This Is What California Pays New Grad Nurses

Hey nurse,

When Monica and I decided to leave New York, we thought we were headed to the Bay.

We’d heard that nurses in San Francisco made some of the highest wages in the country.
We booked a trip to Northern California to scout neighborhoods, check out hospitals, and figure out where we might land.

But once we got there and looked at the cost of housing—we realized the Bay wasn’t going to work.

That’s when we reached out to an old friend. He and his wife—both nurses—had moved to California a few months earlier. I’d heard they were somewhere near Sacramento, so we reached out to see if we could meet up.

He told us to swing by and visit.

We figured he was renting an apartment. Maybe a condo with the kids.
We were wrong. Way wrong.

We Pulled Up to a New Suburban Neighborhood in Roseville

Fresh pavement. Wide sidewalks. Two-car garages.
Every house looked brand new.

We thought maybe he was staying with family.
Then we knocked on the door.

He and his wife welcomed us in—and told us straight up:

That moment stopped me cold.
In eight months, they’d gone from NYC renters to California homeowners.

I had to ask: How?

That’s when he told me what nurses were making at Kaiser Permanente.

Back Then, It Was $83/hour for Night Shift Nurses

He wasn’t on some special contract. He was a staff nurse.
Full-time, nights, no side hustle.

He told us new grads were starting only a few dollars less.
It was all in the union contract.

So I found it online and started reading.

I’d never seen pay like that printed in black and white—especially for bedside nurses.

That was the moment everything shifted for Monica and me.

We came to California thinking we’d move to San Francisco.
We left knowing we’d be building a life in Sacramento.

Today, New Grads at Kaiser Are Making Even More

If the pay was life-changing back then, it’s unbelievable now.

Here’s what new grad nurses on night shift at Kaiser NorCal are earning right now:

This is not travel nursing.
This is not a temporary contract.
This is just what staff nurses are paid—in writing, in the union agreement, every two weeks.

Most Nurses Never Find Out This Exists

Before that trip, Monica and I were both full-time nurses in NYC.
We were constantly working. Paying down debt. Trying to save. Trying to breathe.

We had no idea that just a different zip code could change our entire financial reality.

We didn’t know that new grad nurses in California were out-earning experienced nurses in most other states—while working fewer hours and buying homes within their first year.

It wasn’t a dream.
It was just… the truth. Hidden in plain sight.

The Math Still Shocks Me

In many cities, even experienced nurses walk away with less than $2,000 a month after housing.

In Northern California, new grads are walking away with over $4,000/month after their mortgage.

That’s the difference.
That’s the opportunity.

We’ve Been Here Nearly a Decade Now

Monica’s been with Kaiser for 8 years. I’ve been there for 7.5.
We’ve paid off over $128,000 in debt.
We’ve built a life with time, space, and financial breathing room.

And it all started with that one unexpected visit to Roseville.

If we hadn’t seen it for ourselves, I’m not sure we would’ve believed it either.

But now we live it.
And now you know it’s real too.

—Jason
Founder, Nurses to Riches

P.S. That visit to Roseville changed everything for us.

We came out here thinking we might eventually afford a better life.
We left knowing we could have it now.

That was eight years ago. Today, the pay is even higher—and the opportunity is even bigger.

If you’re reading this and thinking,
“I want that too… but I have no idea where to start,”
I built something for you.

The Nurses to Riches Accelerator is the step-by-step guide Monica and I wish we had when we moved.
It walks you through:

• How to get your California license fast

• Which hospitals pay the most (with real numbers)

• Where to live that’s affordable, safe, and commutable

• How to land the job—even as a new grad

• And how to work less, earn more, and finally get ahead

It’s already helped hundreds of nurses go from paycheck-to-paycheck to six-figure careers with freedom.

You don’t have to guess anymore. You just need a plan.

If you’re ready, I’ll show you exactly how to do it.