Average Salaries - Benefits 4 Colo. Nurses?

mingez · Jul 16, 2005

I am not a nurse (yet), but my friend Kathy is. She works in the NICU and cleared just under 65,000 last year. She has her BSN, and is going to go back to get her NP.

From what she told me, she's paid above average... Salary.com states that the salary for someone in her position would be around 10,000 less.

I'm glad you posted this, cause I've wanted to hear some salaries from the nurses themselves as well.

hope3456, ASN, RN · Jul 18, 2005

I've looked at the the national average salary information and other resources, but am curious to hear from the Colorado nurses on this site as to what a nursing student can expect as an average salary (RN) and benefits.
I have read recently on some other forums that nursing does not provide any real benefits (retirement, etc.) Find that very hard to swallow. :angryfire
Although I am not pursuing this career solely for the monetary benefits, it would be nice to know what to expect, especially raising family, etc. I believe to some degree money matters to all of us. (hope I'm not coming across the wrong way :uhoh21: )
I have also determined from the many posts on AllNurses.com that where you work as a nurse (i.e. Hospital, Rehab, School, Hospice) really plays a big part in the pay/benefit area.
Would love to hear from any Colorado nurses out there!

I just graduated with my ADN and am working in LTC right now while I am waiting on my husbands job - he might get transferred. I am working NOCS and am getting 23.00/hr. However, what you pay for health insurance is outrageous, I guess like any other industry. Hospitals- especially the big corporations - are able to provide about the best rates on health insurance that you will find anywhere b/c they are able to be self insured. I worked as a CNA in a hosp while attending nursing school and got coverage(health and dental) for me and my husband for less that 100.00/month, and that was working part time. If you worked full time it was less than half that. Pretty darn good.

When I was working in the hosp, I learned that the admin keeps very close eyes on nursing wages, and they are pretty much decided by "supply and demand." Hospitals want to be competitive in recruiting, retaining RN's and do lots of research to decide what market value is. They don't want to pay more than they have to, either. They also take into acct to determine the wages the cost of living, geographical location, what shift you are working, what nursing jobs are desirable and which ones aren't, ect. This also determines what should be given for shift differentials, bonuses, benefits, ect. The past couple years, yes, the RN's have gotten wage increases of about 5% a year, and bonuses. Not bad. It was also made known that there was difficulty in filling the RN positions, so that is why they get more. The rest of the staff- those whose job positions weren't so hard to fill - got 2-3% raise.

Now, consider this. nursing schools are dramatically increasing enrollment in colorado, and the rest of the nation. By next year, it is expected that the vacancy rates will drop quite a bit, b/c there will be many more graduates. So for all these people going into nursing thinking they will make alot of money, and be "in demand," they might be in for a surprise. Since the positions wont be so hard to fill, the industry wont have to pay as much, esp new grad positions. More supply, less of a demand.

A RN that I worked with, who was working as a nurse back in the 1980's when there wasn't really a shortage, told me that he worked for a hospital that got bought out by another. They had "lay offs," but then 3 days after all these nurses got laid off, they got offered back their jobs but for 3 dollars less/hr. I believe that if any hospital could get away with that, they would.

But anyway, most hosp. job posting websites post the pay scale. For new grads, it seems to be between 19.00 - 23.00 in colorado. Lesser in colorado springs, more in denver, for example.

Bobble · Jul 19, 2005

Do you really think it will be difficult to find a job for nurses next year...already??? How come articles keep on saying that there will be a shortage until 2015? I'm currently taking a nursing course in Arizona and the following paragraph was from one of our readings...

"In Arizona, there are only 628 RNs for every 100,000 population, far below the national average of 782/100,000, and for every eight retiring nurses, only three replace them. By 205, the average age of Arizona nurses is expected to be 50.........Arizona's nursing education programs are currently graduating 1000 new nurses each year, while the need is projected to be 1,500 annually. Based on Arizona population growth, the projected annual need jumps to 2,000 nurses in 2007, and 2,600 by the year 2015..."

