Comparable jobs to RNs (salary wise)

Nurses General Nursing

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Hey everyone. I was just curious. Are there any jobs out there that one could do that would make approixmately the same amount of money for the SAME amount of education. I think that's the kicker. RNs only require a 2 year degree and some make close to $40 dollars an hour to start out (like me). I have friend's with Master's degree and they're working at Target just to get by. So, Can you think of any field that's comparable?

My hubbie works for a MAJOR electronics retail store (Im sure you could all figure it out) and he is a GM and makes a six figure income. He has no degree just 20 years in retail. We also live in SoCal where wages are higher.

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Specializes in Acute care, dialysis.

As an RN in phoenix I made $40/hr. That was a pool rate with no benefits. I worked nights/weekends for over 40 with the differential. This was at a long term acute care hospital though, with bad staffing and patients were very ill.

The job market for nurses in PHoenix is not as great as what it used to be 2-3 years ago. Most places are on hiring freezes or you got many nurses applying for one job.

This specific hospital I worked for tho, is still offering sign on bonuses, and my friend just got hired there for $38/hr and she's in nurse monitoring. I don't work their any longer tho. But I know a lot of people there that hate it, but stay for the money.

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having worked in IT I can tell you there are guys with 10+ certs. and 15+ years exp making $12 an hour to fix computers who were making $30 an hour 15 years ago and with the huge influx of high school kids who are tech savy (or appear that way to mngmt.) that wage is pushing towards minimum wage. and none of the careers mentioned has the diversity of career paths or webs as nursing does.

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Let's not forget that this "2 year degree" takes at least 3 years to get... that's not including the waiting to get into a program. I think it's funny that they call nursing a 2 year degree.

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Respiratory therapists and Radiolgy techs make about the same as nurses do and they also start off with an associates degree.

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

Move to Eastern KY and become a coal miner; they make BANK from what I understand. I mean, my husband and I (hubby is from E. KY) were driving through a rather rural county one day and I noted some large, new houses built up on the hills. I made a comment about those houses, who do they belong to, must be a lot of docs and lawyers in this area, "No, most of those houses belong to coal miners".

With air filtering technology being what it is =), I think the danger of getting "black lung" has decreased; your biggest danger is a mine collapse. =) And, I don't think coal mining requires much schooling, if any.

If you don't want to live in Eastern KY (and I can't say I blame you; beautiful area but not a WHOLE lot to do), you can make good money working at some factories, especially auto assembly. Might not make much starting out... might have to start out as a temp and work your way into being a permanent employee... but after a while, you can make a REALLY good wage. I know people working at Toyota in Georgetown KY who are making as much as I do, if not quite a bit more.

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.
Respiratory therapists and Radiolgy techs make about the same as nurses do and they also start off with an associates degree.

I used to think that, but I have found out that in fact, Resp. Therapists do NOT typically make nearly as much as an RN.

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Specializes in Cardiology.

If you're looking for something in the health care field, cardiovascular tech is a good option. Many community colleges offer 2-year programs with invasive (cath lab tech) and noninvasive (echo/vascular tech) tracks. The pay is as good as or better than that of an RN. The education is more "techie" than nursing; you have to like math and physics and computers. Nuclear medicine techs also make very good money.

Outside of health care, auto mechanics can do very well with a 2-year degree.

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I've often pondered this myself. I dont think its possible. I know my sister is finishing up with her masters in education and will be teaching. Thats a freakin 5-6 year degree and she is going to be making less then I do. I work in a small rural area and only make around 26/hr with the shift diff but she's only going to make around 15/hr if you break the salary down to hourly. I just never could figure out the reason ppl would go to school and make peanuts. We are a spoiled profession at times especially when it comes to salary. I made more then her as an LPN with 1 year of school.

I guess if u got an Associates degree and were an awesome realestate agent or administrative assistant in a fortune 500 company or could sell BMW's like mad you might make what a nurse makes. I know a lot of GM and auto company union type employees have little to no education and were making $20/hr with great benefits before the economy went south.

I can't see nurses having the withstand too much economic change. There will always be sick, elderly, mentally ill, etc for us to help. The only thing I can think of that would lower our wage is socialized healthcare. I think if that goes through (which I'm all for) our wages might drop 25-30%!! But we would not be paying healthcare insurance premiums any longer or copays or high drug costs.....so I think it would even out.

I can totally understand why people pursue a degrees after which they will make less than someone who is for an example is a nurse....I think it is called interest,passion for the subject of study.Was money the only reason you became a nurse?

Also I dont know where did you get the idea that nurses are spoiled with wages,say what?:uhoh21: We make O.K living but far from being pampered and spoiled...if your argument is valid that how come so many nurses leave the profession that those wonderful money of theirs cannot make them stay.

Thank you.

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Let's not forget that this "2 year degree" takes at least 3 years to get... that's not including the waiting to get into a program. I think it's funny that they call nursing a 2 year degree.

If you go fresh out of high school it is a 2 year degree.and we are assuming just that.

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If you go fresh out of high school it is a 2 year degree.and we are assuming just that.

No. It's a 2 year degree NOT INCLUDING pre-reqs. But you cannot get into the 2 year program without taking the pre-reqs. It's not possible to get a 2 year ADN degree in 2 years.

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No. It's a 2 year degree NOT INCLUDING pre-reqs. But you cannot get into the 2 year program without taking the pre-reqs. It's not possible to get a 2 year ADN degree in 2 years.

That depends greatly based on the nursing program and area. I can think of several programs locally that do no require any prereqs beyond a high school education (and for some the 3 week STNA class) as all of the typical prereqs are included in the 2 year program.

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