Best place in US to be an RN?

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm still in school and am considering moving after graduation (and getting some work experience). Every place I look, though, either pays slightly more than a babsitter or else the nurses all sound embittered and like they're looking for a different field. Is there any place in the US where a nurse can receive a decent wage relative to the cost of living, while also having a reasonable work environment?

Ive been doing research for the past year and I have found that Houston seems to have the best opportunities for nurses and salary versus cost of living is what I am looking for. :twocents: Houston has one of the lowest COL, the best priced housing and plenty of hospitals and other agencies providing several employment opportunities. My husband has family there and we intend to move there after I finish my RN degree. :nurse: I'm excited about the opportunities.:yeah:

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I agree with Balto/DC. Tons of opportunities and decent money compared to cost of living although it seems like most places are using the recession as an excuse to kill us staffing wise now. :(

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Specializes in PICU.

I don't know...I am having the same dilemma. I am from Canada and came to the USA 1 year ago initially to travel. DId an assignment in L.A and hated it...actually had my husband pick me up from my last shift with the car and dog loaded and headed straight back to MO where we live. Then took a permanant job in MO and the hospital is beautiful but the work is horrible. Seems that nurses here are just under-appreciated, over-worked, and under-paid. I mean for a 12hr shift (actually ends up being 13hr) you get 1hr break...in Canada we had breakfast, lunch and dinner break. Maternity leave is 12weeks here and you have to use saved PTO to be paid. At home mat leave is 1 year paid at 70% and the hospital tops you up to 100% for 3 months. So to keep a long story short Im frusterated...have to leave my full time job here in MO to travel while my husband finishes his degree because thats how you get free housing...and feel scared about any assignment out there. And whats worse is that nurses say all the time...well thats not bad it was worse where I used to be...instead of nurses sticking up for themselves and fighting for basic human rights.

ok...im done rambling...but also trying to figure out where to take next assignment...currently looking at CA (several hrs north of L.A.) and TX in PICU

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New Jersey starting pay is $34.00,but col is high. I noticed in Nj no managers will breath down your neck

and you won't get fired for no reason at all.

I can't say the same for Nc and Sc. Starting pay is $19.00/hr with high health benefits.Col is average,but it seems that over slightest things they will fire you.they really don't like to hire "outsiders"(nurses fron out of state)

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Specializes in floor to ICU.
Is this limited to the West? Personally, I don't think there is enough money to convince me to move my family to Texas. I simply can't stand the heat & humidity. I hate the A/C too...it gives me a headache. The Madison, WI suggestion sounds great!

OMG, yes...don't come!! You CANNOT survive here in Texas w/o a/c in car or house!!! West Houston is experiencing a boom. Lots of new large hospitals coming. I am happy. Competiton is always good!:D

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I can't say the same for Nc and Sc. Starting pay is $19.00/hr with high health benefits.Col is average,but it seems that over slightest things they will fire you.they really don't like to hire "outsiders"(nurses fron out of state)
NC and SC are at-will employment states, as are the vast majority of the Southeastern states. This means that your employer can terminate your employment at any time and for any reason if you work in one of these places. This also means that the employee can resign at any time and for any reason.
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Specializes in Mother-Baby, Rehab, Hospice, Memory Care.

Interesting that the consensus seems to be Texas. I live in the Dallas area, so I may be biased. However I am not a native here. There are jobs here for sure. I think some new RNs may be having a little more difficulty than they did 2-3 years ago. They may have to settle for something that's not their first choice or a farther commute, but there is work out here. I'd say for the cost of living, this is a good place to be. It gets hot here in the summer and sometimes really cold in the winter, but for the most part the weather is mild/warm and sunny. I will have the a/c cranked up - it's supposed to be 103 this weekend!

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Specializes in Psych.

IMHO...Hawaii is hands down the best place to be a new grad RN.

If I'm going to have to continue to worry about how long I'm going to remain unemployed...if I lived there I could at least take comfort in knowing that if I became homeless I could at least go pitch a tent on a lovely black sand beach in a nice state park. :lol2::lol2::lol2:

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Hawaii is not a good place for new grads right now. There are new grads here (BSN) taking CNA positions.

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There was a study done recently that showed Central Texas was the best as far as ratio of salary to cost of living. The post was on allnurses, so maybe you could find it.

I live in Temple and work in Waco and find it pretty decent. PM me if you want details!

Austin and Kerrville were great- Kerrville's cost of living was very low in comparison to some of the bigger places.... JMHO, I didn't like even driving through Dallas or Houston - :D..... couldn't imagine living there !! But i don't like the midwest, either, and I'm back there now (long story).

The best place to work is where there is a job!

:D

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