Nursing Jobs in San Diego, California

Known as the birthplace of California, San Diego is a prime location for anyone seeking to live and work with ample access to nature, idyllic weather, and excellent food and drink. If you’re looking for nursing jobs in San Diego, you’ve got many opportunities ahead of you. Check out what this city has to offer you.

Quick Facts About Nursing Jobs: San Diego

• Is California a compact state? No. Before you apply to San Diego nursing jobs, you must be licensed to practice in California.
• What do RNs earn in San Diego? The average annual salary for RN jobs in San Diego is $117,830, way above the national average RN salary of $89,010.
• Where can I find information about RN license requirements in California? You can visit the California Board of Registered Nursing for up-to-date information.

What to Know When Pursuing Nursing Jobs in San Diego

Almost 1.4 million people live in California’s second biggest city. In order to provide quality care to all those residents, skilled professionals are in demand to fill San Diego nursing jobs. That means RNs, CNAs, and LVNs are encouraged to seek full time, part time, contract, and per diem nursing jobs in San Diego.

So, whom will you be caring for? Don’t be surprised to find more than a few current and retired members of the armed forces on your list of patients. The largest concentration of military personnel in the country makes its home in San Diego. Over 100,000 active duty service members and 240,500 veterans reside here.

Among the military and civilian populations in San Diego, the median age is 34; people ages 65 and over make up around 13% of residents, and there are roughly equal numbers of women and men. Around 54% are single, and 46% are married (35% of married couples have kids).

Wondering who can look after your kids and pets while you’re busy with nursing jobs? San Diego has a number of childcare options for families to explore. The city also has the most dog-friendly restaurants in the country, so it’s logical that there are dog walkers and pet-sitting services who can help you out when you’re working a double.

Cultural competency will go a long way when you’re applying to nursing jobs — San Diego has a diverse demographic. Just over 30% of residents are of Hispanic ethnicity; 17% are Asian; and 6% are Black. If you’re a bilingual nursing professional, you’ll have an advantage over other job candidates who only speak English.

Working in San Diego

The demand for nursing jobs in San Diego is due, in part, to the fact that healthcare and social assistance is the city’s leading industry, followed by professional, scientific, and technical services; retail trade; manufacturing; and education. The largest employers in the city are:

• UC San Diego
• Sharp Healthcare
• County of San Diego
• City of San Diego
• General Atomics

Unsurprisingly, hospitals and community health centers are big employers of nursing professionals. The leading hospitals in San Diego are:

• UC San Diego Health – La Jolla and Hillcrest Hospitals
• Scripps La Jolla Hospitals
• Sharp Memorial Hospital
• Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center
• Kaiser Permanente San Diego Zion and San Diego Medical Center

In addition to hospitals and clinics offering nursing jobs in San Diego, more than 80 nursing homes and 115 assisted living communities are also in need of your expertise in order to provide quality care to patients and residents.

Curious to know how long it might take you to get to work? The typical commute time in San Diego takes 24 minutes, and 75% of the city’s job force drives solo to work. Only 4% take bus and rail service provided by the metropolitan transit system (MTS).

Living in San Diego

San Diego makes it easy to enjoy nature and culture simultaneously. In minutes, you can go from downtown to Balboa Park, an oasis of 1,000 acres that comprises 15 museums and theaters, the world-famous San Diego Zoo, and 16 unique gardens. Stroll in the Japanese Friendship Garden, take in a production at the Old Globe Theatre, have a picnic, or devise your own perfect afternoon. It’s all possible thanks to a free tram that shuttles visitors to different spots throughout the park.

If you love the water, not only do you have your pick of beautiful beaches, you also have access to Mission Bay Aquatic Park, the largest aquatic park in the country, for kayaking, paddle boarding, and more. Get even closer to nature with a walk among the pines and sandstone canyons at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve Park.

For day trips, don’t miss Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California’s largest state park, featuring 12 wilderness areas spread over 900 miles. Just east of San Diego is Mission Trails Regional Park, where you can hike, bike, ride horses, and rock climb.

When it’s time to unwind, you have many (delicious) options. San Diego is among the top food cities in the country, thanks to being at the intersection of two vibrant cuisines: California and Baja-Mediterranean. There are also more than 100 breweries and 140 wineries in the county — destinations unto themselves.

The weather in San Diego is about as idyllic as it gets. Summers are dry, warm, and clear, while winters are cool but never cold. The thermometer rarely gets lower than 44 degrees and higher than 84 degrees. Put it this way: The weather is so perfect, surf lessons are offered all along the coast, every day, year-round.

With so much going for it, no wonder San Diego has a cost of living that’s 44% higher than the rest of the country. The average home price is north of $1 million, while monthly rents are around $3,050.

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