CNA's/PCT's how much do you make?

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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I have a couple interviews for PCT positions, but I have no idea what to expect as a salary. I am a student nurse in NE FL. Please tell me where you live, your experience, and how much you make. I know I will probably have to take a pay cut, but to be doing what I am going to school for will be worth it, I think. Thanks for you help!

Specializes in ED.
OMG!!! I am surprised at the low pay rates in other states....:eek:!! I've been a CNA for merly 4yrs. in California and I make $22.05 plus 25% per diem differential, which makes it what??? Almost $27!!! Big difference....

Yes, but look at the cost of living where you are. I am an RN (recent grad) and make (only, lol) $25.72 /hr compared to your $22. But my 2 BR apt in a nice complex with 2 pools, jacuzzi, 2 weight rooms, etc, is $787/month. How much is yours?

:):):)

Yes, but look at the cost of living where you are. I am an RN (recent grad) and make (only, lol) $25.72 /hr compared to your $22. But my 2 BR apt in a nice complex with 2 pools, jacuzzi, 2 weight rooms, etc, is $787/month. How much is yours?

:):):)

But it all depends on what you value. The biggest mistakes people make (especially young 20-somethings) are when they fixate on either their wage, cost of living, or quality of life. All 3 need to be considered, not just one factor alone.

I have no idea where you live or how old you are so this is just an example:

You have one person who brags about how high his/her wage is in comparison to the rest of the country and he/she enjoys all of the amenities involved with living in an exciting place like San Francisco. Their wages might be high but they live in an apartment or condo that others would not consider as a suitable home.

You have another who brags about their fabulous home or apartment and how many bells and whistles it has, yet they live in the boring suburbs of some rustbelt city in the cold midwest or northeast.

The San Francisco type person would never trade their tiny studio apartment for a home with a yard or a bigger apartment with hot tubs and work out rooms because they don't want their life to be about going to yet another chain restaurant or mall, in addition to scraping ice off their windshield every morning before going to work. They may want to hang out in cool clubs or go to plays or hit the latest new restaurant that just opened down the street.

The person in the rustbelt suburbs may value and want other things in life, like good schools for their kids, a nice yard, a home with new appliances and pretty hardwood floors, etc.

Your best place to live is not necessarily where you grew up, nor is it the city that pays the highest wages, but a carefully thought out plan of what you value in life.

Your wage might be high in one city but not give you what you want in life, or it may be lower in another city yet meet your needs much better than the higher paying town.

But it all depends on what you value. The biggest mistakes people make (especially young 20-somethings) are when they fixate on either their wage, cost of living, or quality of life. All 3 need to be considered, not just one factor alone.

I have no idea where you live or how old you are so this is just an example:

You have one person who brags about how high his/her wage is in comparison to the rest of the country and he/she enjoys all of the amenities involved with living in an exciting place like San Francisco. Their wages might be high but they live in an apartment or condo that others would not consider as a suitable home.

You have another who brags about their fabulous home or apartment and how many bells and whistles it has, yet they live in the boring suburbs of some rustbelt city in the cold midwest or northeast.

The San Francisco type person would never trade their tiny studio apartment for a home with a yard or a bigger apartment with hot tubs and work out rooms because they don't want their life to be about going to yet another chain restaurant or mall, in addition to scraping ice off their windshield every morning before going to work. They may want to hang out in cool clubs or go to plays or hit the latest new restaurant that just opened down the street.

The person in the rustbelt suburbs may value and want other things in life, like good schools for their kids, a nice yard, a home with new appliances and pretty hardwood floors, etc.

Your best place to live is not necessarily where you grew up, nor is it the city that pays the highest wages, but a carefully thought out plan of what you value in life.

Your wage might be high in one city but not give you what you want in life, or it may be lower in another city yet meet your needs much better than the higher paying town.

This is very true. I'm not a nurse yet, but I was told by HR that the local hospital pays $18 an hour to new RNs. Compared to many other parts of the country, that is very low, but it's a higher wage than most people here make (and it's only the starting wage).

