40h normalized salary comparison

Registered Nurse Salary in Los Angeles

Average Registered Nurse salary in Los Angeles on a 40h basis 107,313 $ 8,943 $ gross/month · 51.59 $ gross/hour
Full-time salary range/year 68,333 $ – 166,667 $
Full-time salary range/month 5,694 $ – 13,889 $
Based on 35 salary reports

The average salary for a Registered Nurse in Los Angeles is 107,313 $ per year on a 40-hour full-time equivalent, or 8,943 $ gross per month and 51.59 $ gross per hour. The reported full-time salary range is 68,333 $ to 166,667 $. The analysis is based on 35 salary reports from workers and employers in Los Angeles. Part-time salaries are proportionally converted to 40 weekly hours so the values are comparable.

Reports 35
Minimum 40h 68,333 $
Avg. gross/year 40h 107,313 $
Avg. Gross/month 40h 8,943 $
Avg. gross/hour 40h 51.59 $
Maximum 40h 166,667 $

Minimum, average and maximum values on a 40h basis

Trend over time on a 40h basis

Individual reported salaries

Date Job title Weekly hours Reported gross/year Normalized to 40h/year Gross/month 40h Gross/hour 40h Note
06/10/2026 Registered Nurse 40.0 h 130,500 $ 130,500 $ 10,875 $ 62.74 $ I'm a mid-to-senior level RN in a high-cost urban facility working full time (40 hours). My pay reflects several years of specialty experience and certifications.
03/05/2026 Registered Nurse 34.0 h 112,000 $ 131,765 $ 10,980 $ 63.35 $ I worked a flexible schedule as a contracted RN at 34 hours per week in an acute care setting. The contract paid a premium for flexibility.
01/10/2026 Registered Nurse 40.0 h 148,000 $ 148,000 $ 12,333 $ 71.15 $ I serve as a lead RN in a transplant unit and work full time (40 hours). The role carries a high level of clinical responsibility and specialty certification.
12/18/2025 Registered Nurse 30.0 h 85,000 $ 113,333 $ 9,444 $ 54.49 $ I work part time as a per diem ICU nurse, averaging about 30 hours a week across multiple facilities. My hourly pay is higher because of per diem status.
09/09/2025 Registered Nurse 40.0 h 138,000 $ 138,000 $ 11,500 $ 66.35 $ I'm a senior telemetry RN with significant experience; I work full time (40 hours) and often precept and assist with quality initiatives.
06/01/2025 Registered Nurse 20.0 h 45,000 $ 90,000 $ 7,500 $ 43.27 $ I work part time as a school nurse, roughly 20 hours per week during the school year, handling basic care and triage for students.
03/22/2025 Registered Nurse 40.0 h 135,000 $ 135,000 $ 11,250 $ 64.90 $ I work full time in an ambulatory specialty clinic that requires advanced certifications; the specialized nature of the role increased the salary.
11/30/2024 Registered Nurse 38.0 h 92,000 $ 96,842 $ 8,070 $ 46.56 $ I am a mid-level med-surg RN working 38 hours weekly. I have taken several cross-training assignments which increased my pay modestly.
09/15/2024 Registered Nurse 45.0 h 160,000 $ 142,222 $ 11,852 $ 68.38 $ I'm a nurse manager with extensive leadership responsibilities and typically work about 45 hours per week overseeing multiple teams and budgets.
06/07/2024 Registered Nurse 36.0 h 150,000 $ 166,667 $ 13,889 $ 80.13 $ I accepted a short-term high-pay travel contract in 2024 for a specialty ICU, working 36 hours weekly. The hourly rate was well above local staff rates.
02/20/2024 Registered Nurse 40.0 h 128,000 $ 128,000 $ 10,667 $ 61.54 $ As a senior telemetry RN at a tertiary hospital, I work full time (40 hours) and precept new hires in addition to my patient assignments.
11/11/2023 Registered Nurse 20.0 h 48,000 $ 96,000 $ 8,000 $ 46.15 $ I work part time in hospice care about 20 hours weekly, focusing on patient comfort, family support, and paperwork for each case.
08/30/2023 Registered Nurse 38.0 h 110,000 $ 115,789 $ 9,649 $ 55.67 $ I'm employed full time as a private-duty RN for high-acuity adult patients, averaging 38 hours a week. I handle complex care plans independently.
05/13/2023 Registered Nurse 30.0 h 70,000 $ 93,333 $ 7,778 $ 44.87 $ I work part time in an infusion center about 30 hours per week. The role requires specialized certification, which increases my hourly rate.
01/26/2023 Registered Nurse 44.0 h 145,000 $ 131,818 $ 10,985 $ 63.37 $ I'm an ICU manager-level RN working roughly 44 hours weekly with direct oversight of staffing and clinical operations on my unit.
10/09/2022 Registered Nurse 40.0 h 125,000 $ 125,000 $ 10,417 $ 60.10 $ I moved into a nurse educator role at a larger facility and work 40 hours per week training staff and developing competency programs.
