It seems like everyone but nurses make more money

[rearviewmirror]

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.

[mslove717]

I love nursing. I also make 40K a year as an RN, 4 years experience. I spent 7 years in school, including pre-req time (I have 2 degrees, 1 NOT in nursing). This area is underpaid in general. We also have a higher cost of living than national average, so I struggle. I actually have a 2nd job as well. I even qualify for some medicaid right now (I'm sole income family of 3 and I'm pregnant). Makes me feel real great, let me tell ya! I work for the state though so I will get a nice pension, this is a huge reason I stay at this job, but I would not be making much more with a private employer, under 50K plus awful insurance plans at the hospitals. Like I said this area (western NY) is underpaid, before I was a nurse I worked for a mortgage company making $12/hour with a 4 year degree so this nursing pay IS better than that pittance.

Yes I get frustrated with how little I make and how much skill and education I must have, and the responsibility nurses bear in their jobs. I have friends who make a LOT more than me, with similar education and time invested in their jobs. Most of them are in some sort of sales or something similar. Ie they bring money in for a company. They have jobs where there are commissions, bonuses, projects rewarded with pay, etc.

I think service industry jobs in general are just underpaid - teachers, social work, etc. It sucks, it's the line of work i chose and the one I do well at. We don't make the companies any money, we just "do." Business is about money, so we're not valued monetarily. I don't know what the answer is but I do educate people that no, at least in this area, nurses don't make much. But I truly love my job and I'm not miserable going to work. That is so important to me. I wish I made even 10 grand more, but I don't.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

Interesting topic.

For the past two years, I have made 80k-granted, I had years of wage suppression and setbacks in my 11 year career, but not counting being a LPN, for a 4-year RN salary from ONE job is not too shabby-the previous year I was able to go abroad and enjoy the European life and come home to no bills.

Money can go as long as the person is budgeting.

It also depends on where someone works-in our union contract, nurses do not have a cap on wages like they did in the past. Many nurses are getting substantial income increases for the first time since working at my facility.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

Honestly any profession that requires a license and is regulated probably has a lot of potential to make money.

Doctors and surgeons don't do it by being hospitalists. They do it by contracting and private practice.

Lawyers don't do it by being prosecutors, they do it by being in private practice.

Nurses do it by travel nursing, staffing businesses, or advanced practice (nurse prac / CRNA) and contracting/private practice.

You have to be willing to do what it takes within a profession to make money. Usually that requires risk or self sufficiency. Working for someone else is equivalent to making someone elses dreams come true monetarily. Don't forget healthcare is a business whether its private or public. They have to break even or in the green. Handing RN's $100 an hour is not congruent with being profitable. Being in business for yourself is always a better option if money is your dream.

I agree.

You can be in business for yourself as a nurse; through traveling, being an independent contractor and setting it up as a sole proprietor and negotiating your salary along with the tax benefits worked very well for many years for me.

My caveat is that it is hard work, you have to make sure you pay your taxes, and be able to maintain insurance to prevent risk liability.

Although I always treat this profession as a business, I don't do Independent Contracting full time anymore; I don't mind having the corporate side of healthcare manage my taxes, while I keep working and I can help contribute those advances in my union contract, I will continue to live comfortably, while making career moves that allow me to be compensated for such. So far, it has paid off hanssomely, hence my previous post for my past years income.

[LaneyB]

I make ok money as a nurse. Not rich by any means, but enough to live comfortably.

My daughter has always been extremely driven in school, and knew she wanted to be an engineer. She is halfway through a major in computer engineering, with a minor in Chinese. She will make major money when she is finished, and the job market is good. But boy has she worked hard. I don't know if I would have been willing at her age to push myself to that extent. The difficulty level of her classes astounds me. She will probably easily double my salary, but she earned it.

[SaraMay]

Not sure where you live, but nurses do quite well here in the Northwest. Coming from a business owner family, I assure you, in this neck of the woods...risks vs reward....is easier in the nursing world.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

I love nursing. I also make 40K a year as an RN, 4 years experience. I spent 7 years in school, including pre-req time (I have 2 degrees, 1 NOT in nursing). This area is underpaid in general. We also have a higher cost of living than national average, so I struggle. I actually have a 2nd job as well. I even qualify for some medicaid right now (I'm sole income family of 3 and I'm pregnant). Makes me feel real great, let me tell ya! I work for the state though so I will get a nice pension, this is a huge reason I stay at this job, but I would not be making much more with a private employer, under 50K plus awful insurance plans at the hospitals. Like I said this area (western NY) is underpaid, before I was a nurse I worked for a mortgage company making $12/hour with a 4 year degree so this nursing pay IS better than that pittance.

Yes I get frustrated with how little I make and how much skill and education I must have, and the responsibility nurses bear in their jobs. I have friends who make a LOT more than me, with similar education and time invested in their jobs. Most of them are in some sort of sales or something similar. Ie they bring money in for a company. They have jobs where there are commissions, bonuses, projects rewarded with pay, etc.

I think service industry jobs in general are just underpaid - teachers, social work, etc. It sucks, it's the line of work i chose and the one I do well at. We don't make the companies any money, we just "do." Business is about money, so we're not valued monetarily. I don't know what the answer is but I do educate people that no, at least in this area, nurses don't make much. But I truly love my job and I'm not miserable going to work. That is so important to me. I wish I made even 10 grand more, but I don't.

That is nuts! The employers are getting away with murder. Is it due to a glut of nurses. Why are young people even going into nursing there?

[Rntr]

This is nursing. To make more money leave the nursing field. I wished I had years ago. Poor pay, treatment and the public is miserable to work with.