Do hospice nurses or home health nurses earn more in California?

In California, hospice nurses earn more — an estimated $138,870 a year versus $137,460 for home health nurses, a gap of about $1,410 (roughly 1% more). Both are estimates: public wage data does not report these roles separately, so each starts from reported California pay for the closest reported role.

How much is the hospice nurse vs home health nurse pay gap in California?

The estimated gap in California is about $1,410 a year, or roughly 1% more for hospice nurses. Your actual pay depends on experience, specialty, shift, and employer — use the calculator to compare both for your situation.

Are these California figures exact?

No — they're estimates, not separately reported wages. Public wage data doesn't break out every nursing role, so where it doesn't, we start from reported California pay for the closest reported role and adjust. Treat those as a ballpark.

Why are some figures verified and others estimates?

National pay for the main nursing roles — registered nurses, LPNs/LVNs, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, nurse midwives, and nursing assistants — comes from verified public wage data. State, city, and specialty figures that aren't reported on their own start from that national pay and are labeled "Estimated" or "Specialty estimate." We never show an estimate as a verified figure.

California · CA

Hospice Nurse vs Home Health Nurse salary in California

In California, hospice nurses earn more — an estimated $138,870 a year versus $137,460 for home health nurses, a gap of about $1,410 (roughly 1% more). Both are estimates based on national pay for each role adjusted for California.

Hospice Nurse — California

Specialty estimate

Median annual pay

$138,870

+44% vs national

Hourly

$66.76/hr

Median $138,870

$100,250Middle 50%: $121,220–$171,440$211,190

Typical range: $121,220–$171,440; What most nurses earn
High end: $211,190; Top earners
Entry level: $100,250; Newer nurses

Home Health Nurse — California

Specialty estimate

Median annual pay

$137,460

+44% vs national

Hourly

$66.09/hr

Median $137,460

$99,230Middle 50%: $119,990–$169,710$209,050

Typical range: $119,990–$169,710; What most nurses earn
High end: $209,050; Top earners
Entry level: $99,230; Newer nurses

Why the gap in California

Hospice and home health nurses earn comparable pay, as both are community-based RN specialties drawing on the same registered nurse wage base. The practical differences are the setting and structure of the work: hospice centers on end-of-life comfort care while home health delivers skilled visits, with on-call expectations varying by employer. The California figures apply the same local pay adjustment to both roles, so the gap here mirrors the national picture, shifted for California's cost of labor. Actual pay varies with experience, specialty, shift, and employer — compare the national Hospice Nurse vs Home Health Nurse comparison or personalize the calculator.

Hospice Nurse vs Home Health Nurse in California — FAQ

Do hospice nurses or home health nurses earn more in California?: In California, hospice nurses earn more — an estimated $138,870 a year versus $137,460 for home health nurses, a gap of about $1,410 (roughly 1% more). Both are estimates: public wage data does not report these roles separately, so each starts from reported California pay for the closest reported role.
How much is the hospice nurse vs home health nurse pay gap in California?: The estimated gap in California is about $1,410 a year, or roughly 1% more for hospice nurses. Your actual pay depends on experience, specialty, shift, and employer — use the calculator to compare both for your situation.
Are these California figures exact?: No — they're estimates, not separately reported wages. Public wage data doesn't break out every nursing role, so where it doesn't, we start from reported California pay for the closest reported role and adjust. Treat those as a ballpark.
Why are some figures verified and others estimates?: National pay for the main nursing roles — registered nurses, LPNs/LVNs, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, nurse midwives, and nursing assistants — comes from verified public wage data. State, city, and specialty figures that aren't reported on their own start from that national pay and are labeled "Estimated" or "Specialty estimate." We never show an estimate as a verified figure.

Source & confidence— An estimate for a specialty that public pay data does not list on its own. A ballpark to start from, not an exact figure.

Modeled specialty estimate (BLS state wage × specialty adjustment)

Public wage data does not report Hospice Nurse separately. This figure starts from the wage the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics published for Registered Nurse in California (May 2025) and applies a 0.99× specialty adjustment.

Source year 2025. Last reviewed July 17, 2026. Full methodology

Estimated figures for California. Last reviewed July 17, 2026.