SoCal Vs. Nth Cal Salary?

mommy2boys, where do you live, I'm in Ukiah.

Recently, a work friend of mine accepted a full-time staff ER position in a Union based hospital in the Bay area. He told me his rate will be $54/hr.
He is a very experienced RN with 20+ years experience. I am wondering is this acurate the way things are going in Ntn Cal. I have been an RN working in SoCal with 13 years experience, I also work in a Union based hospital and make $20 less per hr.
Is this accurate between the North and South?
I look forward to some input.
Thanks.

Average pay in the Bay Area is higher ... averaging $38 to $42 an hour. Southern California is lower ... more like $32 an hour but, of course, it depends on the area. However, house will cost you $150K more in Northern California also.

http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcma.htm

Even though SoCal pays less, I've never heard of RN's making less than $20 an hour in even the smaller towns. Where are you located because less than $20 an hour is pretty pathetic in California.

I agree with the other posters. For example, new grads who are working in Los Angeles are making $24 to $27/hr. In N. California (San Francisco, Bay Area), the new grad rate is $35 to $38/hr. This does not include the evening or weekend shift differential. These are union hospitals in large metropolitan areas.

1)You say your friend is in the ER; what is your speciality? Experienced ER nurses are paid more (in general) than say, med-surg nurses. It also depends on the hospital.
2) Are you at a smaller community based hospital or a large teaching hospital?
3) Are you in Los Angeles or more in the outskirts of LA?
4) Are you in a union-based facility?

If you can answer those questions, that may explain part of the difference.