I often hear/read many NPs saying that if they were to work as normal RNs they would make more money than what they make as an NP; I even have read/heard of some NPs that went back to bedside RN because they made more money this way.
What if you were a PA? Would these population still be making more as an RN than a PA or is it specifically that they make more money as an RN than an NP?
In all honesty, how are FNPs in general weaker or less advantageous than PAs?
This, too, also worries me! I am starting an FNP post-masters program in the spring as I already have a direct-entry MSN with CNL role option and have been a nurse for going on 4 years now. I am now a nurse case manager (inpatient) and work for the highest paid healthcare organization in California. Well I'm transferring from LA to central valley with my organization, and for them central valley is considered a part of the northern Cal region, so the nurses make the same as bay/San Francisco. Well I'm going to be making $76/hr as an inpatient nurse case manager, which is a $22 jump from the $54 I make now. I'm so freaking perplexed by the salary difference between southern and northern cal, it has me questioning if I should do NP at all?? Now I do believe in not doing things for the money, but money is just as important to me as job satisfaction, and I do not apologize for it. But in the end, I know that I want to be a primary care provider. I also know that I'm unique given the organization I work for and that I'm in California. What also pushes me to stick with pursuing NP is the fact that if I ever leave California and practice as an NP in another city, say Atlanta or Houston which are two that I'm considering for the future, I would make more in those cities as an NP than an RN...definitely wouldn't be making the $54 or $76 as an RN there, but as an NP, I could get close. So I guess it all depends on where youre living and what you are willing to accept.
In my area I have a few friends graduate in the last year and they have started as brand new NP with salaries from 85k to 125K. Not bad for their first job and yes a few did take a pay cut from what they made as an RN. I cannot imagine any of them wanting to return to their RN roles based on money alone. I have to believe if nurses are leaving the NP roles to return to the RN role there have to be more reasons than just money.
One of the NPs at my prior job told me how she chased the money after graduation and shared some horror stories of what she put up with. She left and found a better fit for less money and was much happier - she had to give 90 days notice to leave the position she hated. Wow!
I'm in NorCal, not Bay Area, and I broke the 100K ceiling years ago working M-F no major holidays with an easy patient population. I can't say for sure but I don't think the FNP's in our clinics are making over 200K and I know their hours are long and they deal partly if not mostly with a tough demographic.
I entertained NP for a little while because I know I can do more but with the cost of the programs, my job options, the wages and my age, it doesn't pan out for me.
I'm in NorCal, not Bay Area, and I broke the 100K ceiling years ago working M-F no major holidays with an easy patient population. I can't say for sure but I don't think the FNP's in our clinics are making over 200K and I know their hours are long and they deal partly if not mostly with a tough demographic.
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Love reading things like this! Kudos to you and the savvy FNPs you work with. When I hear of NPs willing to make less than $100,000 it frustrates me. I work like a dog to break $200,000 but at least at this point in my life its totally worth it. :)
. I'm so freaking perplexed by the salary difference between southern and northern cal, it has me questioning if I should do NP at all??
The unions in NorCal are stronger than those in SoCal, that's why.
I started off making slightly more as an NP than I did as an RN with 8 years of experience. I do not make over $100K without overtime and live in LA. I was willing to do it in the hopes of loan repayment, but that didn't happen. I'm giving it one more try. The problem is that I've learned to love this job with the underserved and cannot imagine having to go to a regular clinic at this point.
The unions in NorCal are stronger than those in SoCal, that's why.
I started off making slightly more as an NP than I did as an RN with 8 years of experience. I do not make over $100K without overtime and live in LA. I was willing to do it in the hopes of loan repayment, but that didn't happen. I'm giving it one more try. The problem is that I've learned to love this job with the underserved and cannot imagine having to go to a regular clinic at this point.
i would love to get Loan Repayment as well. Did you apply the NHSC loan repayment?
