Florida nursing salaries - seriously????

U.S.A. Florida

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I'm considering switching careers to nursing. The two things I'm taking into consideration, of equal importance, are: Would I like this job most of the time? And what is the salary?

Now, someone I know who is about to graduate from a Central Florida private nursing school with her RN told me that Lakeland Regional Medical Center was hiring at about $30 an hour, which I thought sounded great.

But then I look at fairly recent posts on this board and they seem to indicate new nurses in Florida can expect about $21, $22 an hour, depending on where they start.

Seriously????

I mean, I currently make $17 an hour, so $22 is certainly better, and there's always the opportunity to make overtime, make a little more per hour by working nights and weekends...but still! Is this true? If it is, I'm kinda disapointed.

Is there at least hope of working my way up the salary ladder if I continue my education and get certifications? Would it be unreasonable to think I could get up to $30 an hour in Florida, or would I have to leave the state?

I moved back to FLorida due to my over experience overwhelming employers at a paramedic x 31 years, not quite anything else level. I have TONS of varied experience, both as a civilian and as former Air Force....but there is no job market for me. I'm living with my elderly father. The house is paid for. I thought I'd take the opportunity to go ahead and get my nursing degree so I will have something that is actually marketable that can go anywhere. I used to live in Georgia and have greater respect for the medicine I've seen practiced in Atlanta vs the substandard care I've seen here that took the life of my mother. I also fired my father's doctor and got him a real one. It's hard in Florida because most of the patients are elderly and the system is not working for them. I think once dad has passed I would move back to Georgia but at least I will have my RN.

I'm sorry if I offend anyone who is under this illusion, but I am sick to death of people telling me the cost of living is low in Florida! Thank goodness my husband and I bought our house 15 years ago, so our property taxes haven't gone up much, but just consider this information before you talk about the "low" cost of living here:

I bought my 3BR/2BA house in 1992 for $95,000...current price $300,000.

My property taxes $1700...for a new buyer $4000 at least.

My current yearly insurance premium...wait for it....$4800.

I will be starting my first nursing job in few weeks...base hourly rate $22.50; with differentials a weekend night shift will pay me about $30/hr. I'm not complaining about the pay, because I didn't do this for the money, but no beach in the world is worth some of the real estate inflation we've had here.

I'm in Southeast Florida, by the way.

HOLY HALIBUT!! :eek: Sounds like where I live...Webster Groves, MO...upper-middle/lower-upper class suburb outside St. Louis city.

2 bd 1ba ranch....100k in 2002

taxes 1100k in 2002

county appraised house at 287k for 2007

taxes 3300k for 2007

I will graduate from St Louis Univ in May and DH and I are moving back south. We want our boys to grow up where you can turn your porch light out and actually see the stars. He's a truck driver so he can live anywhere. We are both originally from Mississippi and are kinda burnt out on the Yankees (no offense ya'll). I'm 36 and am sick of living where folks flip you off if you waive at them while driving.

HOLY HALIBUT!! :eek: Sounds like where I live...Webster Groves, MO...upper-middle/lower-upper class suburb outside St. Louis city.

2 bd 1ba ranch....100k in 2002

taxes 1100k in 2002

county appraised house at 287k for 2007

taxes 3300k for 2007

I will graduate from St Louis Univ in May and DH and I are moving back south. We want our boys to grow up where you can turn your porch light out and actually see the stars. He's a truck driver so he can live anywhere. We are both originally from Mississippi and are kinda burnt out on the Yankees (no offense ya'll). I'm 36 and am sick of living where folks flip you off if you waive at them while driving.

The south has changed a lot. I'm a born and bred New Yorker who has a southern family (mom born in GA and raised in NC) I have also lived in NC for several years and now in Florida. Move to a small town if you want to see some stars and steer clear of any large sized southern city.

The south I moved to in 1990 is not the south of 2008.

They're just as quick with the finger as any born and bred "Yankee" now especially the younger generations. The days of yes maam and no sir are few and far between if they're under age 25.

The south is great overall but I don't want you disillusioned alot of stuff has changed and the small towns are riddled with meth and oxycodone problems (the rural location is prime for people who run meth labs) and the counties love to stick all the methadone clinics in the small towns to hide the problem.

I would advise you to buy as much land as you can afford the taxes on, build your dream house and surround it with an electrified fence. I know it sounds paranoid but I'm serious. Also be aware that the largest growing gang presence is now in the Southern United States, we have MS-13 and the Latin Kings from Maryland down and cutting right across to Louisiana and 'Bama. It's no longer a "west coast" or "northern' problem.

