Nurse Salary in San Diego (2026)

Typical local-market pay: $58,000/year (Verified BLS OES May 2024 · Doximity 2025 · NALP 2025 · Levels.fyi). Lifestyle equivalent of a New York $58,000 salary: $44,950/year (COLI-scaled, not market pay). COLI rank #15 of 113.

Local market
$58,000
Verified BLS OES May 2024 · Doximity 2025 · NALP 2025 · Levels.fyi
Lifestyle equivalent
$44,950
COLI 77.5 · NYC $58,000 scaled · not market pay
Take-home (on market pay)
70%
$3,364/mo net
COLI (NYC = 100)
77.5
#15 of 113
NYC baseline
$58,000
mid-career USD

Salary Range in San Diego

COLI-scaled lifestyle-equivalent range for a nurse in San Diego (NYC baseline × COLI 77.5 / 100). This is not local market pay.

Entry Level
$23,250
Mid-Career
$44,950
Senior
$77,500

Top Cities for Nurse Salary

Highest COLI-scaled lifestyle equivalents (not local market pay):

City Local market Lifestyle equivalent Take-Home
ZurichCHF 27,257CHF 57,52167%
GenevaCHF 27,257CHF 55,73563%
New York$58,000$58,00069%
San Francisco$58,000$56,60870%
SingaporeS$34,001S$66,26479%

See all 113 cities for Nurse →

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Other Jobs in San Diego

Nurse Salary — Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a nurse earn in San Diego?

Local-market pay for a nurse in San Diego is approximately $58,000/year (Verified · BLS OES May 2024 · Doximity 2025 · NALP 2025 · Levels.fyi). Separately, the lifestyle equivalent of a New York $58,000 salary is $44,950 (COLI 77.5, NYC = 100). That equivalent is not what someone earns locally. COLI-scaled entry/senior lifestyle equivalents: $23,250 – $77,500.

What is the take-home pay for a nurse in San Diego?

After income tax and social contributions in United States, a nurse in San Diego takes home approximately 70% of their gross salary, or around $3,364/month ($40,368/year in USD equivalent).

How does San Diego rank for nurse salaries globally?

San Diego ranks #15 out of 113 cities on COLI-scaled lifestyle equivalent for nurses (not local market rank). The top city on that equivalent scale is Zurich.