| 10 | San Diego | $79,720 | 6,610 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in California run 10.7% above the national average, so the median of $79,750 buys what $72,042 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 11.9% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$79,750as reported by BLSLocal price level
110.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$72,042US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $79,750 a year, 23.8% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $64,390 to $100,450 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 82,850 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 6th of 51 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is San Jose, at $95,320.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses in California?
The median annual wage is $79,750, or $38.34 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $64,400, so pay in California is 23.8% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in California earns more than $100,450 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $64,390 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in San Jose, at $95,320 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 82,850 jobs in this occupation in California. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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