Moving to Midwest

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Hi everyone,

I am considering moving to Des Moines from Sacramento but need some advice from you guys.

How is the pay rate in Des Moines for hospital vs outpatient vs school nurse? Which organization is considered best to work for long term. For example Kaiser in California is where most people want to work for or the state.

Currently my starting pay at an hospital is $56 per hour. Is Des Moines much lower or similar?

Please help.

Thank you.

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Hi everyone, I have about 3 years RN experience including LTC, Psych and Acute care.

I am considering moving to Des Moines but would like to know how much is the current pay rate for RNs in hospitals, outpatient, school nurse.

How is the quality of work?

For example here in california, current hospital I work at starts nurses around $50 an hour and job is considered very stressful due to high expectations and work load. Also, california has high expenses such as mortgage, taxes, pretty much everything is extremely expensive.

Please advise.

Thanks!

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Currently my starting pay at an hospital is $56 per hour. Is Des Moines much lower or similar?

With three years of experience, I do not envision you being offered higher than the mid to high $20s in Iowa. You are moving to a city that starts new grad RNs off in the $20 to $23 hourly range.
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I would guess somewhere in the mid $20s. There are no mandated staffing ratios in Iowa like there are in California, so your nurse to patient ratios may be worse than before. How stressful it is will depend on inpatient/outpatient, and the specific workplace itself. However, cost of living is lower than it is in California.

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With three years of experience, I do not envision you being offered higher than the mid to high $20s in Iowa. You are moving to a city that starts new grad RNs off in the $20 to $23 hourly range.

Des Moines would be higher than that. I live in a town in Iowa much smaller than Des Moines and started out as a new grad at $23/hr.

I'm guessing Des Moines would be right around $25 to $27/hr

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There are no mandated staffing ratios in Iowa like there are in California, so your nurse to patient ratios may be worse than before. How stressful it is will depend on inpatient/outpatient, and the specific workplace itself.

VERY true.

However, cost of living is lower than it is in California.

Also very true...BUT, if you can find a small town just outside of Des Moines to live, it will be even cheaper yet.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Des Moines would be higher than that. I live in a town in Iowa much smaller than Des Moines and started out as a new grad at $23/hr.

I'm guessing Des Moines would be right around $25 to $27/hr

Without splitting hairs, my point is this: the OP will never command his/her current wage of $56/hourly in Des Moines. He/she would be lucky to receive half of that.
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Specializes in 15 years in ICU, 22 years in PACU.
I'm guessing Des Moines would be right around $25 to $27/hr

The same as "mid to high $20s" which Commuter said.

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Specializes in Oncology, and Gerentology.

There is a lot of other cool stuff to do as a nurse in Des Moines that might pay slightly higher. Telligen is our stat QIO, and is located in West Des Moines. Could look in to being a case manager for an insurance company. Outpatient and school nurse will always pay lower than acute care around here too.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.

FYI Iowa in the lowest paying state in the mid to upper Midwest. You will find higher pay, and very similar cost of living in the states surrounding Iowa. All the hospitals I have worked in in Wisconsin and Minnesota have nurses who commute from Iowa for the (often) much higher pay, and even more nurses who have relocated from Iowa.

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Specializes in LTC and Pediatrics.
FYI Iowa in the lowest paying state in the mid to upper Midwest. You will find higher pay, and very similar cost of living in the states surrounding Iowa. All the hospitals I have worked in in Wisconsin and Minnesota have nurses who commute from Iowa for the (often) much higher pay, and even more nurses who have relocated from Iowa.

Iowa is a Right to Work state which means no unions. Minnesota MAY be higher due to the unions. One also needs to consider the cost of living. Des Moines will be less than California and it is also lower than Minneapolis.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Iowa is a Right to Work state which means no unions.

So is Wisconsin, yet pay is higher in Wisconsin.

Minnesota MAY be higher due to the unions.

Not sure what you are saying. Do you mean the pay MAY be higher in Minnesota? Or that unions MY be the reason?

One also needs to consider the cost of living.

Lower cost of living is just a rational to pay some nurses less than others doing the same job.

Des Moines will be less than California and it is also lower than Minneapolis

Maybe, but nursing pay is higher across hospitals in MN, NOT just in Minneapolis. Same for Wisconsin.

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