The average salary for a clinical nurse specialist in California is around $125,340 per year.
Avg Salary
Clinical nurse specialists earn an average yearly salary of $125,340.
Wages typically start from $78,070 and go up to $165,620.
60% above national average Updated in 2021
Clinical nurse specialist earnings by seniority
Top-level clinical nurse specialist earnings begin at:
$79.63 per hour
$165,620 per year
Senior-level clinical nurse specialist earnings begin at:
$74.97 per hour
$155,930 per year
Mid-level clinical nurse specialist earnings begin at:
$60.26 per hour
$125,340 per year
Junior-level clinical nurse specialist earnings begin at:
$47.58 per hour
$98,960 per year
Starting level clinical nurse specialist earnings begin at:
$37.53 per hour
$78,070 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Clinical nurse specialist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Oregon | $99,410 |
| Alaska | $99,110 |
| Washington | $96,980 |
| New York | $96,170 |
| District of Columbia | $95,220 |
| Massachusetts | $94,960 |
| New Jersey | $94,690 |
| Connecticut | $83,860 |
| Nevada | $79,360 |
| Minnesota | $79,100 |
| Rhode Island | $78,900 |
| Maryland | $78,350 |
| New Mexico | $78,340 |
| Arizona | $78,260 |
| Colorado | $78,070 |
| Illinois | $77,580 |
| Texas | $77,320 |
| New Hampshire | $77,230 |
| Pennsylvania | $76,940 |
| Virginia | $76,900 |
| Michigan | $76,710 |
| Wisconsin | $76,560 |
| Idaho | $75,560 |
| Delaware | $75,380 |
| Vermont | $75,380 |
| Georgia | $75,040 |
| Maine | $75,040 |
| Florida | $75,000 |
| Montana | $75,000 |
| Utah | $75,000 |
| Wyoming | $75,000 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $74,710 |
| Ohio | $74,080 |
| North Dakota | $73,250 |
| South Carolina | $72,650 |
| North Carolina | $72,220 |
| Louisiana | $64,450 |
| Nebraska | $64,000 |
| Kentucky | $62,480 |
| Indiana | $62,400 |
| Tennessee | $62,390 |
| West Virginia | $62,390 |
| Oklahoma | $62,170 |
| Missouri | $61,920 |
| Iowa | $61,790 |
| Kansas | $61,790 |
| Arkansas | $61,530 |
| Mississippi | $60,790 |
| South Dakota | $60,550 |
| Alabama | $60,510 |
| Guam | $58,980 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,320 |
| California | $125,340 |
| Hawaii | $111,070 |
How do clinical nurse specialist salaries compare to similar careers?
Clinical nurse specialists earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than physician assistants but more than MRI technologists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Physician assistant salary | $131K |
| Health services manager salary | $126K |
| Optometrist salary | $128K |
| Veterinarian salary | $122K |
| Nuclear medicine technologist salary | $127K |
| Clinical nurse specialist salary | $125K |
| Registered nurse salary | $125K |
| Acute care nurse practitioner salary | $125K |
| Diagnostic medical sonographer salary | $101K |
| MRI technologist salary | $102K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)