Psychiatric Nurse vs Med-Surg Nurse salary in California
In California, psychiatric nurses earn more — an estimated $138,660 a year versus $134,620 for med-surg nurses, a gap of about $4,040 (roughly 3% more). Both are estimates based on national pay for each role adjusted for California.
Psychiatric Nurse — California
Specialty estimateMedian annual pay
$138,660
+38% vs nationalHourly
$66.66/hr
- Typical range
- $114,180–$159,690
- What most nurses earn
- High end
- $195,400
- Top earners
- Entry level
- $97,990
- Newer nurses
Med-Surg Nurse — California
Specialty estimateMedian annual pay
$134,620
+38% vs nationalHourly
$64.72/hr
- Typical range
- $110,860–$155,040
- What most nurses earn
- High end
- $189,710
- Top earners
- Entry level
- $95,140
- Newer nurses
Why the gap in California
Psychiatric and med-surg nurse pay is comparable, as both are staff RN roles on the same wage base. Psych nursing focuses on mental-health assessment, de-escalation, and behavioral care; med-surg on broad adult inpatient care. Setting, shift, and the local market matter more than the specialty itself. The California figures apply the same local pay adjustment to both roles, so the gap here mirrors the national picture, shifted for California's cost of labor. Actual pay varies with experience, specialty, shift, and employer — compare the national Psychiatric Nurse vs Med-Surg Nurse comparison or personalize the calculator.
Psychiatric Nurse vs Med-Surg Nurse in California — FAQ
- Do psychiatric nurses or med-surg nurses earn more in California?
- In California, psychiatric nurses earn more — an estimated $138,660 a year versus $134,620 for med-surg nurses, a gap of about $4,040 (roughly 3% more). Both are estimates based on national pay for each role adjusted for California's local pay level.
- How much is the psychiatric nurse vs med-surg nurse pay gap in California?
- The estimated gap in California is about $4,040 a year, or roughly 3% more for psychiatric nurses. Your actual pay depends on experience, specialty, shift, and employer — use the calculator to compare both for your situation.
- Are these California figures exact?
- No — they're modeled estimates, not verified California wages. They start from each role's national pay and adjust for California's cost of labor, and they update to verified numbers when official state data is loaded.
- 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 × state wage index)
California figures are estimated by adjusting the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS national median for local pay levels (a state adjustment of 1.38×).
Source year 2025. Last reviewed July 3, 2026. Full methodology
Estimated figures for California. Last reviewed July 3, 2026.