Most recent salary survey findings for a California Congregate Living Facility
At the request of a new client, we pulled the most recent salary ranges for positions that serve the needs of the congregate patients. Below was our findings:
Assuming you mean a California Congregate Living Health Facility (CLHF) and LVN these are practical starting budget ranges as of October 2026.
These are estimated amounts the facility pays employees or contracted professionals, not insurance reimbursement rates. County, patient acuity, ventilator care, experience and coverage requirements will affect pricing.
Employee compensation
Position | Estimated base pay range | Suggested starting budget |
Administrator — full time, one small facility | $80,000–$120,000/year | $100,000/year |
Director of Nursing — RN, full time | $110,000–$150,000/year | $130,000/year |
RN staff | $45–$65/hour | $55/hour |
LVN staff | $28–$38/hour | $33/hour |
CNA staff | $20–$27/hour | $24/hour |
These are planning ranges, not measured CLHF salary bands. For comparison, published congregate-care listings show LVN rates around $25–$35/hour, while Indeed reports approximately $136,346 annually for a DON at Burbank Congregate Living Center. The administrator estimate has less direct CLHF-specific public evidence. LVN example, DON salary reference
For an initial operating budget, allow another 20%–30% above base wages for employer taxes, workers’ compensation, benefits and paid leave. That is a budgeting allowance; overtime, shift differentials and replacement coverage should be calculated separately.
Contracted services per patient visit
The following are estimated direct-contract negotiation ranges for a scheduled visit with routine documentation. Specify visit duration, travel, care coordination and cancellation terms in the agreement.
Professional | Routine follow-up visit | Initial assessment or evaluation | Suggested routine-visit budget |
Social services — BSW | $65–$95 | $95–$140 | $80 |
Registered Dietitian — RD/RDN | $85–$125 | $125–$200 | $105 |
Physical Therapist — PT | $90–$120 | $125–$175 | $105 |
Speech Therapist — ST/SLP | $110–$150 | $150–$200 | $130 |
Occupational Therapist — OT | $90–$120 | $125–$175 | $105 |
Public comparisons include $90–$145 per OT visit, $120–$200 per skilled speech visit, and $130–$145 for PT home-health start-of-care visits. These are related home-health benchmarks, not a published CLHF fee schedule. OT employer posting, speech employer posting, PT employer posting
The BSW estimate uses related hospice contracting as a comparison; one California posting advertises $70–$100 per visit and accepts qualifying BSW applicants. RD private-practice examples include $145 initial assessments and $115 follow-ups. Confirm the professional qualifications required for the actual service. Social-work comparison, RD comparison
Respiratory Therapist — RT
Arrangement | Estimated budget range |
Direct employee | $40–$60/hour |
Contracted hourly coverage | $60–$90/hour |
Scheduled routine patient visit | $85–$140/visit |
Initial complex respiratory or ventilator assessment | $125–$200/visit |
The contract and visit figures are planning estimates. California’s published respiratory-therapist wage data show a $50.40 hourly median across settings. For continuous ventilator coverage, budget actual coverage hours separately from periodic assessment visits. California RT wage data
RD menu reviews, facility inspections, staff training and committee attendance should also have a separate hourly fee or retainer.
California wage distinction: The state’s labor department says CLHFs are not covered by the special health-care-worker minimum-wage law. Applicable state and local wage requirements still apply. California DIR guidance
The Math:
Use this formula to estimate an employee’s total cost, including employer expenses:
Total employee cost = Hourly rate × Paid hours × (1 + Employer expense percentage)
Employer expenses include payroll taxes, workers’ compensation, benefits and paid leave. For a preliminary budget, you can use 25% until you have actual costs.
For an employee earning $30/hour, working 40 hours/week:
Period | Calculation | Estimated cost |
Hourly | $30 × 1.25 | $37.50 |
Weekly | $30 × 40 × 1.25 | $1,500 |
Monthly average | $30 × 40 × 52 ÷ 12 × 1.25 | $6,500 |
Annual | $30 × 40 × 52 × 1.25 | $78,000 |
For a full-time employee working 40 hours weekly, the shortcut is:
Estimated annual cost = Hourly rate × 2,080 × 1.25
The 25% is a planning assumption. Add overtime, shift differentials and replacement coverage separately, and avoid counting paid leave twice.
Twelve Hour Shifts: Use R = hourly rate and B = employer expense percentage. With a 25% allowance, multiply wages by 1.25.
For California nonexempt staff, a standard 12-hour workday generally includes 8 regular hours plus 4 hours at time-and-a-half. A qualifying, validly adopted healthcare alternative workweek can permit scheduled 12-hour days at straight time. California overtime rules
Shift arrangement | Estimated total cost per shift | Example at $30/hour, including 25% |
8 paid hours, straight time | R × 8 × 1.25 | $300 |
12 paid hours, with daily overtime | [(R × 8) + (R × 1.5 × 4)] × 1.25 | $525 |
12 paid hours, qualifying straight-time schedule | R × 12 × 1.25 | $450 |
To calculate longer periods:
Weekly cost = Cost per shift × Shifts per week
Annual cost = Weekly cost × 52
Average monthly cost = Annual cost ÷ 12
For one continuously staffed position, 24 hours per day, at $30/hour:
Coverage schedule | Daily cost | Annual cost |
Three 8-hour shifts | $300 × 3 = $900 | $328,500 |
Two 12-hour shifts with daily overtime | $525 × 2 = $1,050 | $383,250 |
Two qualifying straight-time 12-hour shifts | $450 × 2 = $900 | $328,500 |
These examples assume all shift hours are paid, the overtime regular rate equals the stated hourly rate, and no additional weekly or seventh-day premiums apply. Meal relief, handoff overlap and replacement coverage are additional costs.
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