Nursing Salary Hall of Shame

eagleriver · Mar 20, 2004

What some people don't factor in is that you might make the big bucks, but how much is the cost of living?

The American Chambers of Commerce Researcher's Association has most of Florida in the 96-98% range of the national cost of living index. Tallahassee is .1% higher than the national average. Major cities like Miami and West Palm are at about 104.5% of the national average.

Another "calculator" indicates that if you make $100,000 in Decatur Georgia, you'd need to make $132,185 in Jacksonville to maintain the same standard of living. By the way, Jacksonville's cost of living is 5% lower than in Tallahassee!

In Florida we have the SMALL bucks and the BIG cost of living!

newgrad2004 · Mar 20, 2004

Those wages are p-a-t-h-e-t-i-c. I wouldnt go through all this schooling for that cr*p. I would definately get out of florida. Cali is much better. I know new grad LVN's whom are making more then some of the wages you quoted.

I agree cost of living figures in but I live in a more rural part of the state and we dont have all that traffic, high cost of living, and smog.

newgrad2004 · Mar 20, 2004

Those wages are p-a-t-h-e-t-i-c. I wouldnt go through all this schooling for that cr*p. I would definately get out of florida. Cali is much better. I know new grad LVN's whom are making more then some of the wages you quoted.

I agree cost of living figures in but I live in a more rural part of the state and we dont have all that traffic, high cost of living, and smog.

Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN · Mar 20, 2004

Geesh. What an apropos title for this thread.

I'm told new RNs here start at $23 to $24 / hour.

JustMe · Mar 20, 2004

I'm a 3rd generation Californian--not going to leave the state. I'm making about $33/hr here in the Valley, but our cost of living is much higher than other parts of the country. In the Bay Area the nurses can make $60/hr but can't buy a 50yr-old house coz they cost $1million. My husband made a trip to Texas several years ago for family business and found a beautiful new house on 2 acres for less than our current 20yr-old home. He said we should move to Texas and I said this California girl ain't going nowhere!! I said "Let's look at what I'd make living there and see if we can AFFORD to move." Of course I made my point when we found out the nurses in that area were making half what I make. It's all relavent.

mandykatrn · Mar 20, 2004

Geesh. What an apropos title for this thread.
I'm told new RNs here start at $23 to $24 / hour.

Where is HERE?

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Mar 20, 2004

I was offered $14.00 an hr to start as a new grad RN in Phoenix, in 2000. I said no thanks!

I was making $15./hr at my LPN job at the time.

mandykatrn · Mar 20, 2004

In Oregon, new grads start out $22-24/hr not counting diff of course. I was surprised to find that southern California starting wages are not much different (~$24 to start), yet the cost of living is sooooo much higher. What's up with that??!! :eek:

bukko · Mar 20, 2004

As a nurse who started working in Florida and moved to California, I second the statements about wage differences. Made $19.57/hr base as a tele unit RN on the Gulf Coast, and $33.07 base in an equivalent unit in San Francisco.

It's not just about the money, either. CA has a ratio law -- no more than 5 patients per nurse on tele floors. That means I have time to look up labs, do mouth care and call the doc about that change in rhythm, instead of just rushing to pass the next med.

Nurses get less respect in Florida. With few exceptions, management attitude there was mostly "if you don't like it, we can find someone to replace you." Usually Jamaicans or Haitians (God bless 'em, though -- you wouldn't find Americans going to another country and learning a different language to wipe black peoples' butts!)

The difference is unions. I haven't found mine to be obstructionist or corrupt. I've seen nurses who screwed up get punished. But we are organized here, and management has to deal with us as equals. In Florida and other "employment at will" states, hospitals can pay as little as the market will bear.

jewelsg627 · Mar 20, 2004

In the Bay Area the nurses can make $60/hr but can't buy a 50yr-old house coz they cost $1million. ...I said this California girl ain't going nowhere!!

I was born and raised in San Jose. I am now finishing up my last year (WooHoo!) at UCLA (Psych - undergrad). I am starting my pre-req's this Fall for Nursing grad school.

Having said that...

I must say--Cheri, you've got it right. My half-sister is from Ohio. When she came out here we went to Pebble Beach/17 mile Drive. She asked "SO how much are these houses out here...500,000?" I started laughing hysterically. I said "About 15 million." Then she started to laugh...until she saw the expression on my face that told her I was dead serious. Of course, Pebble Beach is THE exception. Those houses are on "prime" property overlooking the ocean. BUT, having said that even "fixer-upper" houses here in the Bay are about 500-600 G's. Minimum - and THAT'S in East Palo Alto. No, okay, I'm exaggerating there, but ya'll get the point. It is ridiculously expensive here. However, I agree with Cheri---Even though you pay with your body parts (partial joke in reference to the latest "mishaps" with cadavers here at UCLA) it is still worth every cent. I love this state and don’t know that I will ever move. I might end up having to go back East for grad school, but that will be some good experience. I love California---I don't care what anyone else says! :)

newgrad2004 · Mar 20, 2004

In northern california that 500k would buy a friggen nice damn house. I hear of people in th e bay area seeling their houses for over 1 million or 500-800k for a fixer upper. WHen here our fixer uppers are around 80-90k. I good house would be around 150-250 in a nice neighborhood. Anding in we have a starting grad pay of 22 plus a 3/hr differential. Its not to shabby.

jewelsg627 · Mar 21, 2004

Where is "here", new grad?