06/18/2022 Registered Nurse 24.0 h 65,000 $ 108,333 $ 9,028 $ 52.08 $ I take part-time evening shifts (about 24 hours a week) doing night infusion and observation. My hourly rate is higher than entry-level clinic pay.
03/05/2022 Registered Nurse 40.0 h 118,000 $ 118,000 $ 9,833 $ 56.73 $ I work full time at a large academic hospital on a specialty unit. I have senior-level clinical responsibilities but no formal management title.
12/22/2021 Registered Nurse 40.0 h 130,000 $ 130,000 $ 10,833 $ 62.50 $ I took a high-paying travel contract late in 2021 working 40 hours per week in an ICU. The contract rates were elevated due to staffing shortages.
09/17/2021 Registered Nurse 40.0 h 96,000 $ 96,000 $ 8,000 $ 46.15 $ I work full time as a pediatric RN in a busy clinic and have several years of experience. I do direct patient care and some patient education.
04/02/2021 Registered Nurse 42.0 h 115,000 $ 109,524 $ 9,127 $ 52.66 $ I serve as a senior/charge RN and work about 42 hours weekly overseeing a team on my unit. This included some scheduling and mentoring duties.
11/10/2020 Registered Nurse 28.0 h 55,000 $ 78,571 $ 6,548 $ 37.77 $ I was doing part-time occupational health nursing (about 28 hours a week) supporting employee screenings and basic procedures.
07/29/2020 Registered Nurse 36.0 h 90,500 $ 100,556 $ 8,380 $ 48.34 $ I work full time on a med-surg unit with 36-hour weeks and some floating. I had around six years of RN experience at the time of this report.
03/20/2020 Registered Nurse 40.0 h 120,000 $ 120,000 $ 10,000 $ 57.69 $ During an intense contract stint early in the pandemic I worked as a travel RN on a 40-hour schedule. The pay was significantly higher due to extreme demand.
12/01/2019 Registered Nurse 40.0 h 98,500 $ 98,500 $ 8,208 $ 47.36 $ I'm a perioperative RN working full time (40 hours) on the day shift. I had several years of OR experience at the time of this report.
06/14/2019 Registered Nurse 38.0 h 82,000 $ 86,316 $ 7,193 $ 41.50 $ I am a case manager RN working a standard 38-hour week. My role is primarily coordinating discharges and community resources rather than direct bedside care.
02/25/2019 Registered Nurse 40.0 h 94,000 $ 94,000 $ 7,833 $ 45.19 $ I worked full time in the ER with roughly 40-hour weeks. My experience level was mid-career and I frequently took overtime and extra shifts.
11/11/2018 Registered Nurse 30.0 h 52,000 $ 69,333 $ 5,778 $ 33.33 $ I run a small private-duty nursing business and average about 30 hours a week caring for pediatric clients. I'm self-employed and handle scheduling and billing myself.
08/30/2018 Registered Nurse 40.0 h 86,000 $ 86,000 $ 7,167 $ 41.35 $ I am a labor and delivery RN working full time (40 hours). I have been in the role a few years and pick up extra call shifts occasionally.
03/18/2018 Registered Nurse 20.0 h 38,000 $ 76,000 $ 6,333 $ 36.54 $ I work part time at an outpatient clinic about 20 hours a week while finishing school. My duties are routine clinic nursing and triage.
12/05/2017 Registered Nurse 36.0 h 90,000 $ 100,000 $ 8,333 $ 48.08 $ I worked as a travel RN for a community hospital on a 36-hour contract. The assignment paid well due to specialty night shifts during that year.
09/15/2017 Registered Nurse 44.0 h 95,500 $ 86,818 $ 7,235 $ 41.74 $ I'm a charge nurse in the ICU and put in roughly 44 hours weekly. I have leadership responsibilities on my shift in addition to bedside duties.
04/22/2017 Registered Nurse 24.0 h 41,000 $ 68,333 $ 5,694 $ 32.85 $ I work part time in home health doing about 24 hours a week. I am an early-career RN and take several short client assignments per week.
11/03/2016 Registered Nurse 40.0 h 78,500 $ 78,500 $ 6,542 $ 37.74 $ I have about four years of experience and work full time on a medical unit. My responsibilities grew over time but I do not have staff management duties.
07/12/2016 Registered Nurse 36.0 h 62,000 $ 68,889 $ 5,741 $ 33.12 $ I was a new graduate working full time on a med-surg floor with 36-hour weeks. This was my first RN job and I worked mostly nights and weekends while gaining experience.

Job Outlook for Registered Nurses in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is one of the country’s largest and most complex healthcare hubs, and registered nurses (RNs) are central to how care is delivered across the city. The market blends world-class academic medical centers, high-acuity safety-net hospitals, community facilities, and a vast network of outpatient clinics and home-based services. As a result, RN roles in Los Angeles often range from bedside care in tertiary hospitals to ambulatory, public health, behavioral health, and care management positions.

