Income question

[heatherisbetter, BSN]

So there are about 100 posts on income in Utah but my question is more than that.

I know that the starting pay here in Utah is in the low twenties but I am curious how raises work... The average nursing pay in Utah and the national average are pretty close but that number is so far from the starting pay, I am wondering how long it takes to get those raises.

I am sure there are plenty of variables but can anyone share their experiences? I am just really struggling because I have pretty hefty debt and I want to overcome that as soon as possible.

Am I going to be sitting at 22/hr for years and years or can I expect decent wage increases as my skills improve?

[Barkow]

I left Utah a year ago and worked for IHC. The issue with raises was that even though we got one every year, they seemed to be a straight percentage for everyone, so if you started at a lower rate, your raise wasn't as large. Also, when I was there, shift differentials were a percentage of your hourly pay rather than a set amount, so a more experienced night RN would end up with a higher shift dif, which also affects those at the lower end of the pay scale. They did a salary readjustment last year which made things a bit better, but still behind where it should have been.

[heatherisbetter, BSN]

Thank you for your response... Just something to help me get a basis of what to expect.