What is the average salary for a RN graduate in N. California the bay area???

According to students who graduated from my school last year, anywhere from $38-$44/hr...

My friend who has been working for Kaiser for 3 years made $97K last year...

That's partly why it's so hard to get a job as a new grad here! I graduate this week and it is SO frustrating to think that those of us who have our lives here and went to school here may not get jobs. New grad programs are smaller or non-existent. It used to be that the place you precepted would hire you but so many hospitals/units are on hiring freezes that they aren't even looking at new grads. I know people who graduated last summer who still haven't found work; some moved to southern California.

Okay, end of rant! I am soooo happy to have made it through a rigorous BSN program (CSUEB) and that I will be doing what I love. Good luck to us all!

Its true. I live in LA and there are a ton of bay area new grads interviewing down here because they can't find jobs.

Moved to the California Nurses forum.

I started as a new grad in Sacramento in Oct 07 and my base was $37/hr - I worked nights so there was a diff of about $4.50. I now live/work in San Diego and my base is only $32/hr.

Good luck!

I worked at Alta Bates Summit in Oakland in August 2008 as a new grad. Starting pay was $46.97 for days. Differential for nights is $9 something extra. and it's an extra $1.00 for weekends. That may have changed recently though due to budget.

Btw some people I know have even moved out of state just to get experience.

I work at Children's Hospital Oakland, and my base pay is $44/hr, with a shift differential of about another $5/hr (I work PMs), plus another $2/hr for weekends, so I make $49/hr on weekdays and $51/hr on weekends. This is my first job as a nurse -- I graduated in May 2008, and was hired in November 2008. Other posters are right -- the new grad job market is brutal here. Many of my fellow grads took as long to get hired as I did, though I think everyone in our class did have a job by January or so. Several people moved out of the area to find jobs, including one who moved to New York. Once you get that first job, there seems to be plenty of demand for experienced nurses, but getting that first job is tough.

Good luck!

A classmate of mine started working at a San Jose hospital last Feb 09 gets paid I think $38 or $40/hour. Another classmate started working this April in a Mountain View hospital is making $47/hour. They're both new grads.

In addition to the incredibly difficult time to find jobs in Northern California, please consider the cost of living and taxes. The more money you make, the more is taken out in taxes, add the incredibly high cost of living, I really can't imagine it being worth it to struggle for months to find work.
I actually completed my RN in the bay area, but returned to where my house and husband is in Southern California. The job market is not much better here, but I did find employment, and as a night shifter I am making 36.50/hr. Plus completely free medical/vision/dental at my job. Yeah, I make 10 $ less an hour than I would in northern California (and that's assuming I could even find a job.) But in consideration of the taxes, and the fact that my house cost under 300k for a 3 bed/2bath on a quarter acre. Up there, an equivalent house would probably be well over 500k. What is really the better choice?

Furthermore, two of my classmates in northern California have found work. Everyone else is still in limbo, or considering relocation to either near me or other states.

Just some things to consider.

If you can get a job: $45-50 per hour. Good luck.