Is 40k/yr reasonable?

christvs, DNP, RN, NP · Jul 4, 2005

I just wanted to get the opinions from some of you new nurses. The National Teachers Association has issued a statement stating the starting salary for all new teachers nationwide should be $40,000.00 yearly. This without overtime supposedly. Should beginning salaries for new nurses be in line with this statement? If not, why not? If yes, why yes? Please take a few minutes to post your opinions. Thanks.

Hmmm. I think $40,000 could be either a good or a bad salary, depending on where you live -i.e. the cost of living in each state. I think nurses in NYC and LA for example NEED to make more to cover their high cost of living. For me in MA, I think it is ok for a starting salary.

grinnurse, RN · Jul 4, 2005

I think that 40K would be a great starting salary for teachers but I also agree with pp about allowing for cost differences r/t location.

I think that it is a good starting salary b/c maybe if they earned a little more $ that would enhance our childrens learning experience. They work hard and are also in "danger" w/ all the school shootings and lack of disipline in the children these days.

barefootlady, ADN, RN · Jul 4, 2005

Yes, I do understand that certain areas of the country would consider a starting salary of 40.000.00/yr too low. Ca, NY, Hawaii, and Mass being a few that come to mind. But that being said, teachers in those areas would have the same cost of living issues, so I am talking about the average nurse in one of the more average states.

Altra, BSN, RN · Jul 4, 2005

I would assume that the proposal/position statement is coming from a desire to affirm the importance of the teaching profession, and that is a good thing.

However, I can't agree with any arbitrary nationwide figure, because the financial structure of school districts can and does vary radically even within a state. For school district A, to pay a new teacher $40K might be near the top of the salary range for that district. For school district B, that same $40K may be in the middle or lower end of their salary structure.

I'm not sure how this has any bearing on nursing ... but my area has a pretty reasonable cost of living, and starting pay for new grad nurses averages exactly $40K.

Editorial Team / Admin · Jul 4, 2005

I am not a new grad. But, the starting salary should be higher than 40K in most states. In Ark. it is far lower. As for teachres, they are union and that does make a difference in the salary ranges. Nurses in the ADN category make around the 40K figure and BSN is higher, but not by much. The highest is for nurse practitioners - about 100K depending again on location. I would like to know why you equate the salary of a nurse to a teacher. Or think that it would even be possible to "be in line" with teachers.

barefootlady, ADN, RN · Jul 5, 2005

teachers and nurses are a dominent female profession.

teachers have stated for years how underpaid and underappreciated they are, like most nurses.

teachers are unionized, nursing is looking into a union vs. nursing association method for setting acceptable salary levels.

teachers are the caretakers of our future, our children

nurses are the caretakers of every generation

just wanted to find out how new nurses feel about their starting salary levels in general.

Why?

fergus51 · Jul 5, 2005

I don't think nursing and teaching are actually comparable in terms of job responsibilities and that's what should determine pay.

rach_nc_03 · Jul 5, 2005

I just wanted to get the opinions from some of you new nurses. The National Teachers Association has issued a statement stating the starting salary for all new teachers nationwide should be $40,000.00 yearly. This without overtime supposedly. Should beginning salaries for new nurses be in line with this statement? If not, why not? If yes, why yes? Please take a few minutes to post your opinions. Thanks.

National salary levels are always, imo, a bad move. Minimums? Yes. Personally, I think it's a crime that *any* person employed full-time, regardless of position, can be living below the poverty line. That poverty line, however, is uniform nationally. In places like Northern CA, it's my understanding that teachers, police officers, and the like aren't able to live in the communities where they work. Period. Can you imagine what would happen if there were a disaster, and police officers and paramedics couldn't respond immediately because the all lived 50+ miles away?

Sorry- that fact infuriates me.

In this area, new grad RN's make around $18/hour. Our hospital is bumping us up to $18.54 next week (pinch me, I'm dreaming :stone ), but the basic annual salary with shift differentials and such, is in the neighborhood of $40K/year.

I live alone while my honey is overseas, no kids, no car payment- just some medical bills and four pets. I have modest tastes, a small apartment, and I don't have expensive habits (going out to bars on weekends, for example). without working some nights and weekends, my full-time salary wouldn't quite cover all of my expenses, but OT and diffs can bring me up to around $50K pretty quickly. I've made a lot more and a lot less than that figure, and I have no problems adjusting my expenses to that level of income. I happen to live in a state that's on the cheaper end of the cost-of-living spectrum. I shudder to think what I'd have to do to make it on $40K in NYC or SF!

barefootlady, ADN, RN · Jul 6, 2005

I appreciate the input, just was a question I had. No special interest, no hidden adgenda. May you have a good first year nursing experience.

nursemike, ASN, RN · Jul 7, 2005

I was working 48 hrs per 2 week pay period through school, @ about $10/hr. Sunday 7p-7a, I made as much as I was making in 2 weeks. Wow.

I'll be making about 42K/yr working three 12-hr shifts. Get my first full check Friday.

No way I can feel bad about that, and we're getting a small raise this month. Of course, when I look at the housing market, I begin to realize that I am not, in fact, wealthy.

As decent as the starting pay is, it's kind of a shame that it doesn't increase more with experience. A good nurse with 10 years experience is a lot more valuable than, say, me. This is a field where on-the-job experience is crucial.

browsing · Jul 11, 2005

Why are you getting ppl to compare the teachers' salary to that of the nurses?? :uhoh21:

RNs where I live earn an average starting salary of 55k if I'm correct. I live in s. cali. Orange County/LA.