Is the pay really that bad??

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I've read a couple of people on this site saying stuff like "Don't go into nursing for the money" and "Don't expect to get rich with nursing", etc. I'm curious as to why some are saying this. I've been working in the banking field for about 6 years or so and I'm still only making about $25k a year and there's not much better in sight for the future for me. Nursing would have me starting out making at least in the low $40's in my area. There is really not much else in my area where I could make this amount of money unless I get into sales, which I am no good at and it's not stable. I know $40k a year isn't making it rich, but it is making it comfortable and I would be able to take care of my family without struggeling so much. Is there a reason that there is such an attitude about the money? Is it worth it? I really feel that I have a calling to be a nurse (as cheesy as that sounds!), it's all I think about and I don't know why but I'm so drawn to it and the pay makes it even that much better for me. But I'm just curious as to why some seem so down on it.

Specializes in Med surg, Critical Care, LTC.

Myth23: Your not a nurse, you've not walked a mile in our shoes, until you do, please don't lecture us about our "complaining" about our wages. What we earn may seem like a lot of money to you, but I can assure you, it's not. I lose $600 to 800 per paycheck just for taxes, never mind insurance. I have a mortgage, not a new house, old fixer-upper. I drive a 99 Toyota Echo, and my hubby has a 97 Ford f-150. We aren't fancy people, but we work hard for our money. Nursing has cost me more money than I ever made, it's back breaking, stressful and often thankless work.

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Specializes in Author/Business Coach.

Genetics56,

Where do you live that a salary of $41,600 is good? It's not even close to the median income of middle class people...

State of the middle classThe median income in the United States is $46,326. But that is dragged down by young adults and retirees. ThirdWay, a centrist think tank, looked at the numbers for those households headed by someone of working age, 25 to 59. Median Income: $61,629With two wage earners: $81,265Percentage making $100,000-plus: 24%I'm assuming just about everyone on here is 25 yrs old at least...This is at very least what nurses should be making.

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Well, excuse me for offending you. But it kind of offends me when people complain about having to work an extra shift so that they can be comfortable enough to buy a fancy car, buy clothes, take vacations, while they are making 20-27 an hour. When they could be making $10/hour and they wouldn't be able to do all of those things even with overtime. Since you've been through the tough times it seems like you would be thankful to be able to put food on the table with your pay rather than complaining.

No problem for the "sermon", you say I'm preaching to the choir, but your attitudes about pay make it obvious that I'm not.

Genetics56,

Where do you live that a salary of $41,600 is good? It's not even close to the median income of middle class people...

State of the middle classThe median income in the United States is $46,326. But that is dragged down by young adults and retirees. ThirdWay, a centrist think tank, looked at the numbers for those households headed by someone of working age, 25 to 59. Median Income: $61,629With two wage earners: $81,265Percentage making $100,000-plus: 24%I'm assuming just about everyone on here is 25 yrs old at least...This is at very least what nurses should be making.

I live in Wisconsin. Even with the numbers that I shared, the couple would be above the median income level. There are plenty of side jobs that a nurse could do to increase their income level to help pay for bills. I often hear of job ads looking for home based nurses for night calls, home based case management nurses, and others similar jobs. So the opportunity is out there to earn more if one needs to.

The lowest a nurse should make is around $40,000. The average starting salary should be closer to $50,000 - $55,000. A nurse with about 10 years of experience should be making around $65,000. A nurse with 20 years of experience should be making close to 6 figures because of the great knowledge and experience they bring. You can put a lot of trust in a nurse with 20 years of experience.

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Specializes in Telemetry.
I live in Wisconsin. Even with the numbers that I shared, the couple would be above the median income level. There are plenty of side jobs that a nurse could do to increase their income level to help pay for bills. I often hear of job ads looking for home based nurses for night calls, home based case management nurses, and others similar jobs. So the opportunity is out there to earn more if one needs to.

The lowest a nurse should make is around $40,000. The average starting salary should be closer to $50,000 - $55,000. A nurse with about 10 years of experience should be making around $65,000. A nurse with 20 years of experience should be making close to 6 figures because of the great knowledge and experience they bring. You can put a lot of trust in a nurse with 20 years of experience.

