Any bedside nurses making over 100K ?

doobinator · Jul 7, 2006

I just moved from Milwaukee, WI and had a couple(6 that I know of) of my friends that made over $100K a year. We are all ICU nurses, with either an AAS or BSN. I did not particapate in this but they were able to do this by:

Working almost exclusively as a agency nurse,

and 4 of them opened their own agency, (3 of them being their only nurse on staff). Therefore the would make the full $60-$80/per hour charged to the hospital. Generally this is a better option in ICU, as these agency RN's get paid a premium rate. This rate is similar in tramua, burn units and NICU's - anything that is specialized but does not require further schooling beyond the normal on the job training. The real biggie with this is buying your own Liability Insurance, which is pretty cheap( about $85/year). It also enables you to deduct more of your general nursing expenses on your taxes.

They also worked at least 50 hours a week if they didn't own the agency, and made more like $40-50/per hour. Most of them worked the off shifts, and were no stranger to having to work 16 on day and come back after 6-4 hours of sleep, as they had to work when the shifts were available. And you never knew when the $$$ would dry up. Most of they gals and one guy owned 2 homes and were trying to pay one off so they could have additional income that way, as they all knew they would burn out from the long hours.

There are a number of hospitals that pay a premuim for picking up extra shifts and some of my other friends would work part time and one hospital, and pickup extra shifts to full time and work pool/agency at other places. We got $10/hr extra for picking up shifts, so that helped, plus 50% differentials for working night-weekends.

2 friends also got travel contracts in a town 50 miles away, and would get travel allowance(rent) and would drive home every night and bank that extra income.

justmanda · Jul 8, 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 am an RN in Florida and made 100,000$ last year. This is with overtime though. Most hospitals give you overtime pay plus incentives to work extra shifts, so it is easy to make 100k as a nurse. Well, I shouldn't say EASY because you have to put in all the extra time...but do-able. I work 60 hours one week and 48 the next (two weeks on each paycheck). Sometimes I only work the three days (so I can have four days off in a row) and then I make it up on the next week. I am the bread winner in my family, so I have no choice. But if you just want to do it long enough to pay off some bills, it is definitely possible.

savage · Jul 8, 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 am an LVN working on the West Coast and this year I'll be making over 100M at $30.00/hour and working approximately two to three days of overtime per week. California overtime laws are more generous than other states because the first four hours over eight are at time and one-half while the second four hours are paid at double time. My facility is a rehab and long term care SNF but most of my twelve years of experience are from working in Acute Care and Home Health. In Texas, I worked in Med/Surg, Telemetry, Oncology, Home Health and as an Agency Nurse with short stints in the ER and ICU as a floater.

ZASHAGALKA, RN · Jul 8, 2006

It's been 6 yrs since I've made less than 84k/yr and I HAVE punched through the six figure barrier. I made 101.5 the year before last. The last 2 paydays, they didn't withhold SS because I met the yearly maximum contribution. That was cool. I was able to work a tad less last year. I'm on track to touch the 6 figure barrier again this year.

I do work OT regularly, but not everyday. I normally work 7-9 12hr shifts per 2 week payperiod. (that leaves 5-7 days off).

It doesn't pay to work more than 9, unless, you're Uncle Sam.

I'm a staff, bedside nurse.

~faith,

Timothy.

floridatraveler · Jul 8, 2006

You are 100% correct. I take the earnings home here to florida. I choose to work so much out there, but it is a time limited opportunity.

blueheaven · Jul 8, 2006

Many nurses that I work with make over 100K a year, some work overtime in our hospital, others work part-time at another facility, and still others do agency work, depends on the area of the US you live in. Currently where I live...not a week goes by that I don't get mail etc from hospitals, agencies etc. trying to recruit me. Do NOT work more than 16 hours OT in your regular job.... US Sam will get his cut and you won't see any of the money that you worked so hard for.

dayplay · Jul 8, 2006

San Francisco Bay Area FT RN's (experienced over 10+ years) can make over 100K/year easy without OT. Based pay excluding shift differentials and other premium pays. If you are a workaholic...you can even get close to 200K. But then again, our cost of living in the Bay Area is so high...Sometimes, even with a higher pay it could not offset the high cost of living. But do check out our hospitals in the Bay Area...we do need RNs.

Sheri257 · Jul 9, 2006

Yes, my question was, if new grads in San Francisco are making $46/hr, what are experienced nurses making?

I seriously doubt that new grads in San Francisco are typically making $46 an hour, unless it's without benefits.

The average pay for RN's in San Francisco across the board is $38-$39 an hour. The highest paying area in California is actually the San Jose area (Silicon Valley) at $42 an hour.

http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcma.htm

If people want to look at the data on this, check the link above. Look up your state and then your town. Go to healthcare practitioners and technicians, and you can find RN pay from there.

:typing

catlady, BSN, RN · Jul 9, 2006

I seriously doubt that new grads in San Francisco are typically making $46 an hour, unless it's without benefits.

I was responding to a California poster who said she makes $77,000 per year, working 32 hours per week, with less than one year experience. That works out to $46.27.

It's pretty clear there is no "typical" rate, except everyone typically earns more than I do. Never seems to matter what I'm doing or where I do it; I'm at the bottom of the scale.

Nursing in 09 · Jul 9, 2006

Yeah, right. More like less than $30000 full-time in a hospital. Which is why I quit.

wow, that is low. it is a shame you had to quit. did you find another job with better pay? I am still a student but in northern IL (not chicago) I expect to start around 38-48,000. part of it is shift differential. i will look at many things other than just pay when picking my job- scheduling, distance, if the shift fits with my kids, satisfaction, how well respected the hospital is etc...GOOD LUCK!

LADYFLOWER · Jul 9, 2006

I seriously doubt that new grads in San Francisco are typically making $46 an hour, unless it's without benefits.
The average pay for RN's in San Francisco across the board is $38-$39 an hour. The highest paying area in California is actually the San Jose area (Silicon Valley) at $42 an hour.
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcma.htm
If people want to look at the data on this, check the link above. Look up your state and then your town. Go to healthcare practitioners and technicians, and you can find RN pay from there.
:typing

Thanks for providing the link!

EDNURSEANGEL · Jul 9, 2006

Yes there are nurses making 100K a year. I work 48 hours a week with an occassional extra 4 or 8 hour shift. I am a weekender with a $29.25/hr base pay, shift diff is $4 for nights and $4 for weekends. Even with out the extra shift it comes out to $98000 per year.

Angel