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?

Goodness! This is a little disheartening - I'm making $12/hr as a customer service rep right now which I'm working at part time to put me through nursing school! I used to make $18.64/hr as a sales rep for GE and that is with no college degree at all. All this work for our degrees should earn us more.

All of the classifieds here in Tampa are offereing up to $35/hr with night and weekend diffs and for those willing to go prn the pay is over $30/hr.

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5 years ago as a new LPN in Phoenix I was hired at $9.98 an hour :(

Of course I was not happy with this, so I made them pay up in different ways. The hospital paid 100% of my tuition and books for my RN.

I have had my RN for 2 years now and I made $26.04 an hour doing pretty much the same job.

Hospitals here do not pay LPNs fairly and the best way to retaliate is to finish school so they can get paid what they are worth.

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Originally posted by Godswill

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:)

RNs should have better assessment skills. Of course, as in every field, some people suck.

I worked as an LPN for 2 years before I went back to school. I did cover alot more indepth nursing material, but I don't think that I magically became better at assessments. Working as an RN, being the one most responsible for our teams patients, was what improved my assessment skills.

I used to think that LPNs and RNs held the same responsibility, but now I know better. I work with an awesome LPN. She has provided me with lots of knowlege because she is a great nurse. But when a Dr gives her flack or when a baby crashes, her pt becomes my pt. That responsibility is the main difference.

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Specializes in LTC, Post OP.
Originally posted by itsme

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!!

Some would say the cost of living in the south is low compared to other states, but it seem like some of the northern states makes less than the south:confused: . louisiana cost of living is the sames as TEXAS according to salary wizard, but we pay taxes on property and stuff but i don't think they do

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Specializes in LTC, Post OP.
Originally posted by BBnurse34

RNs should have better assessment skills. Of course, as in every field, some people suck.

I worked as an LPN for 2 years before I went back to school. I did cover alot more indepth nursing material, but I don't think that I magically became better at assessments. Working as an RN, being the one most responsible for our teams patients, was what improved my assessment skills.

I used to think that LPNs and RNs held the same responsibility, but now I know better. I work with an awesome LPN. She has provided me with lots of knowlege because she is a great nurse. But when a Dr gives her flack or when a baby crashes, her pt becomes my pt. That responsibility is the main difference.

Thank u, so what u are saying is that responsiblity of begin the one in charge help u with assessment skills. That does make sense. more responsibility more growth in skills:D

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Specializes in LTC, Post OP.
Originally posted by BBnurse34

5 years ago as a new LPN in Phoenix I was hired at $9.98 an hour :(

Of course I was not happy with this, so I made them pay up in different ways. The hospital paid 100% of my tuition and books for my RN.

I have had my RN for 2 years now and I made $26.04 an hour doing pretty much the same job.

Hospitals here do not pay LPNs fairly and the best way to retaliate is to finish school so they can get paid what they are worth.

I hear around here I too hear that hospital pay the least too, so i figured i would do like u did, use them to better my education to get my RN:)

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Trust me we pay taxes on property here in Texas...boy do we. I am hit with 3 different taxing districts for my property taxes every year.

Dave

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When evaluating the salary as a FT employee versus working without benefits, you should add an amount to cover the cost of benefits. For example: at my hospital you add 25% of your base salary as additional compensation for the benefits that are provided by the hospital. Thus, $26/hour is actually worth $32.50/hr because of the value of the benefits.

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Originally posted by Todd SPN

A fellow GPN was offered a job in L&D for $12hr. She turned it down because with tips she makes more than that driving around the golf course in a cart selling beer. LTC LPNs start $12-15hr. .

GOOD for HER!! :)

I know of an area RN who was moonlighting as an exotic dancer. The hospital got wind of it and told her to quit the dancing, so since she made more than double as a dancer than she did as a nurse, she left the hospital instead and told them where to stick it when she did....

'Course, if I had the body for it, I'd be doing the same thing. We're all administration's whores anyway, so to speak...so what's the difference?

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Nursing Management Magazine has results of natl. salary survey-get copy in library if you don't know someone who subscribes. We start ADN's around $18 and BSN $19

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25 years in the same unit and still only make 24 dollars/hour...after reading these posts I feel ripped off...wouldn't be as bad if I for sure got a lunch break and a bathroom break during the day but those are not always the case.....I hate working 12 hours with no time for a drink and maybe 15 minutes to shove down some (healthy..ha) food...70% of our unit has FMLA..go figure

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Originally posted by debralynn

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!

I would consider that a slap in the face considering the time, effort and money you spent to get an education. Yes, I would relocate if possible.

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