Best pay for RN's when cost of living is factored into the equation...

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I would vote for the Indianapolis area. I know several RN's who earned over $24.00 per hour right out of school (ADN program). Furthermore, the cost of living in Indiana is very reasonable. You can buy a nice house for about 120K, or rent a decent two bedroom apartment for around $600 to $700 a month. Now it's true that maybe in Chicago you might be able to start at $28.00 or so per hour, but housing is MUCH more expensive (250K minimum for the same house that would be 120K here, and the same probably applies to apartments). My point is that for good pay relative to low cost of living you CAN'T beat the heartland cities like Cinncinatti, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Nashville, Salt Lake City, and others are tops. I suspect that those on the coasts really lose out big time. Sure they might earn a BIT more, but the costs of living are exponentially higher.

Also, while we are on the subject, wouldn't it be neat if websites like Salary.com would provide a "job availability quotient" to give you an idea how easy jobs are to get in various fields, and various locales. Thus, a fairly "in demand" job like nursing or pharmacy might get a job availibility quotient of say eight or nine. While a job that might appear high paying such as museum curator might receive a low number like two or three. It would be useful information in helping people not only to choose career paths, but also AREAS of the nation where they might live and further their careers.

Nursing is more than just pay, what about benefits, job satisfaction etc

Pay comes first- benefits meh,just an added bonus . Job satisfaction?When the pay is good, most times, one tends to redefine job satisfaction.

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I started in 1982 also, I think I made a little over $9

As mentioned form someone else, I stay in my job because I love nursing. I believe(as corny as it sounds) I was "called" to this profession. But I would like to have comparable pay. Hell, we work very hard for our 8-10-12 hours a day. Very strenuous, back breaking work. We are always thinking and can be quite stressed. If we make a mistake, someone can get harmed or even die. It's not like at a job when you can just be told to "do it over". Nurses need to be on the job 24/7 I give credit for the nurses who remain working IN THE HOSPITAL setting. To me...these should be the ones that get paid the MOST! Not the ones in an office on the phone with insurance companies(just an example). These jobs often offer, more pay and weekends/holidays off...AND PEOPLE WONDER WHY THERE IS A NURSING SHORTAGE? *****

Hospital nurses should be the HIGHEST paid nurses. Why do you think the others leave the hospital? It is very hard work...CONPENSATE THEM...GIVE THEM COMBAT PAY!

OK...I am off my soap box...sorry

(Jokingly) I'd grab that mic. from you- you shouldn't have been on that soap box in the first place!:)

Truthfully though? You just demeaned other nurses in the nursing profession by labelling what they do as being unworthy of their pay.So not right...tut tut.

In business, you don't get what you want, you get what you negotiate. If those other nurses were quick enough to negotiate a better deal or perhaps providence provided them with a better pay rate, it is not your call nor anyone else's to downgrade them for that. I don't agree with what you wrote up there, but I understand that it is your prerogative to speak your mind.

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(Jokingly) I'd grab that mic. from you- you shouldn't have been on that soap box in the first place!:)

Truthfully though? You just demeaned other nurses in the nursing profession by labelling what they do as being unworthy of their pay.So not right...tut tut.

In business, you don't get what you want, you get what you negotiate. If those other nurses were quick enough to negotiate a better deal or perhaps providence provided them with a better pay rate, it is not your call nor anyone else's to downgrade them for that. I don't agree with what you wrote up there, but I understand that it is your prerogative to speak your mind.

I just want to write thank you.

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You can do well in Chicago,Most of the city is expensive but there are also many places to live.I'm renting a 3/2 for 900 in a very nice part of town.Most of my friends who work downtown live in the south suburbs where its easy to buy a home under 150k...some even work here and drive 50 minutes home to Indiana or ride the train home.

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.
What about all nurses getting paid the same regardless of field? I don't see surgeons saying generalists should get paid less because surgeons do more.

Umm ... internal medicine/family practice physicians do make considerably less than their counterparts in many specialties, including surgeons.

From the Bureau of Labor Statistics - mean 2008 wages:

Family & general practitioners: $161,490

Anesthesiologists: $197,470

Surgeons (all): $206,770

Pediatricians (general): $153,370

http://www.bls.gov/oes/2008/may/oes_nat.htm#b29-0000

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Umm ... internal medicine/family practice physicians do make considerably less than their counterparts in many specialties, including surgeons.

From the Bureau of Labor Statistics - mean 2008 wages:

Family & general practitioners: $161,490

Anesthesiologists: $197,470

Surgeons (all): $206,770

Pediatricians (general): $153,370

http://www.bls.gov/oes/2008/may/oes_nat.htm#b29-0000

You have just named several areas of medicine that are very short of doctors in most areas of the United States (GPs/Family, Peds).

Anesthesiologists are busy trying to cover their flanks against CRNAs, and last but not least surgeons, well they are their own so to speak, but even there the move is towards special areas.

One huge worry about the Obama health plan is the huge influx of newly covered patients with far too few new doctors, much less older ones doing GP and Peds work.

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Speaking of wages and such for RNs, last time one checked government webside listing average wages for the NYC area, airline hostesses and RNs had about the same annual income; approx $71,500.

So take your pick. You can spend two, three or four years at school/college and have a degree/diploma, then have a career where you will be groped, belittled, spoken down to, mentally abused, physically and mentally worked off your feet, and so forth on the ground, or spend about a year at air line hostess school and have the whole thing done at 60, 000 feet! *LOL*

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Well...I don't know where you all work, but, I have been a nurse for over 21 years and only make around $26.00/hour :(

For 21years? That's atrocious... and I don't think you should blame the markets on this one. You probably never took advantage when the going was great.

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I may be a rookie or even out of line in my remarks but I found this post almost discouraging... My grandfather always said "If you love what you do for a living, you never have to work a day in your life." I am in the clinical setting for class and have seen nurses that are great and then nurses who complain and moan all day... Good nurses show me how to care, other nurses explain that room 206 has a crazy lady in it to stay out of there... I have good nurses who correct me in my charting and the other nurses who chastise me for mentioning they forgot to do the I & O report on a patient.... I have good nurses help me understand the path to my goal of flight nurse and other nurses tell me there is better pay at other hospitals

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