Psychiatric Nurse salary in San Francisco
A psychiatric nurse in the San Francisco, CA area earns an estimated $162,770 a year ($78.25/hr) — about 62% above the U.S. average, with most between $134,040 and $187,470. City figures are estimates based on national pay for the role and local cost of living — a starting point, not a guaranteed local wage.
Psychiatric Nurse — San Francisco, CA
Specialty estimateMedian annual pay
$162,770
+62% vs nationalHourly
$78.25/hr
- Typical range
- $134,040–$187,470
- What most nurses earn
- High end
- $229,380
- Top earners
- Entry level
- $115,030
- Newer nurses
Part of Psychiatric Nurse pay in California.
Other nursing roles in San Francisco
Compare estimated pay for related roles in this metro.
What affects psychiatric nurse pay in San Francisco
Highest nurse pay in the U.S.; highest cost of living. For a psychiatric 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 Francisco figure adjusts the national RN average of $100,480 for local pay levels — a factor of 1.62× (about 62% above the U.S. average). It is a starting point — not an official San Francisco 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 Francisco, 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 Francisco make this page more precise over time.
Psychiatric Nurse salary in San Francisco — FAQ
- How much does a psychiatric nurse make in San Francisco?
- A psychiatric nurse in the San Francisco, CA area earns an estimated $162,770 a year — about $78.25 an hour, with most between $134,040 and $187,470. That's about 62% above the national average. This is an estimate based on the role's national pay and San Francisco's local pay level, not a guaranteed local wage.
- Is San Francisco a good place for psychiatric nurses?
- On pay, San Francisco runs about 62% above the national average for psychiatric nurses. Big-city wages are often offset by a higher cost of living, so weigh the estimated $162,770 against local housing and expenses.
- How does San Francisco psychiatric nurse pay compare to California overall?
- Statewide, California psychiatric nurses earn an estimated $138,660 a year, versus about $162,770 in San Francisco. 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 Francisco, CA figures are estimated by adjusting the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS national median for local pay levels (a metro adjustment of 1.62×).
Source year 2025. Last reviewed July 3, 2026. Full methodology
Estimated figure — national psychiatric nurse pay adjusted for San Francisco. Last reviewed July 3, 2026.