Specializes in Cardiac/Med Surg.

broward county around $22 hr but can make more, my hospital has a weekend shift and you get paid $10 more an hour for f,s,su for 13 week signup/ i make approx. $28/hr base pay but have worked there since 81' in another dept. I was told i make about as much as an RN with 10 yers experience..but i didn't go into nursing for the money so i am very happy/ i get the next weekend assignment and that will be fun. also if you are called in and i also work 7p-7a so get that differential also

good luck

Specializes in NP / USAFR Flight Nurse.
I'm sorry if I offend anyone who is under this illusion, but I am sick to death of people telling me the cost of living is low in Florida! Thank goodness my husband and I bought our house 15 years ago, so our property taxes haven't gone up much, but just consider this information before you talk about the "low" cost of living here:

I bought my 3BR/2BA house in 1992 for $95,000...current price $300,000.

My property taxes $1700...for a new buyer $4000 at least.

My current yearly insurance premium...wait for it....$4800.

I will be starting my first nursing job in few weeks...base hourly rate $22.50; with differentials a weekend night shift will pay me about $30/hr. I'm not complaining about the pay, because I didn't do this for the money, but no beach in the world is worth some of the real estate inflation we've had here.

I'm in Southeast Florida, by the way.

Thank you! I am in Seminole, near Tampa and my property taxes are $14,000 and my insurance just jumped to $5500. My husband and I just listed our house for sale (not holding our breath with this market) and planning a move to Knoxville, TN. I cant wait!!

I am an LPN (pretty new) and I am making $17.00 an hour plus $6.00 night diff. When I work weekends, I make an additional $3.00 an hour. Not too bad, I think, but doesnt make up for the expensive cost of living.

Thank you! I am in Seminole, near Tampa and my property taxes are $14,000 and my insurance just jumped to $5500. My husband and I just listed our house for sale (not holding our breath with this market) and planning a move to Knoxville, TN. I cant wait!!

I am an LPN (pretty new) and I am making $17.00 an hour plus $6.00 night diff. When I work weekends, I make an additional $3.00 an hour. Not too bad, I think, but doesnt make up for the expensive cost of living.

Wow. thats good money! I live near Tampa also. I have been a nurse for 18 years. I make $17.85 per hour plus &1.50 for night shift and $1.00 extra for weekends and another $1.00 for being supervisor. What kind of nursing do you do?

Specializes in NP / USAFR Flight Nurse.
Wow. thats good money! I live near Tampa also. I have been a nurse for 18 years. I make $17.85 per hour plus &1.50 for night shift and $1.00 extra for weekends and another $1.00 for being supervisor. What kind of nursing do you do?

PCU...where do you work? Im at Palms of pasadena

Specializes in Cardiac/Med Surg.

:onbch:nothing better than walking your dogs christmas day and wearing flip flops...but have lived in south florida 40 years and still love it...i think everything is relative..live in NY get NY salary and pay NY cost of living..same with CA, and same with FL. house paid $165 worth $350 don't want to sell which is good but eventually i will get a good price if i want to sell..............make good money and have never been flipped off living down here years, but i always treat people like I want to be treated and it usually works...i am one of those " i love living here in the sunshine state people....right now i am in a critical care nursing course for 1 month that my job is paying for..how lucky can i be...love my job, love my life, love south florida

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
:onbch:nothing better than walking your dogs christmas day and wearing flip flops...but have lived in south florida 40 years and still love it...i think everything is relative..live in NY get NY salary and pay NY cost of living..same with CA, and same with FL. house paid $165 worth $350 don't want to sell which is good but eventually i will get a good price if i want to sell..............make good money and have never been flipped off living down here years, but i always treat people like I want to be treated and it usually works...i am one of those " i love living here in the sunshine state people....right now i am in a critical care nursing course for 1 month that my job is paying for..how lucky can i be...love my job, love my life, love south florida

Nice to read something positive. I've lived here for 16 years and really am not going to pack in it and move. I make it just fine, have a 3-bedroom, two bath house, and no snow to shovel outside. There's good and bad everywhere and while I might make more money somewhere else, there still will be problems to dwell on.

I do feel bad for people moving here from elsewhere not because of the low salaries, but the sticker shock of the recent rise in the cost of living here. Those of us who bought out homes before 2000 are sitting pretty. I bought mine in 2001 just as the big real estate rises were starting.

PCU...where do you work? Im at Palms of pasadena

LTC/ Rehab in Zephyrhills

Thanks you two for giving me hope. I hate the fact that my husband has to shovel snow. LOL... But it is true every place has it's good and bad and I'm glad the good has been posted.

Specializes in SNU/SNF/MedSurg, SPCU Ortho/Neuro/Spine.

some of this people scare me...

imagine if i am the patient and i get a ****** off nurse that makes no money and pays a lot of rent...

SHE WILL MISS THE VEIN A LOT!!!!!!!!!!!

if you are in nursing for the money.... sorry it is just stupid!

Of course I am getting into nursing school, expecting to get my professional goals accomplished! and of course dont want to live paycheck to payccheck... but that is something that i am building now, to collect later! getting my rn then bsn then master .. CRNA....

! that is my goal , and on God's name... if we are all alive and the site online... in aabout 8 years from today i will be where i want... till then i will have fun and eat off the dollar menu!

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