SalariesMetro area
Vocational nurse pay in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Half of the 6,610 licensed vocational and practical nurses here earn more than $79,720 ($38.33 an hour) and half earn less. Among the 393 metro areas the federal government publishes, this median ranks 20th highest.
The whole distribution
$64,950$79,720 median$96,390
| Percentile | A year | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $64,950 | Entry level, or a slow local market |
| 25th | $75,440 | Early career |
| 50th | $79,720 | The middle of the market |
| 75th | $89,040 | Experienced, or a demanding setting |
| 90th | $96,390 | Top of the local scale |
That median sits $30 below the California figure of $79,750.
Approved programs in this area
- Concorde Career College, San Diego$36,422
- North-West College, San Diegotuition not published
Programs are placed by the campus city the board publishes, so a school whose record gives no city will not appear here even if it is nearby. Search the full directory.
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA: common questions
- How much does an LVN make in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?
- The median is $79,720 a year, or $38.33 an hour, across the 6,610 licensed vocational and practical nurses counted in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA. Half earn more than that and half earn less. The figures are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- What do the best paid vocational nurses in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA earn?
- The ninetieth percentile is $96,390 a year and the tenth is $64,950, a spread of $31,440 between the top and bottom tenth of the same licence in the same place. The survey reports the spread but not what drives it for any one nurse.
- Where does San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA rank for vocational nurse pay?
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA has the 20th highest median of the 393 metro areas the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes for this occupation. The rank is on the median wage alone and takes no account of what it costs to live there.
- Is San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA above or below the California median?
- The San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA median of $79,720 sits $30 below the California median of $79,750. Both come from the same survey and the same release, so it is a like-for-like comparison.
- Do these figures cover LPNs as well as LVNs?
- Yes. They are a single federal occupation, licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses. California and Texas call the licence vocational and the other 48 states call it practical, but it is the same NCLEX-PN exam, the same scope of practice and the same wage series.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025