How Much Does an NP Make in San Diego, CA in 2026?
Typical pay for NPs in San Diego, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across California.
BLS OES May 2025 · San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad metro area
A typical NP in San Diego, California earns $78.78 per hour, or $163,860 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $13,655 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $131,380, and the top 10% of earners make over $215,640.
That pay is 3% below the California figure of $168,520 and 24% above the national figure of $132,300. San Diego ranks 18th of 25 metro areas in California for NP pay. About 2,340 NPs work in the San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad area. San Diego is part of the San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Chula Vista and Carlsbad share these figures.
NP pay in San Diego at a glance
- Typical pay is $78.78 an hour, or $163,860 a year.
- That is 3% below the California figure, ranking 18th of 25 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $131,380; the top 10% make over $215,640.
- Typical pay rose +44% from 2015 to 2025, against +43% for California as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an NP make in San Diego?
Pay in San Diego runs from entry-level positions at around $63.16 an hour to more than $103.67 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the California and national figures.
NP pay by career stage in San Diego
| Career stage | San Diego | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $131,380$63.16 an hour | $120,340$57.86 an hour | $101,340$48.72 an hour |
| First years | $135,410$65.10 an hour | $145,980$70.18 an hour | $117,990$56.73 an hour |
| Typical NP | $163,860$78.78 an hour | $168,520$81.02 an hour | $132,300$63.61 an hour |
| Experienced | $181,120$87.08 an hour | $209,350$100.65 an hour | $156,700$75.34 an hour |
| Top 10% | $215,640$103.67 an hour | $240,830$115.78 an hour | $174,420$83.86 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad area as BLS defines it
NP pay growth in San Diego
Typical (median) annual wage for NPs in the San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical NP pay in San Diego was $114,010 a year. By 2025 it had reached $163,860, a change of +44%, compared with +43% for California over the same years.
How San Diego compares with other California cities
San Jose pays NPs the most in California at $231,560 a year, $67,700 more than San Diego. The lowest-paying area in the state is Ventura at $148,800.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs San Diego | NPs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose metro incl. Santa Clara · Sunnyvale | $231,560 | $111.33 | +41% | 1,580 |
| 2 | Oakland metro incl. Fremont · San Francisco | $219,080 | $105.33 | +34% | 3,110 |
| 3 | Vallejo | $182,370 | $87.68 | +11% | 180 |
| 4 | Napa | $176,270 | $84.74 | +8% | 60 |
| 5 | Modesto | $173,380 | $83.36 | +6% | 380 |
| 6 | Sacramento | $172,010 | $82.70 | +5% | 1,170 |
| 7 | San Bernardino | $169,920 | $81.69 | +4% | 1,710 |
| 8 | Hanford metro incl. Corcoran | $168,540 | $81.03 | +3% | 70 |
| 9 | Watsonville metro incl. Santa Cruz | $167,190 | $80.38 | +2% | 190 |
| 10 | Chico | $167,080 | $80.33 | +2% | 140 |
| 11 | Petaluma metro incl. Santa Rosa | $167,040 | $80.31 | +2% | 280 |
| 12 | Fresno | $166,570 | $80.08 | +2% | 570 |
| 13 | Salinas | $166,090 | $79.85 | +1% | 140 |
| 14 | Santa Barbara metro incl. Santa Maria | $165,580 | $79.60 | +1% | 200 |
| 15 | Delano metro incl. Bakersfield | $165,580 | $79.61 | +1% | 430 |
| 16 | Yuba City | $165,020 | $79.34 | +1% | 70 |
| 17 | El Centro | $164,700 | $79.18 | +1% | 70 |
| 18 | San Diego metro incl. Chula Vista · Carlsbad | $163,860 | $78.78 | this city | 2,340 |
| 19 | San Luis Obispo metro incl. Paso Robles | $162,950 | $78.34 | -1% | 140 |
| 20 | Anaheim metro incl. Long Beach · Los Angeles | $161,470 | $77.63 | -1% | 10,060 |
| 21 | Redding | $160,480 | $77.15 | -2% | 120 |
| 22 | Visalia | $159,430 | $76.65 | -3% | 250 |
| 23 | Stockton metro incl. Lodi | $159,150 | $76.52 | -3% | 280 |
| 24 | Merced | $158,750 | $76.32 | -3% | 100 |
| 25 | Thousand Oaks | $148,800 | $71.54 | -9% | 320 |
Every metro area in California with NP wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · California typical pay $168,520
Is San Diego a good place to work as an NP?
NPs in San Diego earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $163,860 a year, 24% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad area, about 1.5 are NP positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 2.1. That makes NPs a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an NP make in San Diego, CA?
- A typical NP in San Diego earns $163,860 a year, or $78.78 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $131,380 and the top 10% earn over $215,640.
- How much does an NP make an hour in San Diego?
- Typical hourly pay for NPs in San Diego is $78.78. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $63.16, and the top 10% earn over $103.67 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an NP in San Diego?
- Entry-level NP positions in San Diego typically offer around $63.16 an hour, or $131,380 a year.
- Is NP pay in San Diego higher than in the rest of California?
- San Diego pay is 3% below the California figure of $168,520 a year, ranking 18th of 25 metro areas in the state. San Jose pays the most in California at $231,560.