Confused about salary and hourly pay adding up......

[kgh31386]

So everywhere I've seen on here, people usually start out making between $18-22 an hour. Which BEFORE taxes is UNDER $42,000 a year. Yet every website I've found claims a new RN makes AT LEAST $55,000 or more a year, specifically around here(Memphis), $65,000. That doesn't add up at all...are the hourly wages discussed on here are after taxes or something? How does this all add up? Because after taxes that $18 an hour will end up making $31,000. Are there bonuses or something? Because even with overtime that's not over $45,000 a year. someone explain what I'm missing please.

Here are some sites with some numbers on them...

http://swz.salary.com/salarywizard/layoutscripts/swzl_salaryresults.asp?hdSearchByOption=0&hdSearchByOption=0&hdKeyword=Staff%20Nurse%20-%20RN&hdJobCategory=HC05&hdZipCode=38103&hdStateMetro=&hdGeoLocation=Memphis,%20TN%2038103&hdJobCode=HC07000001&hdJobTitle=Staff%20Nurse%20-%20RN&hdCurrentTab=&hdNarrowDesc=Healthcare%20--%20Nursing

http://www.nursing-education-tn.org/c7.htm

http://www.indeed.com/salary?q1=RN&l1=memphis%2C+tn

[tothepointeLVN, LVN]

Yeah I don't know if I could handle moving back to New Zealand after living here for 9 years

TPG thats so true companies here are willing to pay next to nothing unless you have some specific skills and its not uncommon to have living arrangements like yours. Several of my husbands employees ( he has to fight to get them pay raises) buy a house along with 2 other families.

[missjennmb]

You absolutely cannot compare Southern California wages to the lower pay rates in other parts of the country.

You're correct . . .the RN in rural Arkansas with 2 years of experience might be earning a measly $18 per hour, but he/she is probably living in a 3,000 square foot home on an acre of land with a mortgage of less than $1,000 per month. The higher the pay, the higher the cost of living (usually).

just to get an idea... here in SC I have a 2100SF 50 yr old house that needs minor updating on 1/2 acre inside of the city limits of my small town, and I bought the house for $91,000 (which means my house pmt is about $650 p/mo plus insurance and taxes) Unfortunately gas is still $4 p/gallon and milk is still $5 p/gallon and bread up to $2.50 p/ generic loaf.

We considered moving to California (LOVE love LOVE the Palm Springs area!) but the cost of living is so high up there. (although honestly its getting high everywhere)

I don't really know what LPNs/RNs make in this area because I have not graduated yet, but going from the sites, I'm expecting $14-$18 as an LPN and then atleast $24 as an RN. But thats just research not experience. As a secretary in a hospital I took a job making just under $8 p/hr in hopes of getting a better feel for the environment, but the best I've made in my field (admin assist) was $13.50 p/hr w/ loads of experience.

FWIW, if I made $40 p/hr I would feel like I won the lotto :lol

[tothepointeLVN, LVN]

just to get an idea... here in SC I have a 2100SF 50 yr old house that needs minor updating on 1/2 acre inside of the city limits of my small town, and I bought the house for $91,000 (which means my house pmt is about $650 p/mo plus insurance and taxes) Unfortunately gas is still $4 p/gallon and milk is still $5 p/gallon and bread up to $2.50 p/ generic loaf.

We considered moving to California (LOVE love LOVE the Palm Springs area!) but the cost of living is so high up there. (although honestly its getting high everywhere)

I don't really know what LPNs/RNs make in this area because I have not graduated yet, but going from the sites, I'm expecting $14-$18 as an LPN and then atleast $24 as an RN. But thats just research not experience. As a secretary in a hospital I took a job making just under $8 p/hr in hopes of getting a better feel for the environment, but the best I've made in my field (admin assist) was $13.50 p/hr w/ loads of experience.

FWIW, if I made $40 p/hr I would feel like I won the lotto :lol

Yup CA is pricey its one place where you can earn 6 figures and still not be able to afford a house ( unless you lies on your mortgage app or got a risky loan ) Of course my idea of being able to "afford" something are different to others I like to know that I can pay for my rent with one paycheck.