It seems like everyone but nurses make more money

Nurses General Nursing

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I didn't become a nurse because I had a calling or anything. I was one of those few idiots in high school who had no dreams or aspiration, so my dad said "hey nursing sounds good" and I said "okay"...... mistake. Now, I am no Trevor the psychopath or Mary the maniac, but certainly not a bleeder of heart. I just did my job well and went home.

I got sick of humanity at ER, so now work at insurance donig medical reviews.

As I am at that weird age where people around you either make mediocre money vs tons of money, it's hard not to notice those that make a ton, and what irks me is that none of them work at healthcare field.

My brother who's been in workforce only few years already makes well over 120k, not mentioning bonuses, incentives, 5 star hotels and lux meals, my friend at airline industry living a nice, rich life, a regular marketer at company owning two expensive sports cars...

Where do these people get these jobs? It seems like unless you're running the corporate side of healthcare, you work your butt off and get few change and a key chain for Christmas.

.. If money is all that you love, then that's what you'll receive

Who cares that much about money? All I'm ever reminded of is the Star Wars quote.

I grew up in a very financially comfortable well to do family. Not so rich it was a "big deal" to us, but very comfortable life style. My parents were miserable, and all us "kids" are pretty miserable as adults!

I never strove for riches. Give me poor but happy over rich but miserable any day! Yeah, I'm being a little sarcastic, unrealistic. I do need enough to put a roof over our heads, food on the table, etc.

Since we live modest comfortable life styles we are very comfortably off financially even with our "poorly" paid jobs. My husband was a social worker, (also a traditionally female job). With his MSW and advanced certification, being bilingual, working 40 hours a week, I made more money than him working 32 hours a week with my ASN degree!

So was your family "miserable" because of their affluence or in spite of it?

It's interesting to me that there seems to be this idea pervasive in society that because money can't buy happiness, it means that one cannot have money and be happy.

I've been rich and I've been poor, and I can state categorically that while money can't buy happiness, it can buy decent access to health care, ability to help those less fortunate, and a good night's sleep not worrying how one is going to put food on the table or provide a decent education and future for one's children. It can buy experiences like world travel, advanced education, and a solid retirement, and perhaps help for one's descendants down the line.

There is nothing wrong with having money-it's how you handle it or go about getting it which can be the problem.

I believe nurses are underpaid and underappreciated as a general observation. Of course there are outliers; some here have spoken of pretty big salaries they are paid as nurses (generally not bedside nurses unless they are working ungodly hours or all the worst shifts). And as with anything, it's all relative. Even the most poorly paid RN is still rich in comparison with many people living in this big world of ours.

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Much of it is perspective. I made over $80,000 as a ADN worked weekends and holidays to get it but for a 2 year degree I thought that was mighty impressive. It truly is about living within your means, imo. My guess as others have mentioned that many of those you know who have flashy things are not making that much more just spending more.

Regular ole garden variety bachelors degrees? Aren't a lot of those grads underemployed since the recession?

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Regular ole garden variety bachelors degrees? Aren't a lot of those grads underemployed since the recession?
Yep. Quite a few Starbucks baristas, store clerks, and waiters have baccalaureate degrees in their back pockets.

Although a degree in the classics or literature will broaden students' worldviews and enhance human understanding in a comprehensive way, the downside is the lack of specificity in the job market.

Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

What does your brother do? I would be happy to pursue that!

Specializes in ER, Med-surg.

I think you are experiencing confirmation bias- you believe that everyone else is making more than you, so you NOTICE people who (you believe) are making more than you.

It's certainly true that nursing does not mean an huge salary for most people, but the average starting salary for nurses is actually more than $5K/year higher than the average starting salary for all BS/BA holders this year, and that's even more impressive when you consider that most nurses do not begin their career with a BSN (ADNs make up the majority of new grads, though many go on to get a BSN or higher later). It's nearly DOUBLE the starting salary for an education BA holder.

Bedside nursing does not have a very high salary cap- if you spend your entire career in one position, you will max out at a certain point and it will probably be at less than someone with, say, a business degree can hope to earn with promotion. But it does have a high degree of stability and portability and nearly always has solid benefits (which certainly not all employers in other industries offer).