That will be plenty for ME because I have a husband who has a decent paying job, we own our house, and we both grew up here and went to the schools are children are/will be going to. I have no desire to move. Plus, people from the west coast and the NE have moved here because the need for nurses is high. I've even seen someone on this board say they moved here from CA for a job. Not to mention, I have a teaching degree and the only people who currently have jobs that graduated with my class are people who moved out of the area. Even with having to return to school and having loan payments, the "low wage" is worth it.

Specializes in Acute Care, Surgery, OBGYN.
Yes, but look at the cost of living where you are. I am an RN (recent grad) and make (only, lol) $25.72 /hr compared to your $22. But my 2 BR apt in a nice complex with 2 pools, jacuzzi, 2 weight rooms, etc, is $787/month. How much is yours?

:):):)

Yes, to live in California, especially San Jose-San Francisco area is VERY expensive. I've lived here all my life and I've adjusted to the cost and honestly couldn't see myself living anywhere else. $787 for a 2bd period is a Great deal, but adding all those anemities is a major plus for the price. Here, to get all that would run you at LEAST $1300.00- $1650.00/month!!!:eek: Not to mention, I am recently divorced and raising two kids while going to school, so how much I make is a major concern here in California. But again, I couldn't imagine living anywhere else...I love it here!!:heartbeat

Sadly CNA/PCT pay in many areas of the United States can be, well let us say "less than generous".:D

Nursing homes and LTCs often fall towards the bottom of the scale. There is a nursing home up the street from me, and I routinely see their nusing assistants (most of whom are immigrants (nothing wrong with this, am just saying), going through trash bags for recycling.

The story no one is really talking about in healthcare is about how the poor working conditions/wages of nursing assistants causes constant turnover of staff. This is very bad for nursing homes and LTCs because the facility, patients and staff must adapt to a constant revolving door of staff. The elderly in particular are sensitive to people being here one week, then gone the next.

If you think finding persons to fill the ranks of licensed nurses is difficult, one can only imagine what it must be like for aides. Between various federal, state and local madates in terms of education and backround, coupled with the physical nature of the work, all for wages that often aren't much better than one finds at MacDonald's in some cases.

Specializes in TELEMETRY.

In orange county California A CNA FULL TIME with benefits starts off at 9 dollars an hour.. If you work registry a few I know pay as much as 16 an hour.... form what I have heard... FUlltime RN new grad 27/hr to start.. This is where I work at

Specializes in Long Term Care, Dementia, Neuro-Psychiat.

I am currently a cna and one of the very few that works at the dementia unit here. I have three years experience yet I make 9 dollars a hour. The pay isn't very generous but I am blessed I have a job none the less. I test for lpn soon..

Does anybody know how much a CNA's with a 2 years experience in a hospital would make in las vegas or henderson Nevada.

Specializes in Psych, Scrub/Scout, Gen-Surg, Neuro-Med.

I live in Melbourne, Australia.

Started work as a Division 2 nurse, not medication-endorsed. Starting pay rate was $20.20 an hour for permanent hours, but as I was casual I got $25.25 an hour. Later received a union-negotiated rise to just over $26 an hour.

Then started my Division 1 graduate year full time. Started on $22.69, then received another union-negotiated rise to $23.42.

Now I have finished my graduate year and am on just over $25 an hour. I get an extra $23 per shift if I work after 6pm. 50% extra pay for any weekend hours.

I live somewhere on the Pacific Ocean and I make diddly squat/hour

I may have posted on this a long time ago, but anyways, I make a base rate of $11.50ish per hour. $2 for weekends, $1 for evening, $3 for night. So on a weekend night, you are at $16.50. And $1/hour if you take a call in or heavy duty shifts (working short). It's not horrendous, here.... in western CO. LPNs start at $18...not much more than the CNAs!

Specializes in Geriatrics.

I make $14.75 an hour on nights in the NH/MA area. This is in assisted living.

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