Registered Nurse Jobs in Sacramento, CA
Registered nurses in the Sacramento metro earn a median of about $82 an hour, and UC Davis Medical Center, Sutter Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente and Mercy General all recruit RNs year round. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring, what it pays and how to get licensed in California.
Current registered nurse Openings in Sacramento, CA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Registered Nurse Work in Sacramento
Registered nursing is the single largest health occupation in Greater Sacramento, with about 25,900 RN jobs in 2024 and roughly 1,800 openings a year, according to the California Community Colleges Centers of Excellence. The work is concentrated in a tight ring of hospitals: UC Davis Medical Center on X Street in Oak Park, Sutter Medical Center on Capitol Avenue in Midtown, Mercy General on J Street in East Sacramento, Kaiser Permanente's Sacramento and South Sacramento hospitals, and the Sacramento VA Medical Center out at Mather along US-50.
What sets Sacramento apart is pay. California's staffing ratios, union contracts and high cost of living push RN wages far above most of the country, and a current Mercy General labor and delivery posting lists $72.64 to $88.21 an hour. Many nurses live in Elk Grove, Natomas, Roseville or Folsom and commute in on SR-99, I-5, I-80 or US-50 for 12 hour shifts.
Top Sacramento Employers Hiring Registered Nurses
These Sacramento employers are hiring registered nurses now or recruit them through dedicated nursing programs:
- UC Davis Health - the Magnet-recognized academic medical center recruits RNs for med-surg, critical care, emergency, perioperative and trauma units and runs a new-grad nurse residency.
- Sutter Health - Sutter Medical Center Sacramento hires RNs across adult units and the Anderson Lucchetti Women's and Children's Center, with a residency for new graduates.
- Kaiser Permanente - Sacramento and South Sacramento hospitals and medical offices post staff nurse roles, including on-call shifts.
- Dignity Health - Mercy General in East Sacramento is hiring labor and delivery RNs, and Dignity takes part in a national nurse residency.
- VA Northern California Health Care System - the Sacramento VA Medical Center at Mather runs a 12-month post-baccalaureate RN residency with rotations in ICU, ED and med-surg.
Registered Nurse Salaries in Sacramento
- Entry level: about $48 to $65 an hour for new graduates and nurses in clinics or residencies.
- Experienced: roughly $65 to $95 an hour for staff nurses in Sacramento hospitals.
- Senior and specialty: $95 to $105 an hour or more for experienced specialty, charge and senior nurses.
These are estimates based on federal wage data for the Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom metro, where the median RN earns about $82.43 an hour, and on current hospital postings. Pay moves with experience steps in union contracts, specialty units such as ICU and labor and delivery, night and weekend differentials, and whether you work in a hospital, clinic or residency program.
How to Become a Registered Nurse in Sacramento
You need a nursing degree from a program approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, then a passing score on the NCLEX-RN exam to earn your California RN license. Sacramento City College and American River College each offer a four-semester associate degree in nursing, plus LVN-to-RN tracks for licensed vocational nurses. Sacramento State's School of Nursing offers a BSN and collaborative ADN-to-BSN tracks, and a bachelor's degree is required for the VA residency and preferred by many hospital residency programs.
What the Job Involves
Registered nurses assess patients, give medications and IV therapy, monitor vital signs and lab results, carry out physician orders and update care plans in the electronic health record. They educate patients and families, coordinate with doctors, therapists and case managers, and supervise nursing assistants and LVNs on the unit. Hospital nurses usually work three 12 hour shifts a week, including nights, weekends and holidays.
Skills Employers Look For
- An active California RN license
- BLS, plus ACLS or PALS for acute care units
- Electronic health record charting
- Sound clinical judgment and patient assessment
- Calm communication with patients and families
- Teamwork across 12 hour and rotating shifts
Career Path and Advancement
Most Sacramento RNs start in a new-grad residency or a med-surg unit, then move into specialties such as ICU, emergency, labor and delivery or the NICU at Sutter. From there the ladder runs to charge nurse, clinical nurse specialist, nurse educator and nurse manager. Nurses who finish a BSN at Sacramento State can continue to graduate study at the UC Davis Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing for advanced practice roles.
Related Careers in Sacramento
For a wider view of the field, start here:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do registered nurses make in Sacramento?
The median RN in the Sacramento metro earns about $82 an hour, or roughly $171,000 a year, according to federal wage data. New graduates usually start lower, and experienced specialty nurses can earn more than $100 an hour.
Who licenses registered nurses in California?
The California Board of Registered Nursing licenses RNs. You must graduate from a board-approved nursing program and pass the NCLEX-RN exam before you can work as an RN in Sacramento.
How long does it take to become an RN in Sacramento?
The associate degree programs at Sacramento City College and American River College run four semesters once prerequisites are done. A BSN at Sacramento State takes longer, and LVNs can shorten the path with an LVN-to-RN track.
Do Sacramento hospitals hire new graduate nurses?
Yes. UC Davis Health and Sutter Health run nurse residency programs for new graduates, Dignity Health takes part in a national nurse residency, and the VA at Mather offers a 12-month residency for BSN graduates.
What shifts do Sacramento hospital nurses work?
Most hospital RNs work three 12 hour shifts a week, with nights, weekends and holidays rotated through the unit. Clinic and medical office nurses at systems like Kaiser Permanente often work daytime hours.
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