I agree... I'm really thankful that my unit has overtime available, and that by working overtime (especially when they call and offer incentives!) I can substantially increase my income. My starting pay is in the low 40s if I'm on days. Low 50s on nights ($5 per hour shift diff). I personally think a nurse on days should make $55k per year minimum with out overtime or incentives. I'd like more, of course, but I think $55k is reasonable, depending on the region of course. I'd have to think about it awhile if I had to come up with a number that nurses are actually worth.

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Specializes in ER/OR.

Ugh. All these people swimming in self-pity. If nursing has really taken everything away from you and is so horrible, then please leave! You and everyone you work with will be much happier...i assure you. Go be a manager somewhere at a retail business or something for half the pay with all the other bus. administration majors. Or perhaps, further your education to the masters level. But complaining and being bitter doesn't help you one bit...just makes you intolerable.:twocents:

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before someone flies off the hook and flames me or calls me a troll, let me just say this: nearly everyone in every profession thinks they are underpaid. yes, there are some people who are definitely paid what they're worth and some more than what they're worth (*ahem* athletes). however, many people have jobs with lots of responsibilities and thus think they deserve more money. do they deserve it? probably. do nurses deserve more money? probably. i can't say for certain since i'm not a nurse yet.

but i do know one thing: take a random poll of people out on the streets. "do you think you are underpaid for the amount of responsibility you have?" see how many of them answer "yes." it's all in the amount of responsibility the job has, which, in and of itself, is relative to the person answering the question.

there...flame away.

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I'm probably sounding like Pollyana, but well...anyway, I'm thankful that I have been able to take my two-year degree and make as much as a lot of two income households in my area. If I try to compare myself to an attorney or banker of course, I'll be disappointed. But the average family around these parts, they live on a lot less.

On the other hand, I understand the resentment of knowing that no matter if you are a loyal employee for 30 yrs. you have nothing to show for it. This is why I am planning that my career at the nursing home will be fairly short-term and I'm optimistic I can move on to bigger and better things, eventually. I don't want to be like some of the bitter, cynical, burned out people who have been there 20 yrs. and know they will be leaving with what they came in with.

The key is not allowing the grass to grow under your feet in this business. As soon as I became a CNA I realized I would never be content to stay there. I never went through LPN school with the intent of being an LPN the rest of my life. I never went through the ADN program with the intent of staying an ADN the rest of my working days. I'm not planning to stop with a BSN, either. Each time I reach a goal I have to readjust my plans and think ahead to the next goal. It's a constant (and draining) struggle to whittle your way a little further and a little further. Thing is, you have to be proactive. A lot of people feel helpless and hopeless when it comes to going back to school, but I am living proof that if you want to find a way, you will, and with sacrifices you can do it without owing your soul to Sallie Mae.

I don't have a lot and I do without a lot but so do a lot of people.

Count me as a nurse who really can't complain about the pay.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
The lowest a nurse should make is around $40,000. The average starting salary should be closer to $50,000 - $55,000. A nurse with about 10 years of experience should be making around $65,000. A nurse with 20 years of experience should be making close to 6 figures because of the great knowledge and experience they bring. You can put a lot of trust in a nurse with 20 years of experience.

I can only wish that salaries rise with exerience. Unfortunately there are caps, i.e. ranges.......I've been at the top of my range for several years and haven't gotten a raise. I earned a raise because I took a step up to a RN III position (charge nurse) and then within a year was maxed out again and didn't get a raise last year. Fortunately for retention administration raised the cap this past year and I got a 4% year. If one got steady raises year after year you would think by 20 years they would get close to six figures, but that's not the case.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Lot's of judgements being thrown around about each other and I wish we wouldn't do that.

There's not a pre-nursing or nursing student anywhere that is going to understand or buy into a seasoned nurses presumption that nurses don't get paid enough. They are going to say exactly like I did when I was making $3.00 at Pizza Hut......"Bring it on!!!"

