Does a RN salary cut it in Chicago?

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  1. This is a discussion on Does a RN salary cut it in Chicago? in Illinois Nursing, part of United States Nursing ... I have a question.... Is 56,000 a decent salary to live on in Chicago? I'm moving there from NYC...

    by Apr 25, '12
    I have a question.... Is 56,000 a decent salary to live on in Chicago? I'm moving there from NYC where I'm making 84,000! I expected a lower salary considering the lower cost of living but it still seems quite low. Any thoughts?
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    by UpliftingRN Apr 25, '12 4:13 pm
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  3. 14 Comments so far...

  4. Apr 25, '12 by
    Quote from UpliftingRN
    I have a question.... Is 56,000 a decent salary to live on in Chicago? I'm moving there from NYC where I'm making 84,000! I expected a lower salary considering the lower cost of living but it still seems quite low. Any thoughts?
    Yes you can live on that. If you have no debt or car payment etc it's even easier. When I moved to Chicago I made 30k and survived easily! Plus I feel like 56k is not what an experienced nurse makes here. Someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. I've still got another year of school.
  5. Apr 25, '12 by
    Well hearing that puts me a little more at ease. How much did u afford yourself for rent on that salary? I am hoping I make more than that with my 4 yrs experience but I was told by my HR interviewer I would be making around $30/hr. maybe I should try to negotiate??
  6. Apr 26, '12 by
    Quote from UpliftingRN
    Well hearing that puts me a little more at ease. How much did u afford yourself for rent on that salary? I am hoping I make more than that with my 4 yrs experience but I was told by my HR interviewer I would be making around $30/hr. maybe I should try to negotiate??
    I guess it also depends on the hospital. Some don't/can't pay that much. I read a lot about how hard it is to get a job so my gut reaction would be to take the money and run But I think it wouldn't hurt to try for more.

    54k is what I made when I left my job and my rent was around 1400. But I have no car payment or any other major bills. It's up to you how much you're comfortable spending on rent. But even if you DO make *just* $30/hr, you'll be fine. Chicago is a great place to live, welcome!
  7. Apr 26, '12 by
    why u leaving nyc?
  8. Apr 26, '12 by
    I'm leaving NYC because I don't want to start a family in a 2 bdrm shoebox and transport baby strollers up walk ups or subways or buses. Quality of life on a normal salary in NYC sucks for a family.
  9. Jun 4, '12 by
    What Juli said - you'll be fine. Chicago rent will run you between $700 and $1500 for a 1BR, depending on where you live. Realistically, expect to pay closer to $900 for a one bedroom. Logan Square, Lincoln Square and West Town/Noble Square are pretty good price:value/location (also a little more diverse than Lincoln Park, Gold Coast, etc). Like Juli, I moved here w/ a starting salary of $27K, but that was 11 years ago and everything's a little more expensive. If you have a roommate, even easier.
  10. Jun 4, '12 by
    Yeah my 30k was 11 years ago too. I should maybe have mentioned that
  11. Jun 9, '12 by
    Is it better to rent than to own estate in Chicago?

    I'm also planning to move there. Given, I would prefer an area close to amenities.
  12. Jun 10, '12 by
    I think more people should consider living in places like Oak Park or Riverside (suburbs really close to the city). It's only a 10-12 min drive into downtown from Oak Park, you don't have to worry about parking or street congestion, the area is nice with a lot of restaurants and stores, you feel safe (even at night), and it's just easy living. You can jump on the L to get downtown or take a bus if you want. I live in a pretty nice one bedroom in Oak Park and its $850/month.