I don't see myself going back to working as an RN. When I first began my RN career years ago I loved it. Due to all the politics and BS I grew to hate it, and to hate hospitals in general. As an NP, I have a lot of autonomy. I work in an outpatient clinic. I see patients of all ages, but I spend usually 10 to 15 minutes with them then I move on. No drama or any BS. I also work with physicians and other NPs who respect me and what I do. I don't spend my days feeling stressed or running up and down. I also now earn significantly more money as an NP than I did as an RN. My RN pay was a bit higher than average only because I worked mostly nights, weekends, and overtime. Now I have time to have a life and to spend with my family again on holidays, birthdays, and weekends. I sometimes do rounds in the hospital to cover the docs but I'm not required to take call. Nothing at all about my career as an RN can compare to this.
Pay depends a lot on location. NP pay is significantly lower in some areas than others because many NPs tend to just accept whatever the job pays without negotiating. They can afford to pay more than the $75k, or $85K, or $90k that many of them are offering because they are certainly making more money off you than they would if an MD or a DO was doing the job. If you don't ask for what you want most of them will not just give it to you. I was lucky. What I was offered as a new NP was more than I had even planned to ask for (within the market range), but I did go in prepared to negotiate. NPs are not 'weaker' than PAs. I have no evidence to prove it but I suspect that the main reason why PAs generally seem to do better is because most PAs are men and most NPs are women, and this profession doesn't escape the age old gender discrimination thing.
You have to keep in mind (as others have said) that no rules apply to those in California because of the very high salaries coupled with the high cost of living with high cost of taxes.
That being said...I made about $65k as a RN in a major metropolitan city in the east coast with a fairly high cost of living if I did no OT after about 6 years. I got my NP and moved to the southwest in another major metropolitan city but with much lower cost of living and now make $96k if I do no OT as a new graduate.
If you have 20 years experience as a RN, no you might not make much more. But if you do it when you have less years of RN experience and you don't live in a place like California, you really should be making a decent chunk more as a NP.
It depends on where in California you are referring to. The COL in California is high mostly if you live in the big coastal cities and certain other areas. Outside of that you can find relatively low COL. I live and work mostly in Cali in a semi-rural area. I am faily close to the beach and to the mountains and to the famous national parks. I love the weather and the laid back atmosphere. It does not cost a lot to live here at all compared to where I am from (south Florida). And what I am earning here is tens of thousands of dollars a year more than I would be earning in south Florida as an NP. Despite the state taxes, I am still doing a whole lot better here. I probably won't stay here forever, but for now it suits me just fine.
Specializes in Psychiatric nursing; Medical-Surgrical.
I see a lot of high horse RNs and a lot of disgruntled, improperly utilized NPs complaining about that on here. I can attest, there is no way in heck I would or could ever have made what I made as a RN what I make as a NP. Compound that by the fact that I don't really do anything other than meet with patients and sign the occasional form and I'm making light years more than I did. I kid you not I make at least four times what I made as a RN not counting what I can make in productivity bonus and moonlighting opportunity. Accounting for that and it's six times what I made as a RN. The hardest thing I do now is type. As a RN, geez, walking around all the time serving juice, wiping butts, dealing with unruly coworkers, smelling dirty crotch, doing that paltry IV mess, setting up suture trays ad nauseum (then cleaning it up), making beds... Now, I talk, type, sign, and repeat.
MiahMSN, MSN, RN
310 Posts
This, too, also worries me! I am starting an FNP post-masters program in the spring as I already have a direct-entry MSN with CNL role option and have been a nurse for going on 4 years now. I am now a nurse case manager (inpatient) and work for the highest paid healthcare organization in California. Well I'm transferring from LA to central valley with my organization, and for them central valley is considered a part of the northern Cal region, so the nurses make the same as bay/San Francisco. Well I'm going to be making $76/hr as an inpatient nurse case manager, which is a $22 jump from the $54 I make now. I'm so freaking perplexed by the salary difference between southern and northern cal, it has me questioning if I should do NP at all?? Now I do believe in not doing things for the money, but money is just as important to me as job satisfaction, and I do not apologize for it. But in the end, I know that I want to be a primary care provider. I also know that I'm unique given the organization I work for and that I'm in California. What also pushes me to stick with pursuing NP is the fact that if I ever leave California and practice as an NP in another city, say Atlanta or Houston which are two that I'm considering for the future, I would make more in those cities as an NP than an RN...definitely wouldn't be making the $54 or $76 as an RN there, but as an NP, I could get close. So I guess it all depends on where youre living and what you are willing to accept.