SOC 29-2061 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses — San Francisco
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA · 10 metro areas compared
In San Francisco, CA the median wage for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses reaches $94,310 a year.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow about as fast as average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +2.6%
- Openings per year
- 54,400
- Typical entry-level education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
In San Francisco, CA the median wage for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses reaches $94,310 a year. That is 46.4% more than the national median of $64,400. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $81,650 and $104,110. The lowest tenth earn under $75,900, while the highest tenth earn more than $109,120.
Employment stands at 8,800, or 3.7 jobs per thousand held locally. San Jose leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $95,320. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 284th of 688 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $75,900 | +17.9% |
| 25th | $81,650 | +26.8% |
| Median (50th) | $94,310 | +46.4% |
| 75th | $104,110 | +61.7% |
| 90th | $109,120 | +69.4% |
| Mean | $93,470 | +45.1% |
Other metro areas in California
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose | $95,320 | 3,290 | |
| 2 | Santa Rosa | $92,580 | 870 | |
| 3 | Vallejo | $85,430 | 870 | |
| 4 | Napa | $83,690 | 280 | |
| 5 | Sacramento | $81,570 | 4,760 | |
| 6 | Santa Cruz | $81,000 | 340 | |
| 7 | Salinas | $80,910 | 710 | |
| 8 | San Luis Obispo | $79,940 | 440 | |
| 9 | San Diego | $79,720 | 6,610 | |
| 10 | Los Angeles | $79,310 | 33,590 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in San Francisco run 15.6% above the national average, so the median of $94,310 buys what $81,583 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 26.7% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$94,310as reported by BLSLocal price level
115.6US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$81,583US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $94,310 a year, 46.4% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $75,900 to $109,120 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 8,800 jobs in 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 San Francisco, CA?
The median annual wage is $94,310, or $45.34 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 San Francisco, CA is 46.4% 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 San Francisco, CA earns more than $109,120 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $75,900 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 8,800 jobs in this occupation in San Francisco, CA. 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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