Median annual pay
$140,270 / year
43.8% above the national median
338,940
Jobs in California
About county-level data. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish nursing wages by county. All figures on this page are May 2025 estimates (released April 2026) BLS estimates for the state of California, which includes Kern County. Use them as a regional benchmark, not a county-specific measurement.
Nursing pay in Kern County by role
Median annual pay for each nursing role — the state of California BLS estimates, May 2025 estimates.
| Role | Median annual pay |
|---|
| Registered Nurses | $140,270 |
| Nurse Practitioners | $168,520 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | $79,750 |
| Nursing Assistants | $47,630 |
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Registered Nurses pay in Kern County, California: the full picture
Registered nurses in Kern County, California earn a median of $140,270 per year ($67.44 per hour). These are May 2025 estimates BLS estimates for the state of California, which includes Kern County — the BLS does not publish nursing wages at the county level. That puts the area 43.8% above the national median of $97,550.
| Measure | Pay |
|---|
| Mean hourly wage | $72.25 |
| Median annual wage | $140,270 |
| Mean annual wage | $150,280 |
| Median hourly wage | $67.44 |
| Total employment | 338,940 |
Cities and towns in Kern County
88 incorporated cities, towns, and census-designated places in Kern County, per the U.S. Census Bureau.
- Alta SierraCDP
- Arvincity
- Bakersfieldcity
- Bakersfield Country ClubCDP
- Bear Valley SpringsCDP
- Benton ParkCDP
- BodfishCDP
- BoronCDP
- ButtonwillowCDP
- California Citycity
- Casa LomaCDP
- Cherokee StripCDP
- China Lake AcresCDP
- Choctaw ValleyCDP
- CottonwoodCDP
- Delanocity
- Derby AcresCDP
- Di GiorgioCDP
- Dustin AcresCDP
- East BakersfieldCDP
- East NilesCDP
- EdisonCDP
- Edmundson AcresCDP
- Edwards AFBCDP
- El AdobeCDP
- FairfaxCDP
- FellowsCDP
- Ford CityCDP
- Frazier ParkCDP
- Fuller AcresCDP
- GlennvilleCDP
- Golden HillsCDP
- GoodmanvilleCDP
- GreenacresCDP
- GreenfieldCDP
- HillcrestCDP
- InyokernCDP
- JohannesburgCDP
- KeeneCDP
- KernvilleCDP
- La CrestaCDP
- Lake IsabellaCDP
- Lake of the WoodsCDP
- LakesideCDP
- LamontCDP
- LebecCDP
- Lost HillsCDP
- Maricopacity
- McFarlandcity
- McKittrickCDP
- MettlerCDP
- Mexican ColonyCDP
- MojaveCDP
- Mountain MeadowsCDP
- Mountain MesaCDP
- North EdwardsCDP
- OildaleCDP
- Old RiverCDP
- Old StineCDP
- Olde StockdaleCDP
- OnyxCDP
- Pine Mountain ClubCDP
- Potomac ParkCDP
- Pumpkin CenterCDP
- RandsburgCDP
- Rexland AcresCDP
- Ridgecrestcity
- Ridgecrest HeightsCDP
- RivergroveCDP
- RosamondCDP
- RosedaleCDP
- Shaftercity
- Smith CornerCDP
- South TaftCDP
- Squirrel Mountain ValleyCDP
- Stallion SpringsCDP
- StebbinsCDP
- Taftcity
- Taft HeightsCDP
- TarinaCDP
- Tehachapicity
- TupmanCDP
- Valley AcresCDP
- Wascocity
- WeedpatchCDP
- WeldonCDP
- Wofford HeightsCDP
- WoodyCDP
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Frequently asked questions
How much do registered nurses make in Kern County?
The median annual wage is $140,270 ($67.44/hour), based on May 2025 estimates (released April 2026) BLS estimates for the state of California, which includes Kern County.
Why does this page show state data instead of Kern County-specific figures?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes nursing wages for states and metro areas, not counties. We show the smallest BLS geography that contains the county and label it clearly — we never invent county-level numbers.
Where does this data come from?
All figures are May 2025 estimates (released April 2026) from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), retrieved 2026-10-09. They are survey estimates, not job offers.
Keep exploring
More Registered Nurses salary data and other nursing roles in Kern County, California.
Sources & methodology. All figures on this page come from the
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates (released April 2026), retrieved 2026-10-09.
"Median" is the 50th percentile — half of workers earn more, half earn less.
"Mean" is the arithmetic average. Annual figures assume full-time, year-round work
(2,080 hours). Employment estimates exclude the self-employed. Figures are
rounded survey estimates, not job offers — actual pay varies by employer,
shift, experience, and certifications.