Jobs for New Grads in California

[aaron2604]

Hi,

I'm thinking about going to West Coast University and put on a nearly 120k debt. But before I make such an investment, I was wondering what the job outlook is like after graduating because I've been looking around the forums and it seems like people have trouble finding jobs as an RN even after a whole year of searching. What gives?

And anybody heard anything good or bad about West Coast University?

[perioddrama]

There are still people from 2010 that have not been able to land a job yet. What gives? Too many applicants, not enough spots. Perhaps by the time you graduate, the economy will have righted itself.

Good luck to you!

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

In my opinion....TURN. AROUND. NOW.

Seriously, the job market for new grads sucks in CA. Almost half of new grads can't land a job; those that do take 6-12 months or more, and many have to take non-acute care jobs. Or they have to pass on working on the coast and SoCal, and look inland at smaller facilities. A lot of new grads leave CA to find that first job.

Actually, the job market isn't that hot for experienced nurses either--the state is flooded with nurses. There's a few threads on the forum about experienced nurses not having any luck landing jobs.

Now, will this be the job market when you graduate? Who knows...it may be better, it may stay the same, it may be worse. There is no way to tell for certain if it will improve or not. Three years ago they said the job market for new grads would get better by now...guess what? It hasn't. See perioddrama's post above mine about those 2010 grads still looking for that first job.

I don't know anything about West Coast University, so I can't answer that question. However, putting yourself 120K into the hole for a nursing degree, regardless of what school choose to attend, is not a good idea especially given how unfavorable the job market is. If this program isn't a BSN, don't even bother with it, as almost everyplace in CA wants a BSN grad...and spending 120K on an ADN is tantamount to financial suicide.

IMO, it's a very big risk that you'd be taking.

Also, should you be able to land a job when you graduate...the salaries in CA aren't as high as you may think. Yes, there are posters here bragging about making 50-60 an hour or more...but they're not new grads. Also, the cost of living in CA is high, and that 50-60 an hour doesn't go far when you have to shell out about 2k in rent every month. I hate to think what your loan payments would be on 120K in debt...I imagine they'd be very high.

Best of luck what you decide.