Compare Nurses Salaries Across The Nation

Nurses General Nursing

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Wondering how nurse salaries are comparing as a whole across the nation. Are you paid more for having a BSN or Masters as compared to those with an ASN degree? I am writing from Florida where our RN's start at about 17.00 an hour. The high end of the scale will top out at about 23 or 24 an hour if they have many many years of experiance and a higher degree. How does this compare to the rest of the states?

Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

Now, I wouldn't mind that golf caddy job myself. :chuckle

Todd......thanks for telling us the very very low wages in WA state! On my honor I will most definitely try NOT to come to that state for employment! And, Washington state is NOT a cheap place to live either. I'm shocked!!! :eek:

For privacy sake, I won't tell where "Realtyville" is, but I'll send you a "PM" and let you know. ;)

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

My base salary is $24.25/hr., but with the evening-shift differential it's actually $25.65. That's not too bad considering I live in Oregon's mid-Willamette Valley, where the average wage is somewhere around $21/hr. for experienced RNs. It's considerably higher in Portland---I could probably make $28-30/hr. fairly easily---but I don't want to live in the city, nor do I want to drive 75 miles one way to work. As it is, I make far more than the average hourly wage for this part of the country, so I can't complain.:)

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Originally posted by Monica RN,BSN

Dear Cheerful... I certainly agree that nurses should be paid similar pay if they are doing the same type of work, as many places do not pay higher based on degrees. I have been in management for years and pay is still not great even then. The issue I hear al the time in our LTC facility is that the place is staffed mostly with LPN's who are paid 13 to 14 dollars an hour, and the RN's do EXACTLY the same work for 17 to 20 an hour. Certainly an RN should be paud a bit better than an LPN but what do you think when there is absolutely no difference in the work they do? In my opinion the LPN's should be the ones paid better. What do you think????

And whose license is the LPN working under???? Yours as a supervisor or the RN? That person should be paid the highest.

RNs have or should have better assessment skills and that is why there are RNs and LPNs.

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Specializes in LTC, Post OP.

RNs have or should have better assessment skills and that is why there are RNs and LPNs.

Can someone please explain to me why are RN's considered to have better assessment skills, Is it the extra nursing classes they take, are is because they take i guess what we college students call a

varied amount of course not just nursing. I am not trying to get flame just was wondering:)

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Specializes in MICU, neuro, orthotrauma.

Houston Texas Graduate Nurse makes $21.50 - 25.00/hr depending on what type of floor.

the rate of pay doesn;t change much when you get your RN.

Generally speaking PRN nurses with experience make 30-38/hr and staff nurses make 25 -27/hr.

No state tax. But for that you get crap roads and schools.

I want out of Texas though.

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Specializes in Hospice specialty.
Originally posted by geekgolightly

Houston Texas Graduate Nurse makes $21.50 - 25.00/hr depending on what type of floor.

the rate of pay doesn;t change much when you get your RN.

Generally speaking PRN nurses with experience make 30-38/hr and staff nurses make 25 -27/hr.

No state tax. But for that you get crap roads and schools.

I want out of Texas though.

I personally love Texas and my kids go to a wonderful school. My neice is grad. this coming year with ALL prereqs for nursing with dual credits. I think that is wonderful. Also my children's primary school is fantastic. But I have heard some of houstons schools arent great...It may just depend where exactly you are. I am a very proud Texan and will never move. I would love vacation home in the San antonio area though. ITs gorgeoius out there.

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Specializes in O.R., ED, M/S.

I make as a base now, $34.67/hr. With my evening shift diff I come up to $38.81/hr. In Nov we get another 5% raise, dur to union contract and then I will make over $40.00/hr. I have over 26 years experience in the OR and have worked very hard to acheive this step. I also work part time at a SurgiCenter for $30.00/hr. I wouldn't work for less than $30/hr unless I was extremelt desperate. I feel for the nurses out there who have alot of experience and years to show for it only to be paid wages a golf caddy wouldn't take. This is why you have a shortage around the country because the pay isn't where it is supposed to be. College grads, when they can find a job, usually can make as much, it not more than a nursing grad. In my opinion, no one takes me serious anyway, new grad should start out at least at $25/hr. Nurses with many, 25 or more, should be over $40-50/hr. I know everyone wants me as their administrator now, but let's be realistic nursing is just as much a profession as doctors but most hospitals are about 25 years behind in thier thinking. Only unionization has made the real difference. Hospitals can not run efficiently without RNs! You can get rid of all ancillary personnel and still keep a facility going, even though it would be a nightmare! I wouldn't work in alot of areas around the country because of their payscales so I can see why some nurses are questioning their loyalty to the profession. Find something in your job that makes you smile and feel good or start looking for something else to do. There are a lot of areas around the country starving for nurses, so if you can relocate then find that area and consider going there. Good luck no matter what, Mike

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When I get my temp LPN, I will only be making $11.25 hr, and thats with shift diff.

At the NH I will also be working at, $11.50 hr. with shift diff.

Maybe its time I move to another state huh!

Whats really depressing, is as a PCT, I now make $7.70 hr. with shift diff.

Thats not much difference between the two!

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RN is an RN is an RN . . . . .

Nurse is a nurse is a nurse, LPN, RN, what's the difference . . . besides RNs costing more . . . . . .

What's the value in a higher nursing degree???

Ladies and gentlemen--please!! These statements are scary, especially coming from nurses. The principle you are using here is exactly the principle those corporate executives use to justify moving out RNs and replacing them with LPNs, and then move out the LPN and replace with nursing assistants or "techs" and so on. Anyone can do the hands-on tasks if we teach them--is this what you are advocating?

What is the difference in doing a task step-by-step as you were shown and taught, and, doing a task and understanding why you are doing it and how it fits into the greater scheme of things? What if something goes wrong and you don't have the depth of understanding of the principles involved to find another way of accomplishing your goal? Is that worth something?

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Hello friends, I'm a cardiovascular nurse with 11 years of experience. When I earned my license I started out as a staff nurse in the ER at Detroit Receiving Hospital at $16.05/hr. Several years later I worked in a Progressive Care Unit earning in the range of $23.00/hr at a unionized hospital in Mt. Clemens, Michigan. When I had about six years of experience I moved to Petoskey, Michigan in 1998, and worked as a staff nurse on the Cardiovascular Unit starting at $17.96/hr. Massive paycut! I worked for four years on the CVU and my pay improved to $21.84/hr. As some of you may be aware, the Petoskey nurses unionized in October 2001 and have been on stike since November 14, 2002 when the hospital refused to negotiate a first contract with the RNs. I'm currently working through a travel company on a telemetry unit in a downstate Michigan hospital. I'm on my third contract currently earning $30.00/hr with plenty of opportunity for overtime. Since the strike is grinding on with no end in sight, my wife and I have sold our house in northern Michigan and sold most of our belongings. After 11 years in this profession we made the choice to start traveling full time. We are very fortunate to have this opportunity. God bless to all.

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Specializes in Telemetry, Med/Surg.

I make $31/hr as a perdiem staff nurse (buy my own benefits), plus shift diff. I have been told I could only expect $26.00 as a FT staff at my hospital, and that's with 8 years experience.

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So is the cost of living alot lower where the salaries are lower? I just cant imagine a nurse making 11$ an hour. Our CNA get 13. Of course it is close to a big metro city (within 45 ins) and the cost of living is outrageous here. All the corporate folks are moving into "the country" (here) and our price of houses has skyrocketed!!

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