Originally Posted by John123
I am thinking to save some money in Bay area, then go somewhere else to buy a house. Just do it, keep applying it, the market will give me an answer. How is job market for RN in Sancramento? I called an agency up there, the guy in Sancramento said he pays about 36/hr for registry RN. That is low. I love to serve people as a RN, but I have to be able provide my families. Thanks. John
If you don't care that much where you live and your primary goal is to bank some money, I'd work for the state Department of Corrections. That's the best way to make Bay Area wages and bank a lot of money without the accompanying cost of living.
Generally, the pay statewide starts at $40 an hour but, you also make $3K in bonuses the first year, another $1K bonus the second year. The OT is $60 an hour to start. We're getting another 3.4 percent raise this summer and, within three years, the base pay gets up to $98K a year or $46 an hour, nearly $70 an hour OT. And, the benefits are pretty much the best you can find anywhere.
It can be really hard to get hired in the metropolitan areas because the pay and benefits are so good and there's a lot of competition for those jobs. But, from what I understand, if you apply to remote prisons it's much easier to get hired because there's not as much competition there. The upside is the cost of living is a lot cheaper in the remote areas so you can really make bank there.
However, if you don't like the remote areas ... then you can pretty much transfer anywhere in the state ... because once you're a state employee you get preference for other state jobs when they open up. Many of the metropolitan prisons are going to be expanding in the next five years so there's going to be more job opportunities there. And, unlike other jobs, you don't lose things like retirement benefits when you transfer as a state employee.
If I was new to California and wanted to bank a lot of money before I figured out where I wanted to settle down ... that would be the best way to do it, IMO.
P.S. Since you inquired about Cali income tax ... keep in mind that the tax goes up as you make more money. While at $60K you pay 3-5 percent tax depending on whether you're married or not, the tax gets up to about 4.5-6.5 percent once you make $100K a year. The tax rate is higher if you're single, lower if you're married.
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I'm getting discouraged because I'm moving out there because of my husbands jobs but I feel like I will have to fight for a good job. Out here it's very different. I applied at 5 hospitals a few months ago (before we knew about the promotion) and 4 hospitals called me back for interviews within one week. I'm hoping I find a job soon because we surely can't afford to live on my husbands salary.
