Best Nursing Salary with the Lowest Cost of Living

Emergency RN · Apr 5, 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'm looking at the Houston area for a move in about one to two years. Planning to plunk down half on a 4 BR and let my previous employer's early pension pay off the mortgage in ten years. Everything else I then earn will be gravy. Can't wait to leave New York. It's no wonder that the last census, NY State actually lost population while Tx is one of the fastest growing. :up:

BTW, would you know what the salary ballpark is, in Houston for critical care RNs with 20 plus years experience?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Apr 5, 2011

I'm looking at the Houston area for a move in about one to two years. Planning to plunk down half on a 4 BR and let my previous employer's early pension pay off the mortgage in ten years. Everything else I then earn will be gravy. Can't wait to leave New York. It's no wonder that the last census, NY State actually lost population while Tx is one of the fastest growing.
BTW, would you know what the salary ballpark is, in Houston for critical care RNs with 20 plus years experience?

Nope, I've never been to Houston. Houston is 275 miles from where I live (Dallas/Fort Worth area). Texas is a humongous state.

TravelJinx · Apr 5, 2011

Hi everyone,
Just wondering whether a $ 24.78/hr in Austin, Texas is a good wage for someone with 4 years of ICU experience. I am moving from Los Angeles, CA to Texas and this type of hourly pay is a HUGE cut on my salary. Can I get more than this?? Any input is much apprecciated.

Lived in Austin 2 years ago. Have a Friend working for Dell Peds Oncology for 10 years making $30/hour.

Austin has low pay rate comparatively. But $24 ICU sounds low even for them. Don't forget to ask about RN:Pt ratio. Many places in TX it's high. Watch out for East TX! Some areas above Houston have interesting expectations.

Otessa, BSN, RN · Apr 5, 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.

Not many new grad jobs in the MPLS area right now-live in a bordering state and new grads are finding jobs here instead-rarely.

ambirrgrrl · May 6, 2011

Lived in Austin 2 years ago. Have a Friend working for Dell Peds Oncology for 10 years making $30/hour.
Austin has low pay rate comparatively. But $24 ICU sounds low even for them. Don't forget to ask about RN:Pt ratio. Many places in TX it's high. Watch out for East TX! Some areas above Houston have interesting expectations.

what do you mean "interesting expectations"? like texas chainsaw massacre? lol...i would :redbeathe to move to houston one day...

lelemoon3 · Nov 9, 2011

That's an easy answer. Texas! Houston and surrounding suburbs, to be specific is one of the best kept secrets there is! I have 9 yrs experience and made $92,000:yeah: last year. That's with OT of course. I average about 4 ER 12 hour shifts a week. Not bad, when average apt (nice neighborhoods ) is $900-$1100,one bedroom. House market is great,too. Down here you can easily find a brand new 3 bedroom for about $150,000. If you can stand the heat and the traffic (no mass transit) its a no brainer! I grew up in Long Island so I know what you mean.

kalevra, BSN, RN · Nov 9, 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 apt!!! Where is this. That's a freaking deal. Studios can go for $1000 in San Jose.

Skylar86 · Nov 9, 2011

definitely NOT New Zealand! New grads make 46k a year (throughout all of new zealand) and cost of living is shockingly high... i pay $160 a week to live with 3 other people in a small flat.. that DOESNT include food costs or heat/power etc..

i plan to move to australia soon as they make roughly 53k a year and living cost is around the same...

GRrn27 · Sep 21, 2013

Question: anyone knows what the starting salary at north shore franklin hospital in valley stream NY for a tele floor as a new grad would be?

Satori77, ADN · Sep 21, 2013

Don't move to Colorado then. We seem to be flooded with nurses ( I swear a new school pops up every couple of months.). New grads in the hospital, from what I have heard, make in the low to mid 20's per hour. And cost of living can be high. I live in Northern Colorado and pay $1250 a month for 3 bedroom house. And that is one of the cheaper houses.

But I love it here, this community. I couldn't see moving.

windsurfer8, BSN, RN · Sep 22, 2013

Cheyenne Wyoming. I worked there for 5 years.

PMFB-RN, RN · Sep 23, 2013

I researched this extensivly. The highest nurse pay relitive to cost of living in the USA is the Twin Citys area of Minnesota, and Madison Wisconsin.

With 10 year or so experience RNs can make well into the six figures without working OT and a pretty nice house can be bought for well under $200K.

Winters are brutal but they keep a lot of rif-raf away. Both are big university cities with very vibrant culture and lots of activities. Also very family friendly areas.