Looking to relocate, where to move to maximize my income.

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Hello all! Currently, I am a nursing student. I will graduate Spring 2013 with my ADN here in Wichita, KS. My husband and I plan to stay here for about 3 years, so that we can pay off my student loans,get my BSN and get things in order ect. We would love to move! I am a planner at heart and I have three children to think about. I am out of the loop as far as accurate hourly wages across the country. In Wichita, a new grad can expect to earn a base pay of $19 hr. plus shift diff ( not much to get excited over). The cost of living here is cheap I have to say, but def on the rise along with crime on the rise as well. So my question is where could I move to that is family friendly and make a great living? Thanks for your help!

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

you really will have to research various areas and compare salaries to cost of living. Consider rural areas that may not have a large pool of nurses to pull from and will pay more to get you. Even 100 miles from a major city can make a difference. Good luck

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that's why God made Google. Slap in a few keywords and look for nursing salaries in various places, and look for whatever other things matter to you in a place to live. Get actual statistics, rather than opinions.

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Specializes in Pedi.

Well... here's the thing, anywhere you live that pays more is going to cost more.

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Well... here's the thing, anywhere you live that pays more is going to cost more.

True dat, true dat.

You can make >$73K starting out as a new grad in NYC, however due to the high cost of living and taxes you aren't going to be feeling "rich" at all.

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Specializes in NICU.

Move to Canada...I'm not saying job prospects are great here either...but I know wages tend to be higher. Cost of living is usually higher...but some areas like northern Alberta and other northern/rural areas pay out the butt. then again, there would be all the hoops to jump through to relocate here...probably isnt worth the hassle.

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I live in BC, Canada and RNs start at 30/hr as a new grad with no specialty. If you'd be willing to move to northern bc/Alberta or territories it would probably make it relatively easy to immigrate bc they really need nurses there. It gets cold but at least your kids will grow up in a rural setting if that's what you're into.

I also hear Manitoba and alberta pay great. Lots of nurses relocate there that I know. Ontario doesn't pay as well from what I understand and its a very urban province.

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Move to Omaha NE

Nursing jobs are plentiful

Cost of living isnt bad

If you choose not to have your kids in a bigger city, there are smaller rural towns right outside of Omaha.

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In SE MI I make 28/hr as a new grad and cost of living is pretty low. I have enough to live in a 2 bed/2 bath townhouse, drive a new car, pay student loans, and save.

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Well... here's the thing, anywhere you live that pays more is going to cost more.
Yes, but in some areas the gap between salary and cost of living is higher. Years ago I was considering a move from NYC to Seattle. The average salaries in Seattle were a little lower but the COL was MUCH lower so you averaged out ahead. OP, it might be harder to find accurate nursing salaries online but you should be able to find general salary and COL info and there are tons of articles out there on great places to live that aren't always obvious.
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I would not work ANYWHERE as an RN for $19/hr. No way whatsoever! Move. I was started off at $22.75, I get paid around $23/hr after 2 yrs experience. Not much, but I'm thinking of looking for better. Not because of the money but because the job environment sucks.

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I would not work ANYWHERE as an RN for $19/hr. No way whatsoever! Move. I was started off at $22.75, I get paid around $23/hr after 2 yrs experience. Not much, but I'm thinking of looking for better. Not because of the money but because the job environment sucks.

That is a very bold statement.

Wages for nurses as with every other employee are greatly influenced by local costs of living. Once you leave the high priced East Coast states wages will drop as you move across the country until you start hitting the West Coast such as CA (another high cost of living state).

Quite allot of New York City area residents move down south or to other parts of the country and are shocked they cannot pull "NYC wages" for the same work elsewhere. There is a reason why many make their money up here then *retire* to low COL states. Know persons working two or three jobs down South and still cannot equal what they got from must one here in the City.

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