Starting Salaries for RNs in Arizona

[NICU_RNwantsFL]

Greetings from South Carolina, y'all!!!

Quick question - a good friend of mine tells me that the STARTING salary for new RN grads in Arizona is $35/hr - that just BLOWS MY MIND!! Is this true????

Thanks in advance for your responses -

Just sign me "Underpaid in SC!!!!" :)

[ellabella5]

irishman-

what area do you live in az? do you like it in that area? it that including a shift differential or is that extra?

[RNMeg]

I've been offered $24/hr plus night shift diff. as a BSN new grad in Tucson.

[GirlOnPfizer, BSN, RN]

I heard Chandler Regional will be hiring new grads in December. I would constantly check their website a couple months before that.

[Nurcyn]

I started as a new grad in 2005 at $20 in a rural hospital. 5 years later, in Phoenix, I'm at $32. Definitely NEVER seen $35 (or even $30, for that matter) for new grads!!

[DivaDownAspie]

Can you tell me how much experience you have and what area you work in? I'm job searching and am trying to get an idea what the pay scale is for over 12 yrs experience. Thanks!

[RN share]

I just got a job offer of 25.39. BSN

[RNfor918]

Two girlfriends of mine were hired at Banner Hospitals in Phoenix as new grads in the past 6 months. One of them has worked as an LPN for 6 years, the other was a medical assistant for 7 years. None of that experience counted towards salary. They told me that Banner starts ALL new grads, BSN or assocates degree nurses at $25 something per hour base pay, non-negotiable.

A behavioral health hospital in Tempe hired another friend of mine in September for $23 hour base pay as an RN. This person had worked as a psych tech for almost 15 years before that.

My best advice is to focus on what you are willing to do and how far you are willing to drive-salary aside. It is extremely hard to get a job as a new grad right now, let alone even an experienced nurse. Some people are very lucky and have connections that help them get started. Things like getting hired on with your current employer where you worked previously to becoming a nurse helps. For students- doing your very best at clinicals as if you are on a job interview at all times and going above and beyond helps. I can tell you that the students who held up the desk while I was in school still don't have jobs (shocking, I know). Show your skills & dedication at all times. Any job to get your foot in the door at any salary is basically what you are looking at, unfortunately. It is what it is.