I'm starting to get concerned about salary...

ski4life · Jul 22, 2008

Totally depends on where you live in the US. Sounds awfully low to me but I live in MA. Not sure, but I think new grads in my area start off around $30.00/hr.

bekindtokittens · Jul 22, 2008

Base pay for new grad RNs here in my Colorado town is around $23.

admorn03 · Jul 22, 2008

Here in Madison, Wisconsin starting pay just went up to $29.75/hr. :yeah:

This is pretty good, especially for the cost of living here. Housing is very expensive and the taxes are high. But the schools are good, so ya get what ya pay for.

But the funny thing is that the hospitals here do peer interviews, so if it is not a "good fit" then no matter how short the staffing is there, they will not hire you. But I guess that is not a bad thing, because ya got to get a long with your peers.

Jules A, MSN · Jul 22, 2008

But the funny thing is that the hospitals here do peer interviews, so if it is not a "good fit" then no matter how short the staffing is there, they will not hire you. But I guess that is not a bad thing, because ya got to get a long with your peers.

I haven't seen that used around here but what a great idea. Finding the right team was top on my list when I was searching for my first nursing job. No way would I spend a majority of my time with people that can't work together nicely. I am thankful every day for my awesome co-workers.

mom2michael, MSN, RN, NP · Jul 22, 2008

To the OP, I don't know where you live so your salary may totally reflect upon you COL and be just fine for you. It's not always about the $$$$, you have to figure other things into the mixture.

My very first job out of NS in 2006 was an ER where I made $16/hr base pay (plus shift diffs which were about as impressive as the starting pay). While that sounds low, the cost of living matched what I made.

I have since made some moves in my career as well as moving to another state to work and I'll be happy to tell you that 1.5 years later I now make over $22/hr plus some darn good shift diffs and critical care pay.

My salary might still be pretty crappy in comparison to others across the country, but my salary matches the COL for this area and unless I want to move and occur even more expenses, it is what it is........I don't starve and I get the things I want and need in life without working a million of OT shifts.

My insurance though - no matter where I've gone it's been horrible. My current job offers probably the "best" insurance I've had ever in healthcare and it's still pretty expensive and still comes with a high copay for doc visits and an even higher deductible for a hospital stay.

My best insurance and benefit program was when I worked in the "private" non healthcare sector of the workforce.

nurseshepherd · Jul 22, 2008

pack your bags and move honey!! i made 34 and change as a new grad.
i have a question for you guys. of course i get paid more because im in a populated area, cost of living, etc. however, are cars cheaper in areas that pay low (like this poster is describing?)
for example, if my bmw here costs 45,000, is it like, 25,000 where these really low wages are??

NO! The BMW costs the same here in SE USA. I think the biggest difference between our area for instance (starting pay $19/hr) is the housing (you can still get a decent 2000 sq ft home for $250,000 or less now that the RE market has softened), most everything else is about the same.

blacksea pebble · Jul 22, 2008

Wow some of those are really low but I guess if it is cheaper to live then its all the same. Here new grads start around $28 with benefits. Fortunately there is a great need for nurses so there is some room for negotiation also.

Jules,

what state are you in?

Please pm me if you can. I really want to get out of CA SOMEDAY.

To the poster of this thread: the salary seems to be very low, especially with gas prices and inflation. Mortgage payment is not the only aspect of COL. Can you talk to your mgr and see how you can increase your pay? Maybe ACLS and other certifications will allow you to get a higher salary ?

Good luck! :mad:

crunchymomx3 · Jul 22, 2008

I just started as a new grad making $26.75 plus differential (5.25 for 6P to midnight, 6.75 for midnight to 6A, and an extra 3.50 for weekends) Pretty good medical, too. $45 weekly for my entire family (5 people). It's better than my husbands medical and he works for the biggest construction company in the state.

I live in CT though, so my COL is high.

justme1972 · Jul 22, 2008

WOW!

I just wanted to thank everyone for their responses. I want to stay relatively close to the area, but I was planning on moving to Tennessee. I really want to move to the East Tennessee area, but I am wondering if the pay in Knoxville is better.

The benefits are so bad with the hospitals in East Tennessee, not sure if that would work for me or not.

I took a look online for houses in Knoxville...they seemed pretty expensive for what you got.

Jules A, MSN · Jul 23, 2008

Jules,
what state are you in?
Please pm me if you can. I really want to get out of CA SOMEDAY.
To the poster of this thread: the salary seems to be very low, especially with gas prices and inflation. Mortgage payment is not the only aspect of COL. Can you talk to your mgr and see how you can increase your pay? Maybe ACLS and other certifications will allow you to get a higher salary ?
Good luck!

Balto/WashDC/Virginia so its kind of expensive here but nothing like NYC or you lovely folks out in CA. :)

Jules A, MSN · Jul 23, 2008

I just started as a new grad making $26.75 plus differential (5.25 for 6P to midnight, 6.75 for midnight to 6A, and an extra 3.50 for weekends) Pretty good medical, too. $45 weekly for my entire family (5 people). It's better than my husbands medical and he works for the biggest construction company in the state.
I live in CT though, so my COL is high.

Sweet differentials, too!