Any bedside nurses making over 100K ?

ND76 · Jul 1, 2006

Closest I've came is $74,000 last year.

That's in TN, 6 years experience, working pool, with shift diff, some premium pay for OT, and anywhere from 36-48 hours per week. I don't consider myself overworked.

oneLoneNurse · Jul 1, 2006

Hi all,
I would like to know if there are any nurses who make at or over 100k per year just working as an RN - not CRNA, Advanced Practice etc., just bedside nursing... and how do you do it, overtime, premium pay etc. or any other combination that works for you and where are you located? I know east and west coasters tend to make more. I'm asking because I want to increase my income so that I can knock out some student loans before going back to school and piling more on. Thanks for any and all replies.

I think floor nurses where I work would make over $100,000 if they did an extra shift every week. The top pay rate would be about $40.00 an hour. Anything over $40.00 would be OT. Philadelphia is not CA and/or NYC. You can actually live pretty well here on what you make as a full time nurse.

I'm sure that some isolated spots in Alaska would pay more with potential of more OT as well.

grinnurse, RN · Jul 1, 2006

A nurse that I worked with at my previous hospital made 80k during 2005. She was contract PRN making $30.00/hr + shif/dif of $2.25 3-7 and $3.25 on weekends and this was what she earned being being cancelled too!!! Of course she worked her butt off-usually 5-6 days Qweek and 12 hours shifts.

This is at a small town in Texas about 40 miles E of Dallas.

Jo Dirt · Jul 3, 2006

If some HR person offered me $15 and hour after all the blood, sweat and tears I put into school, I'd kick them square in the nuts!

What would you expect them to offer you?

HARRN2b · Jul 3, 2006

15.00/hour. They make 12.00/hr ringing clothes at Dillards. Are you serious?

CardioTrans, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2006

15.00/hour. They make 12.00/hr ringing clothes at Dillards. Are you serious?

Unfortunately that is true for some areas. In Alabama, at UAB they just did a market increase and the new grads are starting at $19.50 something. When I graduated nursing school 12 yrs ago, new grad pay was 12/hr. So as you can see, the pay rate hasnt gone up much over the years.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2006

Yes, it's expensive to live in California, but it's not that much cheaper to live in many other metropolitan areas to justify such an enormous discrepancy in pay. I don't begrudge the new grads $46/hr, really I don't, even though experienced nurses in many large areas are still making under $30/hr. I know I'm :deadhorse , but wage compression just irks me no end and I will always rant until it goes away.

I'd say $1500 for a one-bedroom apartment vs. owning a 3-bedroom, 2-bath 2-car garage house is a pretty big difference in the cost of living between Florida and California.

But I understand your point. New grads here start out at about $22/hr vs. $46/hr. That doesn't seem quite right.

catlady, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2006

I'd say $1500 for a one-bedroom apartment vs. owning a 3-bedroom, 2-bath 2-car garage house is a pretty big difference in the cost of living between Florida and California.
But I understand your point. New grads here start out at about $22/hr vs. $46/hr. That might make up the difference.

My rent here in AZ is $1400, and I'll never approach $46/hr as a staff nurse, although I've been an RN for 21 years. I moved here last year from CT, a very high COL state, and never made even $30/hr except when I worked agency.

I wasn't talking about Florida, but I understand that Florida real estate is pretty darned expensive, too. What do the experienced nurses in SF pull down?

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2006

A nurse that I worked with at my previous hospital made 80k during 2005. She was contract PRN making $30.00/hr + shif/dif of $2.25 3-7 and $3.25 on weekends and this was what she earned being being cancelled too!!! Of course she worked her butt off-usually 5-6 days Qweek and 12 hours shifts.
This is at a small town in Texas about 40 miles E of Dallas.

In the Texas Panhandle, new grad RNs make about $15.-$17. LVNs $10.-$12./hr. My best friend's mother has been an LVN for over 30 years. She has 17 years of ER experience. She currently earns $11.hr as a home health nurse

I'm an RN- 14 years as a nurse, 6 as an RN, the rest as an LPN. The most I've ever made in Texas is $24./hr, per diem, no benefits. This was in 2004.

However, because of the nursing surplus here, it's very hard to even get a low paying job. Because of the scarcity of jobs as well as the low pay, every nurse and dialysis tech I know from this area have all become travelers, including myself.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2006

What do the experienced nurses in SF pull down?

Thanks for the clarification then. Is that $1400 for a one-room apt.?

Sorry but I'm not understanding this question above. Are you asking "what salaries do experienced RN's in SF make?"

It is indeed frustrating the discrepancies in salaries from place to place.

But you are right. The middle class is being pushed out of the real estate market here in certain parts of Florida do to the high cost.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2006

Originally Posted by sunnyjohn

If some HR person offered me $15 and hour after all the blood, sweat and tears I put into school, I'd kick them square in the nuts!

I've been offered that as an experienced RN. Plus, on call for 150 hrs a month for no pay at all. Of course, I did not take it and continue as a traveler.

Bala Shark · Jul 3, 2006

The county hospital I work near, the RNs make $40 an hour and with overtime, i assume that is close to 100k..