Sometimes when we complain about money, it's not that we're not greatful, or that we seriously think it's horrible money. But after the week from hell with 12 hour shifts that turn into 14 hour shifts, with tremendous stress, demanding families, paperwork out the butt, on and on and on, isn't a bit understanding when we crawl into bed at night exhausted to our toenails that and exhale deeply "I don't get paid enough for this." Also, there are people like myself maxed out not getting raises. Am I not allowed to vent about that?

Not all of us graduate and run up the credit cards, driving fancy cars and whine "nurses don't get paid enough". We don't know one anothers financial situations and why we might be struggling. Some of us have struggled with deadbeat dads who don't pay child support, sick relatives, unemployment, divorce and other financial hardships that happen to us all regardless of how much money we make.

Also, when we start making money isn't it natural to want to live a better lifestyle? What's wrong with making more money and getting a new car, or saving for a home, or finally upgrading your wardrope. You've worked hard for the money, enjoy it. I lived in a one-bedroom efficiency that was rat-infested while I was taking pre-reqs. What's wrong with moving out and getting new furniture and beginning a better life?

Granted there are those nurses who spend their money foolishly and I have no sympathy for them.

End of lecture.

Please let's try to respect one another. Thanks.

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Lot's of judgements being thrown around about each other and I wish we wouldn't do that.

There's not a pre-nursing or nursing student anywhere that is going to understand or buy into a seasoned nurses presumption that nurses don't get paid enough. They are going to say exactly like I did when I was making $3.00 at Pizza Hut......"Bring it on!!!"

Sometimes when we complain about money, it's not that we're not greatful, or that we seriously think it's horrible money. But after the week from hell with 12 hour shifts that turn into 14 hour shifts, with tremendous stress, demanding families, paperwork out the butt, on and on and on, isn't a bit understanding when we crawl into bed at night exhausted to our toenails that and exhale deeply "I don't get paid enough for this." Also, there are people like myself maxed out not getting raises. Am I not allowed to vent about that?

Not all of us graduate and run up the credit cards, driving fancy cars and whine "nurses don't get paid enough". We don't know one anothers financial situations and why we might be struggling. Some of us have struggled with deadbeat dads who don't pay child support, sick relatives, unemployment, divorce and other financial hardships that happen to us all regardless of how much money we make.

Also, when we start making money isn't it natural to want to live a better lifestyle? What's wrong with making more money and getting a new car, or saving for a home, or finally upgrading your wardrope. You've worked hard for the money, enjoy it. I lived in a one-bedroom efficiency that was rat-infested while I was taking pre-reqs. What's wrong with moving out and getting new furniture and beginning a better life?

Granted there are those nurses who spend their money foolishly and I have no sympathy for them.

End of lecture.

Please let's try to respect one another. Thanks.

I think we can all agree with what you are saying. A young person right out of nursing school (be it tech school or from a university) needs to be smart with how they start their working life (its a different story for the nontraditional students). Purchasing that $35,000+ car, purchasing a WHOLE new wardrobe on a credit card, going out to eat every night and going out to party every weekend, purchasing a big screen tv, and getting a house that is more then 20% of your take home pay all adds up (the older folks know what I'm talking about). Once you get married and start a family, your expenses increase a lot.

You can get all of the above if you do it in a smart way. Take about 5% of your pay check and put it in a savings account each month to start purchasing some new clothes, a good matress, etc, etc.

Starting a career making around $25 an hour isn't bad. It isn't great, but it isn't bad.

The best investment a nurse can make is a good pair of shoes.

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Specializes in NICU, Mother-baby, home health care.

You are right on the money on this one. I think that's why you hear nurses say that. You can easily pick out the ones who are "just in it for the money", they have no passion, hard to work with, etc.

Nursing is a high stress job, plus we're over worked because of the nursing shortage and pt -nurse ratios.

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My husband is in the army and is due to go back to Iraq in December for the THIRD time and did I mention this will be two weeks after I give birth to our first baby??? He is SEVERELY underpaid for his job. Even being back in the states he works 14 hour days, 5 days per week for roughly 35,000. He puts HIS OWN life on the line in the army.

Does that change my opinion that nurses are underpaid for what they do? No it does not!

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