California, nicknamed “The Golden State”, is one of the top destinations for both travel and staff nurses due to the many micro climates, interesting sites and communities. Median salaries for RNs in the top six cities in California are: Los Angeles $72,274, San Diego $69,422, San Jose $80,774, San Francisco $79,065, Fresno $67,603, and Sacramento $70,005.
Among the many private sector employers in California, hospitals and medical centers are some of the largest. The UCLA Health System in Los Angeles employs 35,543 individuals, Sharp Memorial in San Diego has 13,500 employees, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Hollywood has 10,000 employees, Loma Linda University Medical Center employs 9,000 people, and LAC & USC Medical Center has 8,000 employees.
Ten Largest California Hospitals
- VA Greater La Healthcare System
- Patton State Hospital
- Laguna Honda Hospital & Rehab Center
- Napa State Hospital
- Metropolitan State Hospital
- Atascadero State Hospital
- Sonoma Developmental Center
- VA Palo Alto Health Care System
- Alta Bates Summit Medical Center
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Top three cities in California
- Los Angeles – Open nursing jobs in Los Angeles
- San Diego - Search and apply for nursing jobs in San Diego
- San Jose – Open nursing jobs in San Jose
California Facts and Figures
- 2012 Unemployment Rate: 10.9%
- Unemployment Rank: 48 of 50
- 2011 Per Capita Income: $44,481.00
- Per Capita Income Rank: 12 of 50
- 2011 Cost of Living Index: 130.0
- Cost of Living Rank: 46 of 50