Is it realistic that I'll make 80-100,000 thousand after I graduate with associates.

moma8gma1 · Sep 5, 2010

Your questions might find more responses on one of the other boards where working RNs are reading/posting. (Many, if not most, of us here are pre-nursing students, so aren't yet in the field working as RN's.)

Good questions, though -- nice to know this info before making your degree plan. :)

JROregon, ASN, BSN, RN · Sep 5, 2010

Well, let's see, have you looked at the hospitals where you want to live to see what their starting wages are ? That might be something to start with. Some areas of the country pay their nurses in the mid 20s/hour. Where I live, nurses start at about $30/hour. If you are living in a big city and are working as an emergency room nurse or ICU nurse, I could see a high wage. With experience in a highly desired specialty and working undesirable hours, you might do very well in 5 years after graduating.

Kaychell · Sep 5, 2010

I think it depends on where you live and where you work. Around here BSN and ADN's make about the same. The real difference is if you're in management or not around here. I believe that nurses here are making around $19/hr on average. We live in a small town however. Bigger cities around here start around $23/hr.

K nurse-one-day · Sep 5, 2010

It totally depends on your location. There are cities that new RN's start out at $16-$17 an hour, and there are some that make $30-$35 and hours

Argo · Sep 5, 2010

Unless you see your cousins check I would not believe it especially as a new grad. If she has 3-4 years under her belt in a specialty like Cath Lab/ICU/ER/OR then she could make that hourly rate.

That said, you can make that amount even with a $25-27/hr rate if you take paid call hours and work OT. I was making $27 my first year and made $101k with my OT and oncall pay.

newNYCrn · Sep 5, 2010

Good evening,

First off $45 is ALOT of money for a new grad. I am a new grad myself and my starting salary is $81,000 (hourly rate of $38 with .66 for edu differential and $2.99 for nightly diff). It is possible but again I do it because nursing is my passion, otherwise, $300,000 wouldn't be enough to do what we do! :nurse:

sistasoul · Sep 5, 2010

Live in the northeast. Graduated 2008. Started at 23.39 hr. $4/hour more for second shift. No one got raises due to budget constraints this year.

grandmawrinkle · Sep 5, 2010

New grad ADNs in Minneapolis/St. Paul make about $30 in hospitals, with shift diff I could see a new grad pulling in about 70K/year without OT working FT, working E/O or E/3rd weekend, on a day shift. I am in the high end of the range you listed without shift differential but I have 10+ years experience, am certified and have a BSN (the certification and the BSN add maybe a 3K/year to my paycheck).

Minnesota is on the high end for pay but not the highest nationwide. If you work in the smaller cities you can expect somewhat less. Mayo (in Rochester) pays about the same as the Twin Cities or they would have a hard time retaining nurses with the Minneapolis/St. Paul being only 75 miles away.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Sep 5, 2010

Depends on where you live. I'm in a rural area and $20 is the usual starting salary.

coolpeach · Sep 5, 2010

Here in Dallas I started in the ER as a new grad at 22.85 an hour. I am now on the floor (didn't like ER), and I make 22 and hour. I graduated Dec 2009, and the friends I graduated with make between 22 and 24 an hour.

chloecatrn · Sep 5, 2010

If ANYONE is starting as a new grad at $40 an hour, it's got to be in a ridiculously high cost of living area such that the pay has to offset the living expenses.

OP, you can make that much, with one metric ton of overtime. But straight time, 36-40 hours a week? Not likely. If you do, again I'll say, most of it's going to be eaten up by living expenses.