Labor & Delivery Nurse salary in San Diego
A labor & delivery nurse in the San Diego, CA area earns an estimated $140,630 a year ($67.61/hr) — about 36% above the U.S. average, with most between $115,800 and $161,960. City figures are estimates based on national pay for the role and local cost of living — a starting point, not a guaranteed local wage.
Labor & Delivery Nurse — San Diego, CA
Specialty estimateMedian annual pay
$140,630
+36% vs nationalHourly
$67.61/hr
- Typical range
- $115,800–$161,960
- What most nurses earn
- High end
- $198,180
- Top earners
- Entry level
- $99,380
- Newer nurses
Other nursing roles in San Diego
Compare estimated pay for related roles in this metro.
What affects labor & delivery nurse pay in San Diego
High pay, high cost of living. For a labor & delivery nurse, local pay also reflects the concentration of major hospital systems and academic medical centers, union contracts, shift differentials, unit acuity, and how competitive staffing is. Nights, weekends, and critical-care specialties typically add to base pay. Use the calculator to estimate your own.
How this estimate was calculated
The San Diego figure adjusts the national RN average of $103,400 for local pay levels — a factor of 1.36× (about 36% above the U.S. average). It is a starting point — not an official San Diego wage — until verified local figures and nurse submissions are loaded.
Local pay can vary well beyond this by specialty, shift, union status, employer type, overtime, and care setting. When official metro wage data is loaded, this number updates to a verified value automatically.
Use this metro estimate as a starting point
- It’s a starting point for San Diego, based on national pay and local cost of living until official metro data is loaded — not a guaranteed local wage.
- Your actual pay shifts with role and specialty, care setting, shift, overtime, union status, and years of experience — so compare a role-specific page and personalize the calculator.
- Reviewed salary submissions from nurses in San Diego make this page more precise over time.
Labor & Delivery Nurse salary in San Diego — FAQ
- How much does a labor & delivery nurse make in San Diego?
- A labor & delivery nurse in the San Diego, CA area earns an estimated $140,630 a year — about $67.61 an hour, with most between $115,800 and $161,960. That's about 36% above the national average. This is an estimate based on the role's national pay and San Diego's local pay level, not a guaranteed local wage.
- Is San Diego a good place for labor & delivery nurses?
- On pay, San Diego runs about 36% above the national average for labor & delivery nurses. Big-city wages are often offset by a higher cost of living, so weigh the estimated $140,630 against local housing and expenses.
- How does San Diego labor & delivery nurse pay compare to California overall?
- Statewide, California labor & delivery nurses earn an estimated $142,700 a year, versus about $140,630 in San Diego. Metro pay can run above or below the state figure depending on hospital concentration and local demand.
- Why are some figures verified and others estimates?
- National pay for the main nursing roles — registered nurses, LPNs/LVNs, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, nurse midwives, and nursing assistants — comes from verified public wage data. State, city, and specialty figures that aren't reported on their own start from that national pay and are labeled "Estimated" or "Specialty estimate." We never show an estimate as a verified figure.
Source & confidence— An estimate for a specialty that public pay data does not list on its own. A ballpark to start from, not an exact figure.
Modeled estimate (BLS national × metro wage index)
San Diego, CA figures are estimated by adjusting the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS national median for local pay levels (a metro adjustment of 1.36×).
Source year 2025. Last reviewed July 3, 2026. Full methodology
Estimated figure — national labor & delivery nurse pay adjusted for San Diego. Last reviewed July 3, 2026.