But I still question your idea that people with degrees in other fields are "raking in" easy money. Most of the people I know who make more than me outside healthcare have either graduate degrees (JD, MBA) or have worked very hard to get there, often doing jobs I know I wouldn't want to do. Jobs with large bonuses or commissions usually involve sales and/or a level of drive and customer-pleasing that I can't fathom bringing to the table every day. Per my friends with jobs with mandatory travel, the shine on those luxury hotels dims pretty quickly when you're just tired and miss your dog and your own bed week after week.

Most people don't make six-figure salaries, period, and those who do don't necessarily have the cushy lives you imagine.

I don't think nursing is paid well enough, but I absolutely think you're suffering from greener grass syndrome here.

I agree. Many degrees don't see the return that they once did. I know people with Bachelors degrees and even Master's that have worked the same low paying 12$ an hour jobs as me. Nursing is unique in that it offers so much flexibility. There is so many areas that nurses can work it that is unrivialed by any occupation that I can think of off the top of my head. There is also opportunities to make great money with those who further education or find opportunities for it. Plenty of nurses have owned their own businesses, became inventors, etc.

Honestly many, many people live outside of their means and that may be what your seeing. Here is an example: 5 years ago my husband and I were looking for our first home. We were in our early 20's and made a combined take home income of a little more than $50,000/year. We had all of our basics covered just fine as we live in a LCOL area but certainly we were not raking it in as we had one toddler and one on the way. We were approved for a mortgage up to $250,000, there is no way on God's green earth we could have afforded that mortgage and still paid for things with our money as opposed to using credit cards to survive. We got a house for half of that amount that left money at the end of the month. But you would be surprised at how many people don't of that, get the fancy house, and live on credit cards for basics.

Also a supply and demand issue. There are way too many nursing schools churning out graduates, the market does not have to pay us anymore than they did 10-15 years ago because there are more nurses to pluck from that ever before.

My mom has been in an a non-healthcare related field for over 30 years. She now makes 6 figures but it took about 20 years before that happened and even though her job is very different from mine, she is just as stressed at times.

Money is good because you need it to survive but you won't be rolling in it going into the nursing field most likely. Perhaps consider a career that you want to do and not a suggested one? It's easier to get through the bad days/moments at a job you some days hate but most days couldn't see yourself anywhere else.

Specializes in ER, Med-surg.

Also, absolutely seconding people who said "owning two sports cars does not necessarily means someone is making bank."

Many, many people live with crippling amounts of debt. Just because someone is leading a materially luxe life, do not assume they are bringing home a paycheck that finances it with ease.

You probably have a good idea about what your brother really makes (although again, no guarantees unless he's showing you his stubs) but don't make assumptions about anyone else based on lifestyle. I know so many people in all fields whose entire paycheck goes to cover minimum-only payments on credit cards they've been struggling to pay down for years.

Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
Well I was actually joking sarcastically when I said I got a key chain... which would have been worse actually if I got a key chain.

What I am seeing is not the "educational elites" who put in hard work and making multi-figures. I am talking about regular Joe Blow with regualr 4 year old Bachelor degree. I know that no one gives you free money, that's why it's called work, but it's pretty disproportionate it seems, healthcare always poses difficulty and aneurysm-inducing type of jobs, while other fields are not as intense but just reek in easy money it seems.

I am not too crazy about money, but having the examples around me makes me think that we deserve more, and yeah it's little childish but makes me think it's not fair.

Once you've established your reputation as a nurse, you likely will not have to worry too much about position-cutting and layoffs. The people who rake in the big bucks are not always that secure. Today's corner office has a way of turning into tomorrow's out on the street.

A lot of those big positions are salaried with high work expectations. That means people work late, work weekends to the point that if their pay was measured hourly it wouldn't be so impressive. I'll take my hourly pay with my union contract any day.

I won't be driving a Lexus anytime soon, but I also won't be trying to find another plum position like the one that was just downsized.

Specializes in ICU + Infection Prevention.

Nursing is odd in that it offers a high starting wage but not a ton more for experience when compared to other professional jobs requiring a 4 year degree.

Don't be fooled...The grass is not greener on the other side. Scenario: lets say your brother is fired or laid off, it would take him months and months to find a comparable job IF he is even able to find one. Those jobs literally be like...... "many will enter, few will win". And as far living lavish goes...they can keep their debt making toys and keep using their pretend money aka credit cards!

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