Santa Ana LVNs earn a median of $69,930 per year ($33.62/hour) according to O*NET, sitting slightly below California's $70,420 state median but well above the national median of $60,790.
Per O*NET, the top 10% of LVNs in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim wage area (which includes Santa Ana) earn over $85,000 annually — about 22% more than the top 10% nationwide, though Orange County housing costs eat into that premium.
O*NET describes the wider Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim labor market. A County of Orange recruitment located in Santa Ana shows what one specific public employer currently posts for one LVN classification.
Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim, covering a labor market much larger than Santa Ana.
Open the O*NET wage tableComprehensive Care LVN, County Health Care Agency, listed as full-time regular in Santa Ana.
Check the current County postingDo not treat these as interchangeable: the O*NET number is a regional percentile. The County range belongs to a particular correctional-health recruitment and can change or close.
O*NET's current California table, based on 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, reports a median of $79,310 annually or $38.13 hourly for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses in Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim. Santa Ana sits inside that reporting area, but the estimate does not isolate workers employed within Santa Ana.
The regional median is $440 below the California LVN median of $79,750 and $14,910 above the national median of $64,400. Santa Ana adds a useful local comparison that the regional table cannot: a County of Orange Comprehensive Care LVN recruitment listing $66,518.40 to $82,659.20 annually for a full-time position located in Santa Ana. Use the Orange County salary guide for broader county context.
The regional distribution used as wage context for Santa Ana. Source: O*NET, using 2025 BLS wage data.
| Percentile | LA–LB–Anaheim Annual | LA–LB–Anaheim Hourly | CA Annual | National Annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $64,200 | $30.87/hr | $64,390 | $49,740 |
| 25th | $73,860 | $35.51/hr | $74,840 | $59,000 |
| 50th (Median) | $79,310 | $38.13/hr | $79,750 | $64,400 |
| 75th | $92,930 | $44.68/hr | $93,720 | $76,030 |
| 90th | $96,630 | $46.46/hr | $100,450 | $83,440 |
The Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim median is $440 below the California median and $14,910 above the national median. All three series use the same 2025 O*NET wage release.
| Metro Area | Median Salary | vs LA–Long Beach–Anaheim | vs CA State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $76,970 | -$2,340 | -3% |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $79,720 | +$410 | Approximately even |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $79,020 | -$290 | -1% |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $76,130 | -$3,180 | -5% |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $94,310 | +$15,000 | +18% |
The County posting provides a concrete public-sector example. HCAI profiles identify the types of licensed facilities operating at Santa Ana addresses. Neither source should be used to guess another employer's pay.
This continuous recruitment is listed in Santa Ana for full-time regular work in Correctional Health Services. The assignment is more specific than the broad regional occupation measured by O*NET.
Time-sensitive: job ranges, incentives, eligibility rules and recruitment status can change. Confirm every term on the County page.
These selected state profiles show that local LVN work can sit in both acute-care and skilled-nursing environments.
282 licensed beds · Open
HCAI profile178 licensed beds · Open
HCAI profile54 licensed beds · Open
HCAI profile255 licensed beds · Open
HCAI profile202 licensed beds · Open
HCAI profile174 licensed beds · Open
HCAI profileHCAI verifies licensed type, bed count and open status. A profile does not establish a current LVN vacancy or pay range.
Use consistent evidence: identify what each number measures, match comparable assignments and verify the current posting.
A regional median summarizes an occupation across many employers. A job range belongs to one employer, classification and recruitment. Record the source, geography and date before comparing either figure.
The County example involves correctional health, while the HCAI profiles include acute-care hospitals and skilled-nursing facilities. Compare pay only after reviewing the setting, duties, patient population and required experience.
Start with the base rate. Then review only the premium pay and benefits for which the applicant and assignment qualify. The County recruitment, for example, lists separate conditions for night, bilingual and correctional-assignment pay.
The County recruitment is more useful than a guessed Santa Ana salary because it names the employer, location, classification, assignment and range. It also demonstrates why a posted range cannot replace the regional survey: correctional-health duties and eligibility conditions make it one particular job rather than a citywide average.
For a different city-level view inside the same wage area, compare the Anaheim LVN salary page. The Orange County guide supplies the parent geography. These pages share relevant wage context while using different local evidence.
Search accredited LVN programs in and around Santa Ana to compare cost, schedule, and NCLEX-PN pass rates side by side.
Enter search terms or use filters to find accredited LVN programs.
The $79,310 figure is a regional median. The $66,518–$82,659 range belongs to one County of Orange recruitment located in Santa Ana.
The County posting identifies correctional-health duties, full-time status and possible premium-pay conditions. Those details make it more useful than an unlabeled salary claim.
Orange County Global, South Coast Global and Kindred Hospital–Santa Ana are the three open acute-care profiles highlighted on this page.
South Coast Post Acute, French Park Care Center and The Hills Post Acute show a separate long-term-care setting within Santa Ana.
A continuous recruitment may close when the County's needs are met. Confirm its current range, requirements and status on the official posting.