Let me get this clear

There is no industry wide standard. And I really can't think of any other field where that's the case, either.

As in all industries, an experienced professional will *generally* make more than a newbie. But there is no meaningful standard, as pay scales vary so greatly in different regions of the country and in different sectors of health care.

Absolutely NOT based on years of experience, the facility has a capped salary. Work there for 30 years?? , you will max out at xxx amount per hour.

Then, there is an increased new base salary for recruitment/ inflation.

This crazy math equals..

New nurse $29 / hour.

Old bat with 30 years of experience ... $33/ hour.

Welcome to the (not so) wonderful world of nursing.

A lot of good general info here:

Registered Nurses*

You can search through for more specific RN wage information for your state, and possibly even your specific county.

"Old bat"? wow....

A lot of good general info here:

Registered Nurses*

You can search through for more specific RN wage information for your state, and possibly even your specific county.

Thanks for the link!

After 9 years experience, you're capped off where I am. A new grad earns 33.00 an hour and the 9 year nurse earns 44.00 an hour. Aside from regular increments based on cost of living, that's the minimum and the maximum.

I'm working in the wrong state! I started orientation out of school at 19/hr, then up to 22 I want to say after; then 6,12,18 month raises. When I left and came back to the same hospital, I got hired in at an "18 month pay rate." So yes, they base it soley on years experience. Don't think there is a cap.

love the "old bat" comment>> am proud to be an OLD BAT!!!!!!

HR people in any given geographical area confer with each other to see what similar nurses make.

They don't want you going to the hospital down the street for a 50-cent raise I guess.

So, HR from hospital A calls hospital B in the same city to find out what critical care nurses (ICU, post op, etc) make at different levels of experience, what med surg nurses make, what new hires make...if there is a difference in wage paid to ADNs and BSNs...all those kinds of factors. So besides the number of years of experience, there also is an acuity factor.