NOR-CAL vs. SO-CAL

The cost of living is definitely not similar, far from that. Cost of rents are significantly more than the LA area.

Please be aware that most new grad programs in the Bay Area are already full for their next start date which is coming up soon. Very hard to get a position in the area as a new grad, even more so if from out of state.

Best of luck to you.

It all depends on which part of Northern California and which part of Southern California you're moving too.....The Bay Area is a desirable area (the traffic is horrible though) so cost of living is higher vs if you're looking at somewhere like Moreno Valley in Southern California......The Greater Los Angeles Area is definately going to be more expensive than Redding Area which is in Northern California.....so it all depends on where you want to go...Good Luck!

One reason wages are generally lower in SoCal is that there is a proportionate larger number of available workers willing to work at lower wages. People can't afford to work at low wages in the Bay Area so employers offer higher wages (but not that much higher) in order to have workers and to keep their workers relatively happy. Turnover in the Bay Area is low because workers know that job opportunities are not that plentiful.

Northern California nurses unionized YEARS AGO with CNA. It is a much more liberal community than Southern California. Southern California is much more conservative and Republican and VERY anti union. It was like pulling teeth to get nurses in Southern California to unionize. It took all of the changes that occurred in the last 15 year, and the resultant devastation on conditions in hospitals, to finally get Southern California nurses to unionize. That is the difference.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN
Spokane, Washington

Hi Des11283, Walnut is a nice area, somewhat suburban with plenty of places to go for fun. Just curious are you a recent graduate with a BSN or ADN?

Concord has never had the rents that downtown San Francisco has, or the Peninsula has. They are more expensive in those areas by far.

There are not any new grad programs starting in September in the Bay Area as well.

Best of luck to you in your new job.