Hiring demand in Los Angeles is supported by several factors: a large and aging population, high rates of chronic conditions, an ongoing shift of procedures to outpatient and ambulatory surgery settings, and the need for specialized services such as critical care, oncology, maternal-child, and behavioral health. California’s nurse-to-patient staffing regulations also contribute to steady hospital recruitment. Seasonal surges tied to respiratory illness and regional events like extreme heat or wildfires can further increase demand for emergency and critical care nurses. Given Los Angeles’ diversity, bilingual nurses—especially those fluent in Spanish, Korean, or Mandarin—can be highly valued in many care settings.

Labor Market

RNs practicing in Los Angeles must hold licensure from the California Board of Registered Nursing. Many local hospitals, particularly those with Magnet designation, typically prefer a BSN and require current BLS certification; ACLS, PALS, NRP, or specialty credentials are often expected in units such as ICU, ED, pediatrics, obstetrics, or perioperative services. New graduate residency programs are common at larger systems, and experienced nurses can frequently find roles that match specific clinical backgrounds.

Local hiring tends to focus on units where patient acuity and throughput are high, as well as in fast-growing outpatient and population health roles. In Los Angeles, RNs are commonly recruited for:

  • Medical-surgical and telemetry
  • Intensive care, step-down, and emergency departments
  • Perioperative services (OR, PACU, GI/endoscopy)
  • Labor and delivery, postpartum, NICU, and pediatrics
  • Oncology/infusion, dialysis, and transplant coordination
  • Behavioral health and substance use services
  • Ambulatory care, home health, hospice, and palliative care
  • Case management, care coordination, utilization review, quality, infection prevention, and informatics

Many Los Angeles hospitals are unionized, which can shape staffing practices and scheduling. Employers in the region generally offer a mix of full-time, part-time, per diem, and traveler opportunities, with nights and weekends often in highest demand.

Major Employers

RNs in Los Angeles can find opportunities across academic centers, private systems, public hospitals, the VA, and an extensive clinic network. Examples include:

  • UCLA Health (Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Westwood and UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center)
  • Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (Beverly Grove)
  • Keck Medicine of USC (Keck Hospital of USC and USC Norris Cancer Hospital, Boyle Heights)
  • Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, including LAC+USC Medical Center (Boyle Heights) and Olive View–UCLA Medical Center (Sylmar)
  • Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center (East Hollywood)
  • Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (East Hollywood)
  • Dignity Health – California Hospital Medical Center, Los Angeles (Downtown LA)
  • Adventist Health White Memorial (Boyle Heights)
  • VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (West Los Angeles)
  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital (South Los Angeles)
  • CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center (East Hollywood)
  • Community health organizations such as AltaMed Health Services, Venice Family Clinic, and Eisner Health
  • Home health and hospice providers, including VITAS Healthcare and AccentCare
  • Managed care and public health entities, such as L.A. Care Health Plan and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

Career Opportunities

Los Angeles offers robust pathways for both new graduates and experienced nurses. Large systems frequently run nurse residency programs and specialty transition programs in areas like critical care, perioperative nursing, and pediatrics. RNs can progress into roles such as charge nurse, clinical educator, clinical nurse specialist, nurse navigator, infection preventionist, case manager, or quality improvement specialist. With additional graduate education, some move into advanced practice, leadership, or administrative positions.

Professional development is encouraged in many Los Angeles hospitals, especially those with Magnet recognition. Specialty certifications (for example, CCRN, CEN, CNOR, OCN, RNC-OB, or CPEN) can strengthen candidacy for competitive units. Because care is increasingly delivered outside the hospital, nurses also find growth in ambulatory surgery centers, infusion clinics, school health (including positions with Los Angeles Unified School District), public health programs, and correctional health services.

Given the city’s size and traffic patterns, candidates often target specific neighborhoods or subregions—Westside, Downtown, San Fernando Valley, South Bay, or San Gabriel Valley—to balance commute times with clinical interests. Networking through local chapters of professional associations, attending hospital-sponsored career events, and monitoring major system career portals can all help candidates stay ahead of openings in this dynamic market.

Frequently Asked Questions about Registered Nurse in Los Angeles

How much does a Registered Nurse make in Los Angeles?

The average salary for a Registered Nurse in Los Angeles is 107,313 $ per year on a 40-hour basis, or 8,943 $ gross per month.

Why are salaries converted to 40 hours?

Part-time and full-time reports are normalized to a 40-hour workweek so salary reports can be compared fairly.

Where can I find more salary comparisons for Registered Nurse or Los Angeles?

You can find more comparisons on the profession overview for Registered Nurse and the city overview for Los Angeles. They show reported cities or jobs with their difference from the average.