CNA/LPN/RN Pay in Georgia?

U.S.A. Georgia

Published

Hey, I live in Savannah and want to enter nursing. I'm probably going to start out as an LPN and then bridge to RN later after I have some experience and I'm comfortable with the job.

I thought of starting as a CNA because it would be the quickest route but my husband says the pay is very little for the kind of work you do. I'm not really hung up on pay but I would like to feel adequately compensated, regardless of which track I start with.

What do CNA's, LPN's, and RN's in your area of Georgia make? And if you have specific info for Savannah that would be even better. I've done the Salary.com for my area but I don't know how accurate it is. I'd really like to hear it firsthand. I know as a fresh from school employee the pay will be less but that's okay, I'm just trying to get a feel for what Georgia pays for these jobs.

Regardless of the pay though I'm still going to enter nursing in one form or another. I really feel it's where I should be. Thanks in advance for any info.

Specializes in Dialysis.

I am in the Atlanta area. My first job out of school in 2008 (LPN) I made $17 out the door on salary which came to $36,000/year. I have been at my current job since April of this year and make $18/hour. I can't imagine going to school and then getting out only to make $13/hour.

0 Votes
Specializes in Mental & Behavioral Health/Geriatrics.

I lived in Savannah for a few years, and my uncle was an RN at Candler--I'll have to ask him how much he made. I'm now in Atlanta, and in this area, CNAs surprisingly do not make all that much. Many I know have told me they started off at about $9.00/ph straight out of school which is what I currently make working in early childhood ed. I know two LPNs that make somewhere between $15-$20 that work part-time and have a good bit of experience.

My mother has her CNA and has only volunteered and admitted that they do MUCH more work than the RNs that supervise them and just sit around chewing gum and passing out medication while the CNAs change pampers and lift very heavy patients, deal with name-calling, kicking, spitting, etc. You have to really be in it for the love of nursing instead of the money because you will not really be paid appropriately, sadly enough. It's different with RNs though. They are paid pretty well in Atl area. Hospitals might pay more--LTC facilities usually pay much less but will often hire recent grads, I've been told. There's high demand in that area! I had a friend who was a CNA at a hospital up north and made about $10/ph, but they worked her VERY hard. A friend of mine has already warned me that I will just be a "glorified butt-wiper" lol, but it's what I want to do, and I'm looking forward to joining the field! =)

0 Votes
Specializes in Medical-Surgical, Pediatrics.

This post is something I was looking for and I would like some advice.I am a teacher but I want to get into nursing because I have always wanted to be a nurse. I majored in nursing in college but I didn't get in and life changes happened. Since I am married and I have a 7 month old son, we need the income while I complete a program. Should I go for LPN then RN or go straight for RN, or do CNA then go from there?

0 Votes

Hey I know this chat is sort of old, but is anyone still following up with this page here?

I just got done with cna school last year and got my state lisence to the begin of this year. And really want to start working as a CNA - only problem here is everyone requires 6-12 month experience to be even considert volunteer but how are you supposed to get this if nobody actually is willin to let you in?

Well long story short, I now found a place who is willing to give you a change and the learning experiance but the pay is only 8.50/hr, but after talking to my hubby and a friend i think i will take it and see it as paid training, this change might never come back and if needed too I still can look for something different after this 6 month.

What do you guys think?

0 Votes
Specializes in Dialysis.

My mom is a CNA and just moved here to Atlanta about 6 months ago. I drove her around to her interviews and most jobs wanted to pay her $9/hr and she has over 10 years experience. She eventually took a postion that she was able to talk them up to $13/hr but that was with many years experience and they initially only offered her $11 to begin with which was the still the highest of any of the many other offers she received.

0 Votes

Hey SuperStarLPN,

thanks for your answer. Yeah I am thinking I will have to roll with this at least for now mainly for the reason that i do not have any experiance besides clinical.

And after this I hope I eventually can either get a raise or can apply some other place. I just really want to get my foot into the door and learn as much as possible and go from there. :nurse:

0 Votes

I live in illinois and have worked as a CNA for 3 years. I make $11.20 right, but after nursing school plan on moving to Georgia. The rates I'm reading in this thread are discouraging. I've never met a nurse who make less than $21/hr in illinois. Hopefully the standard of living is higher is Georgia.

0 Votes

Hey bigboi,

I believe the :nurse: here do make $21+ an hour here depending on where at in Georgia and if its a privat or state facility.

But as CNA you sure do make good money though I haven't seen anything on here which indicated anyone else making this much as an CNA.

How much longer do you have until you finish with Nursing School?

0 Votes
Specializes in Rehab, Geriatrics & School Nurse.
zoeyzoe said:
I work in ATL at a hospice and make $18.25/hr as an lpn ( finished lpn school jun 06), the rn makes $27.00/hr the cna $11.00/hr. On monday nights i do a 12 hr shift, homehealth and make $21.00/hr. My pay is kool for me, but i still wish to become a RN soon.

what hospice do you work at?

0 Votes

Is the 27 an hour base or with shift diffs? Also is that the starting rate or with an X amount of experience?

0 Votes

I just moved from Colorado and as a CNA i was making 15.00 an hour for an agencies and 12.00 at nursing homes. I moved to Georgia and found the pay here really sucks. I took a medication aide course in colorado to compliment my cna, for 55.00 and just went online to see how much the classes cost in georgia and they have lost their minds. The course here is 494.00. Also i found that the skill base here for cna is nothing like in colorado, its lacking miserably. and they gave me such a hard time about obtaining reciprocity in the state of georgia. Home is starting to look better and better. Georgia needs to get it together healthcare is expensive and hard work and they need to pay their healthcare professionals as such.

0 Votes
\ said:
I just moved from Colorado and as a CNA i was making 15.00 an hour for an agencies and 12.00 at nursing homes. I moved to Georgia and found the pay here really sucks. I took a medication aide course in colorado to compliment my cna, for 55.00 and just went online to see how much the classes cost in georgia and they have lost their minds. The course here is 494.00. Also i found that the skill base here for cna is nothing like in colorado, its lacking miserably. and they gave me such a hard time about obtaining reciprocity in the state of georgia. Home is starting to look better and better. Georgia needs to get it together healthcare is expensive and hard work and they need to pay their healthcare professionals as such.

Omg who are u telling I moved from Colorado springs to Columbus ga last summer and the pay in the south sucks period. Don't move here if u can help it if it's pay ur worried about

0 Votes
+ Add a Comment