Hey so young nurses, are we really making "that much"?

[tarotale]

I ponder about this all the time. If you are a RN now by this point, you know you don't make that much, but still most of us admit that "well, still among our friends, I make decent money." Are we?

I have been a nurse now about year and half, and I really wonder if people at my age group make as much as or more than I do; I live at Dallas, 1yr and half exp making $25/hr + $4 for nights ($29), and $34 for weekend nights. I think it comes to about $3100-3600 a month after taxes , and I don't know about you, but to me, that doesn't feel very much. I have friends who are teachers, architects, interior designers, and etc, and seeing the way they spend, I doubt that I make more than they do. If I even increase the times I eat out by little bit, I can clearly see my budget affected by it, and it seems like everyone and their grandmother eats out everyday and they still have money to buy other stuff.

Or maybe they are broke and living by paycheck to paycheck because they are not saving up any monies? Ah... I really wish I made enough not to really care whether I eat out today or not. And by the way, I am single and childless... well, I forcefully support millions of lazy freeloaders with my sweat-stained money, so I guess I have lots of children. So, what do you think?

[EP, RN]

I ponder about this all the time. If you are a RN now by this point, you know you don't make that much, but still most of us admit that "well, still among our friends, I make decent money." Are we?

I have been a nurse now about year and half, and I really wonder if people at my age group make as much as or more than I do; I live at Dallas, 1yr and half exp making $25/hr + $4 for nights ($29), and $34 for weekend nights. I think it comes to about $3100-3600 a month after taxes , and I don't know about you, but to me, that doesn't feel very much. I have friends who are teachers, architects, interior designers, and etc, and seeing the way they spend, I doubt that I make more than they do. If I even increase the times I eat out by little bit, I can clearly see my budget affected by it, and it seems like everyone and their grandmother eats out everyday and they still have money to buy other stuff.

Or maybe they are broke and living by paycheck to paycheck because they are not saving up any monies? Ah... I really wish I made enough not to really care whether I eat out today or not. And by the way, I am single and childless... well, I forcefully support millions of lazy freeloaders with my sweat-stained money, so I guess I have lots of children. So, what do you think?

You live in Dallas, so everyone is a 30k/yr millionaire...still, yes, we make very good money. I make more as a nurse than I did as an engineer. I make almost as much as my wife, who is a university professor (and I would easily make more if she didn't bust her ass teaching every extra class they asked her to). For our educational requirements, we are a well compensated bunch...and deservedly so.

[PMFB-RN, RN]

In my opinion RN, at least many of us, are well compensated relative to our level of education. I also believe we are severely undercompensated relative to our level of responsibility.

One of my goals as an RN has been to make as much as a plumber. Hasn't happened yet.

[calivianya, BSN, RN]

I didn't realize people thought so much about what other people do. Any time I've rented a limo or done something flashy it's been for my own personal satisfaction.

I had someone ask me at a gas station if my car was mine a couple of weeks ago. It's a nice car, but it's not that expensive. I don't get why other people care so much. I get comments from random strangers a couple of times a week now, and I really want to tell those people to get a life. Maybe I'm just out of touch or something.

[cracklingkraken, ASN, RN]

I didn't realize people thought so much about what other people do. Any time I've rented a limo or done something flashy it's been for my own personal satisfaction.

I had someone ask me at a gas station if my car was mine a couple of weeks ago. It's a nice car, but it's not that expensive. I don't get why other people care so much. I get comments from random strangers a couple of times a week now, and I really want to tell those people to get a life. Maybe I'm just out of touch or something.

People care too much about what others do and what they have.

[LDAthleteNurse, BSN, RN]

Comparison is the thief of joy..

[megRNn]

This is why I love living in California! (not bragging here, just saying so don't beat me up please) Wages here range from $40 to $60 per hour some places even higher (depending on years of experience and region). Yes it's expensive to live here but bottom line the pay is awesome and the weather is awesome. But none of us became nurses for the money, right? Wink 😜

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

Nursing is the highest-paying job I've had. Half of all working adults in my state make $12/hr or less.

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

The OP and I are both in Texas, which has no state income tax. Living and working in a state with no state income tax makes a notable difference in your net pay.

States with no income tax tend to have high sales taxes. New Hampshire has no income tax, no sales tax, and very high meals and property taxes.

[PMFB-RN, RN]

For a time I lived in Washington state near the Oregon border. It was great, no state income tax in WA and no sales tax in OR. Live in WA and spend all your money in OR.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

Bradons lives in Canada. Many Canadian nurses make 75-100 k per year, excluding overtime. If you work OT you can make 120-140 000, depending where you live, years of experience.

Why? We're unionized up here. Even those of us who are non union (me) will make comparable wages. We're very fortunate.