The same federal data set publishes state medians, and California leads the country at $140,270 a year, which works out to about $67.44 an hour (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). Hawaii follows at $136,320 and Oregon at $129,010.
The spread between states is wide. A registered nurse in Alabama earns a median of $77,080 a year, about $37.06 an hour, while the same job in Washington pays $124,200, or about $59.71 an hour.
The federal data set also reports a national mean of $101,420 a year, about $48.76 an hour, which sits above the median because hospital pay in high-cost markets pulls the average up.
California also posts the highest state median wage for the occupation in the country, which is one reason Kaiser and other large systems pay more there than the same role costs elsewhere.
Registered nurse median pay by state, BLS May 2025| State | Annual median | Hourly equivalent |
|---|
| California | $140,270 | $67.44 |
| Hawaii | $136,320 | $65.54 |
| Oregon | $129,010 | $62.02 |
| Washington | $124,200 | $59.71 |
| New York | $109,440 | $52.62 |
| Texas | $95,970 | $46.14 |
| Florida | $84,190 | $40.48 |
| Alabama | $77,080 | $37.06 |
| United States | $97,550 | $46.90 |
How much does a Kaiser registered nurse make in a year?
At $58.30 an hour on a 36 hour schedule, a new Kaiser Southern California nurse earns about $109,128 a year before differentials and overtime. The same nurse reaches $166,539 at 10 years and $179,678 at 25 years (Map My Pay, March 2026).
A single month without scheduled hours is enough to change the yearly figure, so treat these totals as a full schedule estimate rather than a guarantee.
Those figures assume a full year of paid work. Nurses who pick up extra blocks, work overtime or cover holidays add to that total on top of the grid rate.
A new per diem nurse on the same grid earns about $130,954 a year at 1,872 hours, and a per diem nurse at 25 years tops $215,613 before overtime and differentials.
Annual earnings on a 36 hour schedule, 1,872 hours| Experience step | Benefited annual | Per diem annual |
|---|
| New hire | $109,128 | $130,954 |
| 1 year | $124,955 | $149,923 |
| 5 years | $149,733 | $179,680 |
| 10 years | $166,539 | $199,896 |
| 25 years | $179,678 | $215,613 |
What benefits do Kaiser registered nurses get?
Benefited nurses get the full package: medical, dental and vision coverage, retirement contributions, paid time off and sick leave. Eligibility depends on the hours you are scheduled and the agreement that covers your region (Kaiser Careers, 2026).
Shift differentials sit on top of the grid rate. Union agreements set separate amounts for evening, night and weekend work, so the same published grid rate can produce a very different paycheck depending on the shifts you pick.
Per diem nurses usually receive a higher cash rate instead of the benefits package. Workers in Northern California should also check pension terms, because retirement contributions differ by bargaining unit.
Some facilities also run their own support programs, such as tuition help for nursing degrees and confidential mental health support for staff, and those terms change with each agreement cycle.
Benefited and per diem nursing roles compared| Benefit or condition | Benefited nurse | Per diem nurse |
|---|
| Hourly rate | Grid rate for level and step | 17 to 20 percent higher |
| Schedule | Usually 36 hours a week, three 12-hour shifts | Blocks as offered, no guarantee |
| Medical, dental and vision | Included | Not included |
| Retirement contributions | Included, terms vary by agreement | Not included |
| Paid time off and sick leave | Accrues on the schedule | Not included |
| Shift differentials | Paid on top of the grid rate | Paid on top of the grid rate |
What qualifications do you need to get a Kaiser nursing job?
You need a registered nurse license in the state where the facility sits, and most Kaiser postings ask for a degree in nursing, either an associate or a bachelor of science. Some listings ask for one to three years of experience for mid-level roles.
New graduates have a dedicated route. The Kaiser Permanente National RN Residency Program runs 12 months and is built for newly licensed nurses moving into practice (Kaiser Careers, 2026).
Physical requirements are part of the posting. Kaiser listings describe standing for extended periods, bending and squatting, and lifting totes and cases, so expect the same physical demands you would see on any hospital floor.
Interviews at Kaiser are often built around clinical scenarios and teamwork, and residency candidates should expect to talk through their clinical rotations in detail.
Residency cohorts are usually limited to a set number of positions per facility, and applicants are often asked to rank their preferred units.
How do you pin down the right Kaiser rate at an interview?
Ask for the grid step and the level. The number that matters is the rate for your level at your experience step in that region, and each posting shows the pay range for the role.
Then ask whether the role is benefited or per diem, what the shift differential is for the hours you will actually work, and how extra blocks and overtime are paid.
If you are weighing Kaiser against another hospital offer, compare the same schedule. A $58 an hour benefited schedule and a $70 an hour per diem schedule are not the same job, even inside the same hospital.
The Kaiser Permanente registered nurse hourly rate you are offered should be confirmed in writing, along with the level, the step and the employment type, before you sign anything.
How does Kaiser nurse pay compare with other healthcare employers?
Kaiser competes at the top of the hospital nursing market, and the comparison that matters is against other large health systems in the same labor market rather than against retail or warehouse work.
For context on how far hospital nursing pay has moved, compare it with the $46.90 hourly median for all registered nurses, and with the $67.44 hourly equivalent for California (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025).
Job postings reflect that spread. A Clinical Nurse B listing in the Inland Empire showed a range of $51.99 to $81.50 an hour, while a Level III Staff RN listing in Moreno Valley showed $65.31 (Indeed Salary Data, 2026).
Nurses weighing a move between systems should compare schedules as well as rates, since twelve-hour day shifts and three 12-hour night shifts produce very different totals on the same grid.
Pay grids, benefits terms and hiring requirements change with every contract cycle. Check the current posting for your facility and the wage grid for your region, and confirm the rate, shift differential and schedule in writing before you start.
Next steps
Compare the grid step and the employment type before you compare the headline rate, then check what the differentials are worth on the shifts you will actually work.
Photo: geralt, Pixabay Content License, via Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/photos/hospital-patient-visit-support-10222177/)
Fazlur Rahman
