Registered Nurses salary in Modesto, CA
Median pay for registered nurses in Modesto, CA: $131,060/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $100,240 – $201,750 · about 4,440 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($80,810) by +$50,250 (+62%).
What it's really worth in Modesto
With Modesto's cost of living at 105 (US=100), that $131,060 has the buying power of about $124,668 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $74,872 · median home $468,302 · median rent $2,052/mo.
How Modesto ranks for this job
On raw pay, Modesto, CA is 13th of the 187 metros we hold registered nurses wages for. Once Modesto's cost of living is applied, it ranks 8th.
Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Modesto sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.
What that salary buys in Modesto
A median home in Modesto, CA costs $468,302 — about 3.6× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $2,052/mo works out at 19% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where registered nurses earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Modesto.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Modesto | Rent vs Modesto |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | $187,080 | +43% | 1.2× |
| San Francisco, CA | $181,240 | +38% | 1.6× |
| San Jose, CA | $179,210 | +37% | 1.8× |
| Sacramento, CA | $157,810 | +20% | 1.1× |
Same job elsewhere in CA
| Metro | Median pay | vs Modesto | Rent vs Modesto |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | $187,080 | +43% | 1.2× |
| San Francisco, CA | $181,240 | +38% | 1.6× |
| San Jose, CA | $179,210 | +37% | 1.8× |
| Sacramento, CA | $157,810 | +20% | 1.1× |
Staying in CA keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires registered nurses around Modesto
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Sutter Central Valley Hospitals · Healthcare
- Kaiser Permanente · Healthcare
- University of the Pacific · Education
Other jobs in Modesto
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 187 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.