Highest paid nursing field?

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Hi, I am still a student and was wondering what the highest paid nursing area is. Like my friend says that Dialysis is one of the highest. Anyone have an idea. I'm just lost on what area to start at. Thanks.

I say Diddo for all who say money matters. I am caring dedicated nurse and love giving but that will not pay my bills therefore got to consider how I can do what I like and still make the big bucks.

The best way I can answer your question is that pay is based on where you live, and the hospital you apply to and what shift you take. Particular as new grad since you have no experience.

I am 2years out of school and I live in New York and I too am looking for which position will pay the most, still offer me flexability, travel time, not horrible on my body and mind.

New York is one of the highest paying states. One hospital in Brooklyn pays a staff nurse on cardiac unit at nights $50/hr. My hospital started me at 36/hr out of school and I get night differential which always pays more than days.

I been told that Critical Care in one of the New York hospital pays 80,000 a year. while my hospital for critical care pays no different than regular staff nurse. Therefore what hospital makes a difference.

Agency work I been told pays more but I just started working at a per diem job and found out my agency is cheating me so knowing wages is important so they do not cheat you.

After two years minimal experience you can find per diem work which will compensate for your regular hospital pay. Plus I used to work a lot of overtime which pays time and half to make ends meet when I started out of school.

So How can I best answer you question? I say research what is the pay in your area. Look online for agency listing that post position in your area and get a feel for which hospital pay more. Look at the hospital web site and see what nursing position are open and see if they list the salaries sometimes they do.

Since you did not say where you live posters cant really say what the pay is like in your area which is more relevant for you at this time.

Fresh out of school nights will pay the most. You need experience to sometimes go into specialties but thats not always the case. I say critical care is probably the best to start cause once you put that on your resume it will help you get other jobs.

That just my novice opinion.

Nice talking to you and wish you the best.

God bless. May the right door open for you that pays what you need to buy the things you need for your family. Single mom here also its rough economically people need more and more two bread winners.

I work two jobs to meet my financial needs. Wish you the best. Thankfull with 12hrs shifts I am able to fill my days off with per diem work. Thats what great about nurse schedule a lot of choice and opportunity

Angela

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Specializes in Cardiology.
I see no reason why you should characterize the OP as being a baby machine. That is just flat rude and tacky. You don't know her life circumstances and even if you did it's not your place to pass judgment on those who have children to care for. Mother's are not automatons who simply pop out children at will and then scamper around with dollar signs in their eyes. They are loving, devoted, caring, and valuable people.

And no, I don't have children either, by choice. But what sort of total b*tch would I have to be in order to get the gumption up to call mothers "breeders" or "baby machines"? :trout:

Sorry, lostdruid, but you are way out of line. I want to give candijunkie a well-deserved high-five for having the courage to state she is not a "baby machine."

Having children is a *choice.* I have all the respect in the world for women who make that choice and can handle it. If it's a choice they are content with, and if they are willing to go the extra mile to succeed in nursing or whatever their career of choice happens to be --- and they have the resources to do it --- you go girls.

But you can't serve two masters. If you don't have the resources, either your career of your kid is going to suffer. I'm not fond of picking up all your work mid-shift because Bratley has the sniffles and the school insists on sending her home. I'm even less excited to see my tax dollars roll down the drain while Potleigh serves out a month or six at the Juvie.

If you can handle it, you'll get all the respect you dream of. But a nursing career and motherhood are both full-time jobs, and unless you have the support system you need lined up, you will continue to be disrespected by those of us who planned wisely and took the high road.

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Quote from Bluesnurse:

"Having children is a *choice.* ... But you can't serve two masters. If you don't have the resources, either your career of your kid is going to suffer. I'm not fond of picking up all your work mid-shift because Bratley has the sniffles and the school insists on sending her home. I'm even less excited to see my tax dollars roll down the drain while Potleigh serves out a month or six at the Juvie... But a nursing career and motherhood are both full-time jobs, and unless you have the support system you need lined up, you will continue to be disrespected by those of us who planned wisely and took the high road."

Bluesnurse, when you are old and dying alone in a nursing home, I'll send one of my four children over to visit you and bring you a box of kleenix. :lol2:

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"The best laid plans of men and mice often go awry."

Sorry but life happens, spouses die or leave you. Your support system falls apart your kids get diagnosed with cancer. S*^% happens that's life. It will happen to you too and I'm sure your coworkers will complain when it does. Or maybe they will feel some empathy for you, you know the same way you felt some for them. :)

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Quote from Bluesnurse:

"Having children is a *choice.* ... But you can't serve two masters. If you don't have the resources, either your career of your kid is going to suffer. I'm not fond of picking up all your work mid-shift because Bratley has the sniffles and the school insists on sending her home. I'm even less excited to see my tax dollars roll down the drain while Potleigh serves out a month or six at the Juvie... But a nursing career and motherhood are both full-time jobs, and unless you have the support system you need lined up, you will continue to be disrespected by those of us who planned wisely and took the high road."

