Best Nursing Salary with the Lowest Cost of Living

Emergency RN · Mar 29, 2011

I live and work in NYC and make six figures, but am looking to move to Texas, where Cost Of Living is a lot less despite the smaller salaries.

itsme583 · Mar 29, 2011

What hospital do you currently work at?

R*Star*RN, BSN, RN · Mar 29, 2011

Im originally from Minnesota, and I believe they are starting nurses at around 28-30 for new grads in the Minneapolis area and of course it goes up with experiance. Cost of living is quite low if you live in the right suburbs. I lived about an hour away from Minneapolis (hospital in that town had a competative salary) and paid about 600$ for my entire 1 bedroom apartment, utilities, and attached garage.

Many cities in Minnesota made the "Best places to live in the US" list for several years in a row, including 2010.

Now I live in the Pacific northwest and the salary is about the same, but a 1 bedroom apartment in the area I live is 900+ for something halfway decent and utilities are outrageous.

Emergency RN · Mar 29, 2011

What hospital do you currently work at?

I'd rather not be specific, as many of my colleagues do read this forum, LOL... Let's just say that it's lower midtown on the east side (ie somewhere along bedpan alley).

Terrifiedstudent · Mar 29, 2011

I would think it would be in Northern Cali. S Bay area has high cost of living but other areas of Nor Cal pay $40+ and a one bedroom apt can be as low as $700/mo. Of course the job market is horrible!

BrookeeLou_RN · Mar 30, 2011

Not FL and not SE TN at least not where i have been. Salaries are low and TN cost of living is low but electric is high, and FL salaries are low and cost of living is higher except now buying house is low but rentals in both states have been increasing steadily. Too cold in MN for me! But beautiful to visit.

miss81, BSN, RN · Mar 30, 2011

Living in smaller town atlantic Canada an RN with 10 years experience makes around $78,000 (before income tax). That's about $38 bucks an hour. That is in my area. We are in desperate need of RN's in my area and they are hiring new grads! In my town a 2 bedroom basement apt cost around $600 and average houses are in a wide range from $150,000 to $350,000. Depending on how big of a house you are looking for. This is specific to my province, as each province's Nursing Union have negotiated their own contracts (but there are only a few dollars in the difference). They are pretty much only hiring "float nurses" and that means floating to several different clinical areas.

Just thought I'd through that out there if you're interested in Canada!

jeffsher · Mar 30, 2011

Geisinger Medical Center in Danville PA. Low cost of living, decent salary, and still not a far drive to Philly and NYC. Downside- it's rural (although some may consider it an upside)

BrookeeLou_RN · Mar 30, 2011

Question: What do you all consider good salary?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 30, 2011

I would think it would be in Northern Cali. S Bay area has high cost of living but other areas of Nor Cal pay $40+ and a one bedroom apt can be as low as $700/mo. Of course the job market is horrible!

$700 for a one-bedroom apartment? Outrageous.

My mortgage for an 1,800 square foot 3-bedroom house built in 2004 is less than $400 per month here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas. In addition, I earned $72,000 last year, so I am enjoying competitive wages and a low cost of living.

BrookeeLou_RN · Mar 30, 2011

$700 for a one-bedroom apartment? Outrageous.
My mortgage for an 1,800 square foot 3-bedroom house built in 2004 is less than $400 per month here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas. In addition, I earned $72,000 last year, so I am enjoying competitive wages and a low cost of living.

I'd say Texas is a possible winner. IN SE TN 3 br/2ba houses start at $700/mo rent and up and the jobs I have not been offered were 55-58K/yr with over 20 yrs exp. :crying2: