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Salary · LPN · California

LPN salary in California: $79,750 median.

How pay for LPNs in California compares with the national figure and other states, and where in the state it is highest.

Updated Oct 24, 2026 · Data: BLS OEWS May 2025
Annual wage range · California · BLS May 2025
$79,750median in California

Quick answer

LPNs in California earned a median of $79,750 a year in May 2025 (BLS), 24% above the national median of $64,400. California ranked 6 of 51 for this occupation's median pay, with about 82,850 people employed.

California median
$79,750
$38.34/hr
U.S. median
$64,400
+24% in California
Rank among states
6 of 51
by median pay
Employed
82,850
location quotient 1.09
Metro areas

Where in California it pays most

Data Metropolitan areas in the state with at least 30 people employed in the occupation.

  1. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$95,320
  2. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$94,310
  3. Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$92,580
  4. Vallejo, CA$85,430
  5. Napa, CA$83,690
  6. Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$81,570
  7. Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$81,000
  8. Salinas, CA$80,910
Nearby in the ranking

States with similar pay

Data Ranked by state median, BLS May 2025.

  1. Massachusetts$80,220
  2. Rhode Island$80,090
  3. California$79,750
  4. New Hampshire$77,110
  5. Arizona$77,070

See all states on the national LPN salary page.

Keep exploring

More for LPNs

More careers

Similar careers to explore

Method

How this page is built

BLS OEWS state and metropolitan-area estimates for May 2025, for the occupation shown. Ranks compare state medians only.

What this page can't tell you
  • Cost of living, which changes what a salary is worth.
  • Pay at a specific employer or for self-employed workers.
Sources
  1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).