Bluesnurse, when you are old and dying alone in a nursing home, I'll send one of my four children over to visit you and bring you a box of kleenix. :lol2:

Okay, so while I suspect Bluesnurse might have been able to find a slightly more delicate way of phrasing things, I don't disagree with her, and I find it utterly ridiculous that people think those of us who've chosen not to have children will die alone. Just because someone doesn't have children, doesn't mean they're missing out on anything or that they don't have family that would care for them. So in response to the little gloating purple smileyface, here's a little gloaty smiley for me and Bluesnurse, because I will have people at my bedside when my time comes (and I'm sure Bluesnurse will too!) and in the meantime we have clean, quiet homes, full of nice breakable things, which we get to enjoy any way we want, when we aren't busy trying to think of new things to do with our free time and expendable income! :lol2:

I know it's not a popular thing to not have kids, but I have a heck of a lot of justification, and if you'd like you can message me for details. I'm more than happy to share.:)

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Specializes in Peds ER.
Okay, so while I suspect Bluesnurse might have been able to find a slightly more delicate way of phrasing things, I don't disagree with her, and I find it utterly ridiculous that people think those of us who've chosen not to have children will die alone. Just because someone doesn't have children, doesn't mean they're missing out on anything or that they don't have family that would care for them. So in response to the little gloating purple smileyface, here's a little gloaty smiley for me and Bluesnurse, because I will have people at my bedside when my time comes (and I'm sure Bluesnurse will too!) and in the meantime we have clean, quiet homes, full of nice breakable things, which we get to enjoy any way we want, when we aren't busy trying to think of new things to do with our free time and expendable income! :lol2:

I know it's not a popular thing to not have kids, but I have a heck of a lot of justification, and if you'd like you can message me for details. I'm more than happy to share.:)

If you are so content and fufilled with your choice to be childless, then why would you feel the need to list your justifications? I know I'm happy as a mother and I don't need to justify that. I also wouldn't trade them for a clean house, free time, or a million dollars. I also don't feel the need to tell you, or any childless person, what they are missing out on by not having children because I respect their choice and firmly believe that some people are not cut out to raise children.

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I could have sworn this post was about what are the best paying Jobs. Lets let that other stuff go jesh its getting out of hand and it is truely hijacking the original posters questions which is never an off based question at all. We all have to be providers at least bare minimally to ourselves therefore income is a valueable topic and not beneth us to talk about.

The majority of time when people post stupid comments I just ignore it and stick to what we are talking about to begin with. Nursing wages.

Hopefully this post will get back on track and somebody can create there own post about the pro and cons of having children.

I am thankful for what ever I have regardless.

Lets please move on

Pleading with posters to get back on topic

Thanks

Angela

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I say Diddo for all who say money matters. I am caring dedicated nurse and love giving but that will not pay my bills therefore got to consider how I can do what I like and still make the big bucks.

The best way I can answer your question is that pay is based on where you live, and the hospital you apply to and what shift you take. Particular as new grad since you have no experience.

I am 2years out of school and I live in New York and I too am looking for which position will pay the most, still offer me flexability, travel time, not horrible on my body and mind.

New York is one of the highest paying states. One hospital in Brooklyn pays a staff nurse on cardiac unit at nights $50/hr. My hospital started me at 36/hr out of school and I get night differential which always pays more than days.

I been told that Critical Care in one of the New York hospital pays 80,000 a year. while my hospital for critical care pays no different than regular staff nurse. Therefore what hospital makes a difference.

Agency work I been told pays more but I just started working at a per diem job and found out my agency is cheating me so knowing wages is important so they do not cheat you.

After two years minimal experience you can find per diem work which will compensate for your regular hospital pay. Plus I used to work a lot of overtime which pays time and half to make ends meet when I started out of school.

So How can I best answer you question? I say research what is the pay in your area. Look online for agency listing that post position in your area and get a feel for which hospital pay more. Look at the hospital web site and see what nursing position are open and see if they list the salaries sometimes they do.

Since you did not say where you live posters cant really say what the pay is like in your area which is more relevant for you at this time.

Fresh out of school nights will pay the most. You need experience to sometimes go into specialties but thats not always the case. I say critical care is probably the best to start cause once you put that on your resume it will help you get other jobs.

That just my novice opinion.

Nice talking to you and wish you the best.

God bless. May the right door open for you that pays what you need to buy the things you need for your family. Single mom here also its rough economically people need more and more two bread winners.

I work two jobs to meet my financial needs. Wish you the best. Thankfull with 12hrs shifts I am able to fill my days off with per diem work. Thats what great about nurse schedule a lot of choice and opportunity

Angela

boy was that helpful! I'll say it's the most helpful i've read so far considering the fact that this thread tends to shift off topic sometimes. that's awesome. I live in philly where i pay city tax and i hate it. but if i have to pay city tax in the hospital down my street will start me at $26.xx, i think i would be better off with the $10 raise in a place where i'll still pay city tax.

thx soo much for posting.

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please let us not even pretend. the money is very important. i will have my BSN in 3 mths and believe me money is on the top of my list. i am not mother theresa working for free. i love helping people but i also love hepling my family. the peace crop is always looking for people that would love to work for free. i am not that person but don't worry i will donate to the peace crop from the money i make(from my high paying job). thanks

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Hello Everyone.

I work in a hospital in center city Philadelphia and earn $63 an hour. And more on weekends/holidays.

I am an Emergency Room RN and have been for 20yrs.

Hope this helps.

-Ashley, RN.

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Specializes in Goal: MSN in Women's Health/Family Pract.
Hello Everyone.

I work in a hospital in center city Philadelphia and earn $63 an hour. And more on weekends/holidays.

I am an Emergency Room RN and have been for 20yrs.

Hope this helps.

-Ashley, RN.

That sounds very good to me :yeah: Have all of those 20 years been in the ER? What path did you take to get there? Do you work FT? if so, do you have to? evenings? I would love to work 2-3 days a week at that rate? Of course, I'm just barely starting out and I'm sure the rate is lower in my area since it's not a major city like Philly but I would like to know what steps to take to get there. Thanks.

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I think the key, as with everything in life, is to find balance. :yeah:

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