Is starting at $21.40/hr low for a new grad?

Nurses Career Support

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Hey yal,

I'm a new grad with no experience, I just landed a job making $21.40/hr, is this low for starters?

Wow, do GM workers make more than a new grad? If true, that is shocking.

Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

Yes kimmicoobug, they do. My ex worked for them for years. It's absolutely appalling that people who make automobiles for GM get paid the money they do, not to mention the excellent benefit packages. But.......nursing isn't all male or even half male yet, so the wages will suck for a long time so go out and start recruiting males to nursing. :)

hey cheerful. My best friend is a male and he is in nursing school and is extremely competent for his level...so got one already:).

So, I went to school for four years, went thousands in debt, will take years to pay my bills accumulated while in school, and people making cars make more money... I think I chose the wrong profession! I could have saved myself thousands (just kidding, so far I love being an RN... for all of 3 days).

Thanks for ALL the great feedback everybody :) I will keep doing my research!!!!! :cool:

I make 19 now as a computer tech so I'm hoping I make more when I graduate as a RN

Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

A former neighbor of one of my kids is making $25.00 an hour working for Verizon drumming in customers for them. She works dayshift five days a week, every weekend off, and no holidays. :eek:

Wonder if Verizon has any openings? :D

Specializes in ER/PDN.

I started at a small community hospital at $15/hr. I work nights so that puts me up to $17 and on the weekend I get $19. I also get 20 extra ($15/hr) hours for working every Fri, Sat and Monday.

What is so funny a big hosspital (level one and Level 2 trauma centers) only pay 50 cents more per hour with no weekend diff and only 2.00/hour night diff. I got the better end of it at the little hospital. Of course I am in MO. I suppose when I get a couple of years experience, I will make more. Hope this helps.

Melissa

:p ;)

i am starting at $21.58/hr as a new grad in DE doing an internship

Over $20/hr is good for RN, but it does depend where you are located, metropolitan, rural, hospital, nursing home. How many other profession begin at that salary? Especially when you can make that salary after only 2 yrs of schooling. Most professional require 4 years of school. Good luck with the job, continue to care, learn and grow!

Well I thought I would add to this discussion,

I am a new grad in Melbourne, Victoria australia working on a busy orthopaedic ward. I have 23 years experience as a "LPN" I have dropped 5 aussie dollars and hour, now I have a degree. All new grads working in a public hospitals get the same, a new beaut rate of $17.77 aussie an hour. (65 US cents to each aussie dollar)Plus extra for weekends and afos and nights. I now realise with all these extra responsiblities, if I was doing it for the money I should have stuck with LPN. It is going to take me about 6 years to make it back to my old pay rate. I may just change careers altogether as a feel completely disillusioned at the moment what with working through lunchhours and breaks just to give the care I want to give. I think a nice job down safeway packing shelves at night is all I can handle at the moment. (maybe soon ex-nurse) C

Specializes in Med/Surg.

I graduated two years ago and started at 14.72 an hour which was really low. It was adjusted over the two years and I now make 18.40. If you are getting 21.00 or so that is pretty darn good. It's hard when you've been out and the new grads are making sometimes as much as we are, but it's to be expected. They need to make adjustments to all the ranks. :roll

Wow, it sounds like you guys need to move to Chicago :) What's your patient ratio like?

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