Salary distribution
Where California nurse practitioners fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $140,260 and $205,400, with a median of $166,610.
Nurse Practitioners in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 14 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $162,160. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 2 | $155,100 |
| Level II — qualified | 8 | $167,160 |
| Level III — experienced | 1 | $150,000 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 1 | $200,000 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Nurse Practitioners in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Health Center of Santa Clara Valley | Family Nurse Practitioner | 2 | $149,760 |
| Chinese Hospital Association | Nurse Practitioner | 2 | $170,000 |
| Community Health Centers of America | Nurse Practitioner | 1 | $160,000 |
| Bartz-Altadonna Community Health Center | Family Nurse Practitioner | 1 | $145,000 |
| FAMILY HEALTHCARE NETWORK | Nurse Practitioner | 1 | $142,854 |
| Sacramento Behavioral Healthcare Hospital LLC | Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner | 1 | $200,000 |
| California Cardiovascular Institute | Nurse Practitioner | 1 | $150,000 |
| Community Physicians Group, Inc. | Advanced Practice Professional | 1 | $135,000 |
| North East Medical Services | Nurse Practitioner | 1 | $190,000 |
| Intercommunity Health Associates | Nurse Practitioner | 1 | $150,000 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Nurse Practitioner at Community Health Centers of America$160,000SacramentoDecided Dec 3, 2025I-200-25329-437017
- Family Nurse Practitioner at Bartz-Altadonna Community Health Center$145,000LancasterDecided Dec 1, 2025I-200-25325-430297
- Nurse Practitioner at FAMILY HEALTHCARE NETWORK$142,854TulareWage Level IIDecided Sep 8, 2025I-200-25241-278096
- Family Nurse Practitioner at Indian Health Center of Santa Clara Valley$164,320San JoseWage Level IIDecided May 5, 2025I-200-25118-911332
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner at Sacramento Behavioral Healthcare Hospital LLC$200,000SacramentoWage Level IVDecided Apr 18, 2025I-200-25101-858309
- Nurse Practitioner at California Cardiovascular Institute$150,000BakersfieldWage Level IIIDecided Mar 28, 2025I-200-25080-794645
- Advanced Practice Professional at Community Physicians Group, Inc.$135,000FresnoWage Level IIDecided Mar 21, 2025I-200-25073-778799
- Nurse Practitioner at Chinese Hospital Association$170,000San FranciscoWage Level IIDecided Feb 25, 2025I-200-25050-705493
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
Nurse Practitioners pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Nurse Practitioners specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 12 certified offers. The most common variant is Nurse Practitioner at a median of $170,000.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioner | Chinese Hospital Association | 9 | $170,000 |
| Family Nurse Practitioner | Indian Health Center of Santa Clara Valley | 3 | $145,000 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Nurse Practitioners in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 14 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Healthcare leads with a median of $164,320.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthcare | Indian Health Center of Santa Clara Valley | 13 | $164,320 |
| Nonprofit and civic | Intercommunity Health Associates | 1 | $150,000 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Master's degree
Experience
Internship/residency
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.8 / 5
Medicine and Dentistry
Knowledge
- 4.3 / 5
English Language
Knowledge
- 4.3 / 5
Inductive Reasoning
Ability
- 4.3 / 5
Written Comprehension
Ability
- 4.3 / 5
Problem Sensitivity
Ability
- 4.2 / 5
Biology
Knowledge
- 4.2 / 5
Psychology
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Maintain complete and detailed records of patients' health care plans and prognoses.
- 02
Develop treatment plans, based on scientific rationale, standards of care, and professional practice guidelines.
- 03
Provide patients with information needed to promote health, reduce risk factors, or prevent disease or disability.
- 04
Analyze and interpret patients' histories, symptoms, physical findings, or diagnostic information to develop appropriate diagnoses.
- 05
Diagnose or treat complex, unstable, comorbid, episodic, or emergency conditions in collaboration with other health care providers as necessary.
- 06
Prescribe medication dosages, routes, and frequencies, based on such patient characteristics as age and gender.
- 07
Diagnose or treat chronic health care problems, such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
- 08
Prescribe medications based on efficacy, safety, and cost as legally authorized.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+40.1%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing much faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for nurse practitioners in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Jose$225,730
- San Francisco$220,330
- Sacramento$164,520
- Los Angeles$164,510
- Riverside$162,470
- San Diego$162,030
Compare Nurse Practitioners pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Nurse Practitioners in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Nurse Practitioners in California is $166,610.
- How does California compare to the national median for Nurse Practitioners?
- The California median is +28.1% versus the BLS national figure of $130,023.
- What is the salary range for Nurse Practitioners in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $124,330 and the 90th-percentile at $234,800, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Nurse Practitioners a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 40.1% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Nurse Practitioners?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Master's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.