How much did you make as a new grad?

OBRN2004 · Sep 10, 2005

I was a new grad last year (Arkansas). Made 17.50/hr with 50% shift diff (weekend nights) ... so 26.25. This year after my eval I make 19.79/hr with 50% shift diff 29.69. New grads here started at 18.75 this year.

Super_RN, BSN, RN · Sep 10, 2005

Started at $18.65 two years ago. Base pay now is $20.42 + shift diff. That's in rural Ohio.

:balloons:

live4today, RN · Sep 10, 2005

For those who think how much money you make isn't important, it is important to many women today who are trying to survive as single women, single moms raising children, and even married women raising children. It is very costly to survive in today's economy. Years past when the economy wasn't as ridiculously high as it is today, if you were married, your husband quite possibly was able to financially care for his wife and children. Today's economy has changed that unless you want to live on the bare necessity...just getting by without any money left over to have a family outing once a month. :rolleyes:

We need to be more mindful of the poor quality of life many American people are living today instead of just saying "the money doesn't matter.........." because to many people (like myself) it does matter. The cost of healthcare alone is difficult for the average family to afford. It isn't cheap to care for one child let alone multiple children on today's wages. It sickens me to see celebrities or politicians live in multimillion dollar homes, see tiny trinkets they own that could feed an entire state's population nutritiously, wear diamonds and watches that could pay one person's salary per year -- COMFORTABLY, and watch the waste that takes place in our country...the land of the financially imprisoned middle to low to poverty level families, the home of the cowardly politicians who can't see the needs in America for being blinded by their own "bling bling". :uhoh3: When will we wake up and get real about how America is slowly dying right before our noses? It's sinking fast people, and by the time we see the pain beyond our own comfort level it will be wayyy too late to turn this country around without major help from God. We may still be recognized as the richest country in the world, but due to our own downfall, we're losing our blessings we've long taken for granted. :crying2:

HeartsOpenWide, RN · Sep 10, 2005

With more men becoming nurses, nurses will slowly start to get paid what they are worth...

nursing 101 · Sep 10, 2005

Money is everything. Think about it??? You can't even eat (which is a basic necessity to sustain life) without having money. Now the question is how much makes a person feel happy enough to do a job according to it's pay. If nursing salary is enough for for people and they love nursing than why not. Now I'm not saying that nurses should not get paid more because the workload is hard. Just That each person has their level of comfort when it comes to money and their profession. I love nursing and I think I will definately enjoy the hard-earned money. As nurses we should worry and it should be an issue about the amount of money we make.

At times I do think of the stars and all the money they make. But I don't think I would love to deal with a spotlight constantly on me. This is capitalist country "supply and demand" are the order du jour. People pay regularly to see movies, to listen to music etc. Plus my friends and family have told me that my singing is bad.. I don't you guys want to see me on American Idol.

allnurses Guide · Sep 11, 2005

I started at about 16.50 base pay two years ago. My base is now about 17.85. I'm in central KY. I don't make enough money. =) We've always barely gotten by on wages that were just barely better than minimum wage, and now that I'm making the "big bucks" as an RN... somehow, we are still just barely getting by. :rolleyes:

I'm about to start doing some agency work hopefully... agency nurses around here start out around 30/hr, though I've heard that there is one that is paying RN's around 50/hr.

allnurses Guide · Sep 11, 2005

Money is everything. Think about it??? You can't even eat (which is a basic necessity to sustain life) without having money. Now the question is how much makes a person feel happy enough to do a job according to it's pay. If nursing salary is enough for for people and they love nursing than why not. Now I'm not saying that nurses should not get paid more because the workload is hard. Just That each person has their level of comfort when it comes to money and their profession. I love nursing and I think I will definately enjoy the hard-earned money. As nurses we should worry and it should be an issue about the amount of money we make.
At times I do think of the stars and all the money they make. But I don't think I would love to deal with a spotlight constantly on me. This is capitalist country "supply and demand" are the order du jour. People pay regularly to see movies, to listen to music etc. Plus my friends and family have told me that my singing is bad.. I don't you guys want to see me on American Idol.

I wish I were young enough to audition for American Idol; I seriously would do it. I love Simon Cowell; I'd give anything just to hear him say to me "Wow, that was SIMPLY dreadful. You are, by FAH, the wohst singer in the country".

Gottago · Sep 11, 2005

It sickens me to see celebrities or politicians live in multimillion dollar homes, see tiny trinkets they own that could feed an entire state's population nutritiously, wear diamonds and watches that could pay one person's salary per year -- COMFORTABLY, and watch the waste that takes place in our country...the land of the financially imprisoned middle to low to poverty level families, the home of the cowardly politicians who can't see the needs in America for being blinded by their own "bling bling".

Remember trickle-down economics? You mean the wealth hasn't trickled-down yet?

CrazyPremed, MSN, RN, NP · Sep 11, 2005

I received $8.49 per hour when I started as an RN. And you could have made $11 at a checkout stand in a supermarket. And would I ever have done otherwise? Never.
You go in to nursing because it is something that you want to do, not because of what the salary will give you. If so, you probably will not last long. Unfortunately, that is what happens.

I think the OP is just doing some research. I think anyone going into any field should do the research before they jump in. Just because they are curious about starting salaries may not mean that they are just in it for the money. Actually, I think many college students don't research salary enough before they choose a major. If so, the Art and English degrees would probably become extinct!!

CrazyPremed

luvnsg · Sep 11, 2005

How much did you make as a new grad? what is the starting salary where you are now (which state)? With the working conditions and pay, is it worth it to be in the profession of nursing?

I am a new grad in NYC and my starting salary is $31/hr....I don't think you can ever put a justify price for what we do,there are days you feel you don't get paid enough and there are days you don't think about the money , but the difference you made.. i think you either love it or hate it....personally so far i love it but i'm a new grad and trying to survive the first year...

CseMgr1, ASN, RN · Sep 11, 2005

Let's see....I was making $4.25/hr as a Senior Staff L.P.N. back in 1981. After I took and passed the R.N. boards I was given a whopping .50/hr. raise, which brought my salary up to $4.75/hr.

I didn't crack $10/hr. until a year later, when I left the hospital and went to work in the private sector as a Field Supervisor for a national home care company. Back in those days that was a LOT of money! :balloons:

CseMgr1, ASN, RN · Sep 11, 2005

I started out making $19.75 and in one year, I now make $20.98 base pay. Some hospitals around pay only $17.30 an hour. I am located in Atlanta, GA.
I didn't start out wanting to be a nurse. I just got a job at the hospital as a switchboard operator and registration clerk and I realized that Nursing was what I wanted to do! I wouldn't change it for the world! You have the opportunity to make good money, and help your community. There's not a reason to get burned out. Too many hospitals and opportunities are out there to let your education go to waste!

I'm in Atlanta, too...on the Southside. I left a job on the Northside the end of May, making $26.00/hr, and am now making $21.54/hr. I took almost a $5.00/hr pay cut, but it's well worth it to be closer to home and away from the Rat Race! :)