It seems like everyone but nurses make more money

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Specializes in ER.

I didn't become a nurse because I had a calling or anything. I was one of those few idiots in high school who had no dreams or aspiration, so my dad said "hey nursing sounds good" and I said "okay"...... mistake. Now, I am no Trevor the psychopath or Mary the maniac, but certainly not a bleeder of heart. I just did my job well and went home.

I got sick of humanity at ER, so now work at insurance donig medical reviews.

As I am at that weird age where people around you either make mediocre money vs tons of money, it's hard not to notice those that make a ton, and what irks me is that none of them work at healthcare field.

My brother who's been in workforce only few years already makes well over 120k, not mentioning bonuses, incentives, 5 star hotels and lux meals, my friend at airline industry living a nice, rich life, a regular marketer at company owning two expensive sports cars...

Where do these people get these jobs? It seems like unless you're running the corporate side of healthcare, you work your butt off and get few change and a key chain for Christmas.

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People who have the jobs you described by and large did have dreams and aspiration, and went to college to pursue them. Friends of mine who live as you describe have significant educational achievements and knowledge that is in demand, let's face it the world is a supply-and-demand kind of place and nurses aren't really in high demand unfortunately for us!

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Certain professions (nursing, school-teaching, librarianship, social work, psychology) offer mediocre salaries. Guess what they all have in common? These are all female-dominated professions.

And no, I am not a misogynist. Nonetheless, those who want to become high income earners should consider entering a male-dominated occupation.

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maybe this is a good time to tell you that your keychain for Christmas is more than I got??

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Specializes in PDN; Burn; Phone triage.

Economists who write articles on wage compression cite nursing a lot as an example. I guess the trade off is that beginning wages tend to be a bit higher than in other entry level jobs that require a similar level of education.

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Most of my neighborhood friends drive expensive cars and live paycheck to almost paycheck. Looks can be deceiving. An RN makes more money than the average American. You wouldn't ball out of control but you have a solid middle income. Top 40% income earner

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
Most of my neighborhood friends drive expensive cars and live paycheck to almost paycheck. Looks can be deceiving. An RN makes more money than the average American. You wouldn't ball out of control but you have a solid middle income. Top 40% income earner

Oh so true. A lot of people "living large" can't afford it -- and are only 1 economic downturn in their particular industry from being unemployed and broke.

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When I read here nurses saying that nursing pays "a lot," I figure they don't know many people who actually DO get paid "a lot."

I make the absolute least amount of money compared to my friends who have the same level of education. The only reason I have the standard of living I do is because my husband (Bachelor's in Finance from a second tier state U) makes so much. He works a lot of hours, it can be very stressful, but physically his job is a easy compared to mine. But my salary will never reflect the amount of work that goes into it, nor the responsibility it carries. Oh well.

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.. If money is all that you love, then that's what you'll receive

Who cares that much about money? All I'm ever reminded of is the Star Wars quote.

I grew up in a very financially comfortable well to do family. Not so rich it was a "big deal" to us, but very comfortable life style. My parents were miserable, and all us "kids" are pretty miserable as adults!

I never strove for riches. Give me poor but happy over rich but miserable any day! Yeah, I'm being a little sarcastic, unrealistic. I do need enough to put a roof over our heads, food on the table, etc.

Since we live modest comfortable life styles we are very comfortably off financially even with our "poorly" paid jobs. My husband was a social worker, (also a traditionally female job). With his MSW and advanced certification, being bilingual, working 40 hours a week, I made more money than him working 32 hours a week with my ASN degree!

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Specializes in ER.
maybe this is a good time to tell you that your keychain for Christmas is more than I got??

Well I was actually joking sarcastically when I said I got a key chain... which would have been worse actually if I got a key chain.

What I am seeing is not the "educational elites" who put in hard work and making multi-figures. I am talking about regular Joe Blow with regualr 4 year old Bachelor degree. I know that no one gives you free money, that's why it's called work, but it's pretty disproportionate it seems, healthcare always poses difficulty and aneurysm-inducing type of jobs, while other fields are not as intense but just reek in easy money it seems.

I am not too crazy about money, but having the examples around me makes me think that we deserve more, and yeah it's little childish but makes me think it's not fair.

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Economists who write articles on wage compression cite nursing a lot as an example. I guess the trade off is that beginning wages tend to be a bit higher than in other entry level jobs that require a similar level of education.

That seems to be what attracts people to nursing, higher entry level wages but 20 yrs of solid in demand experience rarely results in commensurate wages.

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Well I was actually joking sarcastically when I said I got a key chain... which would have been worse actually if I got a key chain.

What I am seeing is not the "educational elites" who put in hard work and making multi-figures. I am talking about regular Joe Blow with regualr 4 year old Bachelor degree. I know that no one gives you free money, that's why it's called work, but it's pretty disproportionate it seems, healthcare always poses difficulty and aneurysm-inducing type of jobs, while other fields are not as intense but just reek in easy money it seems.

I am not too crazy about money, but having the examples around me makes me think that we deserve more, and yeah it's little childish but makes me think it's not fair.

It always seems like "easy" money when you're not the one who has to do the work. A lot of people think nurses don't do much, either.

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