Healthcare · San Diego County, CA
Registered nurses and radiologic technologists in San Diego earn more than 40% above the U.S. median, even though both pools are thinner than average. Careerscape, a national recruiting firm organized by industry, handles San Diego County healthcare searches remotely.
Clusters
San Diego's hospitals are spread across the county, and freeway commutes decide a lot of offers. Employers named as market context only.
UC San Diego Health's Hillcrest Medical Center is an academic Level I trauma center. Because it will not meet seismic standards, it is due to be renovated or replaced on the same site before 2030.
UC San Diego Health's Jacobs Medical Center, for specialized and quaternary care, opened in November 2016 near the UC San Diego School of Medicine.
Sharp Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa. UC San Diego Health added its East Campus Medical Center, the former Alvarado Hospital, bought from Prime Healthcare in December 2023.
Naval Medical Center San Diego, a Navy hospital that runs graduate medical education programs in many specialties and deploys staff with the hospital ship USNS Mercy.
Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside, where UC San Diego Health ended affiliation talks in July 2024. Palomar Health also serves the inland north.
BLS May 2025
Federal estimates for the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro, all employers. LQ above 1 means a larger share of local jobs than nationally.
| Occupation | Jobs in metro | Median pay · vs. U.S. | Concentration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 28,680 | $139,520+43% | 0.86 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | 6,610 | $79,720+24% | 1.03 |
| Nursing Assistants | 9,670 | $48,070+14% | 0.67 |
| Nurse Practitioners | 2,340 | $163,860+24% | 0.73 |
| Physician Assistants | 1,370 | $165,160+22% | 0.86 |
| Physical Therapists | 2,680 | $113,850+11% | 1.02 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | 1,770 | $113,480+42% | 0.78 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 6,980 | $138,080+11% | 1.18 |
| Medical Assistants | 9,370 | $49,420+8% | 1.16 |
| Medical Records Specialists | 1,600 | $61,480+20% | 0.83 |
| Respiratory Therapists | 1,430 | $105,040+28% | 1.03 |
| Dental Hygienists | 1,940 | $123,790+26% | 0.88 |
Every role on this list pays above the U.S. median here. Registered nurses earn $139,520, 43% above the national figure, and radiologic technologists $113,480, 42% above, even though both pools are thinner than average (LQ 0.86 and 0.78). Medical and health services managers are the deep pool, with 6,980 jobs and an LQ of 1.18, which helps employers filling practice manager and director roles. Nursing assistants (LQ 0.67) and nurse practitioners (0.73) are the thinnest. NPs earn a median of $163,860 and physician assistants $165,160. Jobs and median annual pay for the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, all employers, from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey (May 2025). “Vs. U.S.” compares with the national median. Concentration is the BLS location quotient: above 1.0 means the job makes up a bigger share of local employment than it does nationally.
SB 525 tiers
Statewide rates under SB 525 that San Diego County employers pay. The Department of Industrial Relations FAQ explains which tier covers a facility.
| Facility type | Minimum since July 1, 2026 | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Systems with 10,000+ full-time employees; dialysis clinics | $25.00/hr | Already at the $25 top rate |
| Other covered health care facilities | $23.00/hr | $25 from July 1, 2028 |
| Community clinics | $22.00/hr | $25 from July 1, 2027 |
| Safety-net hospitals | $19.28/hr | Rises each July |
General information, not legal advice. Hourly equivalents elsewhere on this page divide BLS annual medians by 2,080 hours. Source: California DIR, Health Care Worker Minimum Wage FAQ.
Roles
Through direct hire, contract, contract-to-hire and executive search. Links go to national pay in our Salary Guide.
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FAQ
BLS puts the median for registered nurses in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro at $139,520 a year as of May 2025, 43% above the U.S. median of $97,550. Specialty, shift and union status move offers up or down from that median. Our registered nurse salary guide gives the national picture for comparison.
Less hard than most roles. Medical and health services managers have an LQ of 1.18 here, so they are a larger share of local jobs than nationally, and there are 6,980 of them. The median is $138,080, about 11% above the U.S. For director and executive roles, a confidential search reaches managers who are not applying.
Not without a California license. California is not part of the Nurse Licensure Compact, so a nurse who has served at Naval Medical Center San Diego on another state's license needs to apply for California licensure before a civilian start date. Ask about license status early and plan the start around it.
It depends on who owns it. Under SB 525, the $25 rate since July 1, 2026 applies to hospitals and integrated systems with 10,000 or more full-time employees and to dialysis clinics. Other covered facilities pay $23, and community clinics $22. Check the California Department of Industrial Relations FAQ for your tier.
Our healthcare recruiters are national and remote, organized by industry rather than city. They recruit for San Diego County employers by phone and video, and you get a pre-screened shortlist in the Employer Portal. Candidates interview with you directly, on site or by video, and we handle the scheduling and follow-up.
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