I'm a critical care RN from Los Angeles for 6 years and will be relocating in DC mid next year. I heard from some of our RN travelers that although DC is a great place to live in, pay is not that great, which makes me really nervous. I make about $45/hr in LA, and wanted to know where salary is roughly In DC. Would you advise to consider being a staff RN or is compensation better as a travel nurse. I am particularly interested in applying at George Washington university hospital, but open to others too. Any advice?

I can't really speak to much. I am a new-grad working at Washington HOspital Center, and the starting salary for a new graduate was a little over $27/hr. WHC is a hospital with nurses in the NNU (union) and a set pay scale (I don't know what the salary would be for your level of experience off hand).

I worked in DC for a while. My base pay was 27.06 with night/weekend diff.

I can't speak for everyone else...but I thought DC sucked. People are cold and rude. I moved back to New England last year and it was my best decision. I wish that I had never been in DC.

BTW I was not a new grad when I was paid that - I worked at a place that paid a little less, but I had 2 years experience.

The pay in DC is terrible when you consider what the cost of living is. I'm not a new grad (they credit me with 4 years RN for my 8 as an LPN and 2 as an RN) and my base pay is $30 and change... Which is $2/hr more than Augusta, GA. I pay SIGNIFICANTLY more for housing here as you might imagine. I'll say that I haven't found the people to be bad, but I was born in California so maybe I'm used to the pace.

Travelers do get payed more, but I would definitely contact some that know the system because those that I work with have some pretty variable stories regarding their companies and how they are reimbursed re: housing, etc.