Santa Barbara County registered nurse salary, 2025

82 people worked as registered nurses for Santa Barbara County in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $130,440, overtime included.

What is the average registered nurse salary at Santa Barbara County?

Official pay range, public health nurses1

$103,399 to $132,626

from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest title for public health nurses, the largest group

Average total pay, full-year registered nurses1

$130,440

average base pay $122,612

Based on the 42 of 82 registered nurses who worked the full year.

The largest group of Santa Barbara County's registered nurses (25 of 82) hold the title Staff Nurse, with an official range of $103,399 to $124,459. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $119,250, within the range.

Median total pay
$124,138
the middle registered nurse: half earned more, half less
Overtime
$3,596
average per full-year registered nurse
Starting salary
$103,399
bottom of the Staff Nurse range
Average pay rank
45th
of 72 California employers

What does each registered nurse title at Santa Barbara County pay?

Each bar is the official range for one title, lowest first. The dot marks the average total pay of full-year staff in that title, where at least 5 people stand behind it.1

Public health nurses

  1. Staff Nurse$103,399 to $124,459 · 25 people
    $119,250
  2. Public Health Nurse$110,093 to $132,626 · 22 people
    $121,688
  3. Public Health Nurse - EXH$110,093 to $132,626 · fewer than 5 people
    Fewer than 5

Behavioral health nurses

  1. Psychiatric Nurse I$110,428 to $132,918 · fewer than 5 people
    Fewer than 5
  2. Psychiatric Nurse II$115,633 to $139,270 · 19 people
    $146,923
  3. Psychiatric Nurse II - EXH$115,633 to $139,270 · 6 people
    Fewer than 5
  4. Psychiatric Nurse Sr$123,952 to $149,420 · fewer than 5 people
    Fewer than 5

Other nurse titles

  1. Staff Nurse Sr$113,400 to $136,663 · fewer than 5 people
    Fewer than 5

official range average total pay, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.

Does Santa Barbara County pay registered nurses more than other employers in Santa Barbara County?

Average total pay of full-year registered nurses: Santa Barbara County next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.1

Full-year registered nurses at Santa Barbara County earned $9,992 more than the Santa Barbara County average and $50,724 less than the California average.

Average registered nurse pay in Santa Barbara County compared to nearby counties

Average total pay of full-year registered nurses across all employers in each county that borders Santa Barbara County, and how much more or less it pays.1

Santa Barbara County Shades match the state map.

Where does Santa Barbara County rank among California employers?

Every employer with at least 5 full-year registered nurses, by average total pay.1

All 72 California employers

Santa Barbara County ranks 45th of 72, below the middle employer.

Santa Barbara County
$100k$150k$200k$250k

Middle employer: $138,446

Each bar counts the employers whose average total pay falls in a $5,000 band. The dashed line marks the middle employer.

Pension and health cover at Santa Barbara County

As reported by the county. Contributions are what the employer paid per full-year registered nurse, on top of wages.1

Pension formula
2% at 62
the most common formula among Santa Barbara County's registered nurses
Employer pension contribution
$15,198
average per year
Health, dental and vision
$17,031
average paid by the employer per year

Questions about registered nurse pay at Santa Barbara County

What is the average registered nurse salary at Santa Barbara County?

Registered nurses at Santa Barbara County who worked the full year earned an average of $130,440 in 2025, overtime included. The middle registered nurse earned $124,138: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its registered nurse titles runs from $103,399 to $132,626.

How much overtime do registered nurses at Santa Barbara County earn?

Full-year registered nurses were paid an average of $3,596 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $0: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.

What is the starting salary for a registered nurse at Santa Barbara County?

$103,399 a year: the bottom of the official range for Santa Barbara County's Staff Nurse title in 2025, as reported. Pay rises with steps and overtime; full-year registered nurses averaged $130,440 in total pay.

What pension do registered nurses at Santa Barbara County get?

The most common pension formula among Santa Barbara County's registered nurses is 2% at 62, as reported by the county. The employer paid an average of $15,198 a year into the pension plan.

More salaries in Santa Barbara County

Sources for the Santa Barbara County figures

Every person who held a registered nurse position at Santa Barbara County at any point in 2025 counts toward the headcount. Pay figures use only people who worked roughly the full year: those whose regular pay reached at least 90% of the bottom of their official range. Total pay is gross wages before tax, including overtime, lump sums and other pay. Averages lead; the median total pay is the middle person's, with half above and half below, and is less pulled by a few people with very high pay. Every figure covers at least 5 people.

  1. State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages, pension formula and employer contributions as reported by Santa Barbara County.

How we read the data