East Coast vs. South

Nurses Career Support

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I always hear about how places like Houston, Texas have plenty of Nursing Jobs regardless of experience, but why are so many nurses flocking to places like Maryland? The cost of living is so high and the market is very competitive in MD. I ask this because I would like to go where the jobs are, cost of living is reasonable and quality of living is nice as well for a new nurse. Have anyone made that move to either places and what was your take on south vs east jobs?

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I just graduated in May and passed NCLEX in June. I was having trouble finding a job, but had a few RN friends already working so that helped me land a job this month. A lot of my classmates found jobs right away, but the majority have not yet. I think it's just a matter of applying yourself. There are plenty of jobs here in Houston. A lot of the bigger hospitals in the Texas Medical Center prefer BSN, but there are so many hospitals here that I don't think it makes that much of a difference. Other than new grads having trouble finding a job, once you have 6-12months experience, it is pretty easy. Cost of living is pretty low here and RN pay isn't bad at all. I am starting at $28/hr base pay. I eventually want to travel and see what it's like in other parts of the country, but Houston is definitely a good place to start, and it is constantly expanding. I had a friend that left MD Anderson here to go work in DC, but she was back home in 6 months.

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Hi, I live in maryland and yes, it's tough. There are many good hospitals here and it's amazing being near DC and being around some of the nations best health care providers, but it's expensive here. I grew up here so expensive is all I know... But with two incomes from being in a relationship it works. The job market is fast and tough here, but some people like that

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

No matter what anyone's opinion of Houston is -- and we certainly have a lot of haters -- it continues to be a very dynamic city with a diverse economy that has been in continuous growth mode for decades. Hospitals are still being built to serve the ever-expanding population & those facilities need to be staffed.

There are many areas of generalized or specialty "nursing shortage" Texas. We have 254 counties, but 80% of our employed nurses are located in only 20 them. You can do the math. Experienced specialty nurses are being actively recruited in most areas. Texarkana (a really nice area within easy driving distance to DFW) is currently desperate for L&D nurses. Beaumont is seeking ED nurses. CCRNs can pretty much wright their own ticket in most major cities . . .

Yeah - plenty of opportunities on the South Coast - LOL.

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Thanks you guys I have lived in several places, but was trying to figure out what one city had to offer over the other as it pertain to nursing. Some people may say when it comes to places like Maryland it's about quality of jobs and others say places like Texas is more quantity of jobs.

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I'm from the Texarkana area and the reason they need nurses is because they pay like 17.50 per hour I moved to Dallas and make a lot more now.

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Specializes in MICU, SICU, CICU.

New grads start at 24/hr roughly in Md. Wages for regular staff and travel nurses are fixed by the Md Hosp Association. Nurses are not respected in hospitals in the Balt/Washington metro area and ratios are high. There are too many Community colleges and 4 yr programs with big classes graduating twice a year. Apart from JHH and Univ Md Shock trauma, I would not recommend that part of the world to begin a nursing career.

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I desperately want to work at shock trauma in Baltimore. What an amazing hospital.... Washington hospital center starts there new grads at 28 an hour though

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