Nursing Assistants pay in California
$50,190avg. a year
$24.13 an hour · 110,060 employed
Nursing Assistants in California earn an average of $50,190 a year. That is $7,490 (18%) more than the U.S. average of $42,700. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $59,370.
$47,630Median pay
$24.13Average hourly
+28%Avg. pay since 2020
#3Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for nursing assistants by metro area. Swipe to see all 25.
15,350 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$59,370
$28.54 an hour
211,790 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$56,700
$27.26 an hour
3460 jobs
Napa, CA
$51,930
$24.97 an hour
4940 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$50,690
$24.37 an hour
51,250 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$50,260
$24.16 an hour
69,670 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$49,780
$23.93 an hour
743,090 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$49,700
$23.90 an hour
81,070 jobs
Salinas, CA
$49,390
$23.75 an hour
9440 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$49,290
$23.70 an hour
105,650 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$49,090
$23.60 an hour
112,560 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$47,850
$23.00 an hour
122,070 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$47,660
$22.91 an hour
13520 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$47,630
$22.90 an hour
14610 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$47,620
$22.89 an hour
15290 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$47,570
$22.87 an hour
161,090 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$47,510
$22.84 an hour
171,500 jobs
Modesto, CA
$47,320
$22.75 an hour
18790 jobs
Chico, CA
$47,040
$22.61 an hour
199,940 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$46,940
$22.57 an hour
201,530 jobs
Visalia, CA
$46,630
$22.42 an hour
211,720 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$46,500
$22.36 an hour
22760 jobs
Redding, CA
$46,110
$22.17 an hour
23500 jobs
Merced, CA
$45,300
$21.78 an hour
243,880 jobs
Fresno, CA
$44,530
$21.41 an hour
25240 jobs
El Centro, CA
$43,670
$20.99 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Nursing Assistants pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California nursing assistants work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $39k$39k–$42k$42k–$46k$46k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $42,700 | $20.53 |
| California | $50,190 | $24.13 |
| Oregon | $52,160 | $25.08 |
| Nevada | $44,900 | $21.59 |
| Arizona | $44,820 | $21.55 |
Related jobs in California
- Home Health and Personal Care Aides$36,420
- Orderlies$54,480
- Psychiatric Aides$53,670
- Medical Assistants$55,100
- Dental Assistants$54,710
- Phlebotomists$56,600
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do nursing assistants make in California?
The average is $50,190 a year, and the median is $47,630. That is $7,490 (18%) more than the U.S. average of $42,700.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$24.13 an hour on average; the median is $22.90.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($59,370), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($56,700). The lowest average among 25 metro areas with data is El Centro, CA ($43,670).
How does California rank?
California ranks #3 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 31-1131. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national nursing assistants page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.