Is Arizona really that different from Colorado. The reason I'm asking is that I would love to move to Colorado within the next few years, but if I can't find a job there, I minus will stay here in AZ.

I just graduated with my ADN and am working in LTC right now while I am waiting on my husbands job - he might get transferred. I am working NOCS and am getting 23.00/hr. However, what you pay for health insurance is outrageous, I guess like any other industry. Hospitals- especially the big corporations - are able to provide about the best rates on health insurance that you will find anywhere b/c they are able to be self insured. I worked as a CNA in a hosp while attending nursing school and got coverage(health and dental) for me and my husband for less that 100.00/month, and that was working part time. If you worked full time it was less than half that. Pretty darn good.
When I was working in the hosp, I learned that the admin keeps very close eyes on nursing wages, and they are pretty much decided by "supply and demand." Hospitals want to be competitive in recruiting, retaining RN's and do lots of research to decide what market value is. They don't want to pay more than they have to, either. They also take into acct to determine the wages the cost of living, geographical location, what shift you are working, what nursing jobs are desirable and which ones aren't, ect. This also determines what should be given for shift differentials, bonuses, benefits, ect. The past couple years, yes, the RN's have gotten wage increases of about 5% a year, and bonuses. Not bad. It was also made known that there was difficulty in filling the RN positions, so that is why they get more. The rest of the staff- those whose job positions weren't so hard to fill - got 2-3% raise.
Now, consider this. nursing schools are dramatically increasing enrollment in colorado, and the rest of the nation. By next year, it is expected that the vacancy rates will drop quite a bit, b/c there will be many more graduates. So for all these people going into nursing thinking they will make alot of money, and be "in demand," they might be in for a surprise. Since the positions wont be so hard to fill, the industry wont have to pay as much, esp new grad positions. More supply, less of a demand.
A RN that I worked with, who was working as a nurse back in the 1980's when there wasn't really a shortage, told me that he worked for a hospital that got bought out by another. They had "lay offs," but then 3 days after all these nurses got laid off, they got offered back their jobs but for 3 dollars less/hr. I believe that if any hospital could get away with that, they would.
But anyway, most hosp. job posting websites post the pay scale. For new grads, it seems to be between 19.00 - 23.00 in colorado. Lesser in colorado springs, more in denver, for example.

hope3456, ASN, RN · Jul 20, 2005

I have heard that AZ has one of the worst shortages in the nation, along with NV and CA. I am not the expert, and certain parts of CO probably have more of a shortage than others - however, not so much in the northern region where I am. But then again, even b/f I started nsg school, I was told that "northern colorado isn't really short on nurses - like denver is" from a pretty reliable source, so I can't say I wasn't warned. I would move to AZ or CA if it wasn't for my DH.

Do you really think it will be difficult to find a job for nurses next year...already??? How come articles keep on saying that there will be a shortage until 2015? I'm currently taking a nursing course in Arizona and the following paragraph was from one of our readings...
"In Arizona, there are only 628 RNs for every 100,000 population, far below the national average of 782/100,000, and for every eight retiring nurses, only three replace them. By 205, the average age of Arizona nurses is expected to be 50.........Arizona's nursing education programs are currently graduating 1000 new nurses each year, while the need is projected to be 1,500 annually. Based on Arizona population growth, the projected annual need jumps to 2,000 nurses in 2007, and 2,600 by the year 2015..."
Is Arizona really that different from Colorado. The reason I'm asking is that I would love to move to Colorado within the next few years, but if I can't find a job there, I minus will stay here in AZ.

SE_BSN_RN, BSN · Oct 13, 2005

Don't move to CA unless you can afford a house for over $500K and above. Yeah nurses make good money there but do you want to pay half a million or more for a house there? Take it from me, I lived in the Bay area.