First RN job & it's pay

[Stephen.Stevens]

Hello everyone,

I would like as many responses as possible. I am located in Houston, Texas but looking to working to work anywhere in the US. I am about to get my RN license and I have started looking for a job. What should I expect my salaray or my wage/hr at my first job as a RN with no experience? If people would tell me their personal pay they received at there first job would be helpful. I've researched the web and found just a scattered range of pays. Your responses will be very appreciated. Thanks!

[ChuckeRN, BSN, RN]

I was offered a job in Minot ND as a new grad @ $21/h.

I also talked to a recruiter in Springfield, IL and they also pay $21/h for new grads.

[RNFNP]

I started as a new grad with BSN at a VA in chicagoland and started at 29.30 without differentials. Other new grads in my area were starting in the 27-28 range. After 2 years experience Im at 33.50 without any differentials. This year I will make around 83,000 before taxes.

[KalipsoRed]

My first job was in Saint Louis Missouri at $21.16 per hour ($20.16 for other new grads.). I got no increase for having a BSN I got the dollar because I'd been a nurses' aid for 3 years prior to becoming a nurse so I had 'clinical' experience.

I don't understand the people who are aggrivated with the OP for asking this question. Does no one else find it interesting that there has been no increase in the beginning pay for a new nurse for 20 YEARS?! Minimum wages has gone up 4 times since I was able to start working. PLUS the fact that many of us are getting BSN now, not ADNs or diplomas, which are quite a bit more expensive. So the work force has more educated nurses with bigger student loans and hasn't had a base pay raise in 20 YEARS?!

I couldn't find any information about degrees, but in 1981 the average cost for a house was $78, 200. Today, even with the recent drop in housing, the average cost for a house is $176,000. So making $20, 20 years ago is a HUGE difference from making $20 in 2010 at your first job.

To me there is nothing wrong with being concerned about making $40,000 for your first job when you have $50k in school debt, and haven't even considered buying your first home. What if the OP already has a home is $30k in debt and is starting a family? Just because we care about people doesn't mean we shouldn't care about ourselves....in fact nursing needs to do a WHOLE lot more caring for ourselves to get what we deserve.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

Sorry, meant to say "Diploma RN's"... my mistake!

Diploma RN's differ from ADN/BSN.....how?

Salary for Diploma RN vs. ADN vs. BSN?

[divine-guidance]

@kalipso i totally agree with you. even though there are nurses out there that really do care for the patients and have a good heart i'll bet that none of them are working for free. we should all be concerned with what we are getting paid. we have bills to pay and families to take care of.

[jones.rn]

South Florida 23.90 as a new RN. Thats when they hired me to work nightshift med surg. But on orientation management decided they wanted me on dayshift so I make a little less.

[GM2RN]

I would also like to caution about going after the money. Crazy high cost-of-living often goes along with higher than average wages. There are a few exceptions, but that's the general rule.

You will also find, in general, that union wages are higher than non-union wages, and unions typically will have negotiated automatic yearly raises.

[OgopogoLPN, LPN, RN]

Diploma RN's differ from ADN/BSN.....how?

Salary for Diploma RN vs. ADN vs. BSN?

I think she's just trying to get accross that Canada does not have diploma educated RN's any longer. (Well, there are still some in the system from prior to BScN becoming the mandatory education level for RN's.)

There are only LPNs and RNs who have BScNs in Canada-except as I mentioned above.

Not a dig on ADN or diploma RNs.

[MN-Nurse, ASN, RN]

My first RN job is union, $28.50/hr plus shift differentials.

[linearthinker, DNP, RN]

Canadians, Sadly it seems the maple leaf flag is not a big enough clue. You are going to have to start posting disclaimers on all your posts in huge font and contrasting colors. Otherwise people are going to continue to get their knickers in a twist over misunderstandings regarding nomenclature. sigh.....

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I'm in the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas. My first RN position paid $28 hourly last year, but this was at a LTC facility. The area hospitals start new grads off between $22 and $25 hourly.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

I think she's just trying to get accross that Canada does not have diploma educated RN's any longer. (Well, there are still some in the system from prior to BScN becoming the mandatory education level for RN's.)

There are only LPNs and RNs who have BScNs in Canada-except as I mentioned above.

Not a dig on ADN or diploma RNs.

I didn't mean it as a dig, but thanks for clarifying. I was truly confused by the term.