Low starting pay for new RN?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hey guys/gals,

I'm not meaning for this to sound like complaining, I'm sort of just wondering if it's a low hourly wage to start at. I just got hired last week and found out the starting wages are 19.60/hr. When I figure that rate per year it comes out to just under $34,000 per year. This is less than my spouse makes who is in her first year of teaching at a grade school, who we thought made bottom of the barrel salary. I guess we can't really complain as we're both newly out of school? I also checked several websites and most reported that the median average salary was quite a bit higher, this is why I'm surprised. Please add your insights.

I started at 17 in 03 in S ILL, but my rent for a 3 bed house was $450 a month... Was at $22 by the time I moved 2 years later.

It's all relative......

Rent for a 3 bedroom house, 450 a month? Are you serious?A one bedroom apartment is even way hiher than that!Wow...just wow

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I'm LPN make $19 an hour no shift dif. Rent cost 1100 pluse some utilities. I used to live in Pa and moved to MD last year{ my husband hated pa}. I made $22 no shift dif. Pay 680 rent+ elec {around $80]. That what you get following husband!!!!!!!!!!!

Hahha, funny post.Hopefully everything works out for you ok.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I live in the Oklahoma City area. Cost of living here is pretty low, with rent averaging about $850 for a 2 bedroom. Utilities run about $200. Gas prices are around $2.25 a gallon. Average starting pay here is $18 to $19 per hour for a new grad RN. They do give some increase if you had experience as an LPN first. I am in management, have been an RN for 10 years and was an LPN for 20+ prior to that. I make $75,000 plus have a company car, 401K, and benefits. I am paid about average for what I do.

When one looks at the median it can be very deceiving because it is the exact middle of the scale and does not take location, cost of living, etc. into effect. I'm sure you're aware of that, and just mean to remind you. Once you have a little experience behind you, it will be easier to hold out for a better salary when you look for a position.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency Room, Specialty Infusions.

When I moved to Tennessee from California in 1991, I asked if there was a Union. I was told basically that was a dirty word and the hospitals would rather fire everybody than even consider it.

I wish Nurses across the States could band together for better pay.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
It may be different in other places but I graduated in 95' and got my first job in the OR in Atlanta, Ga. at a teaching hospital. I started out at $13.19/hr. with my BSN-I wasn't happy!!!:angryfire I drove trucks throughout college and made $10/hr. with no stress at all. Now, I was making just $3/hr. more at a job with 10 times the stress!:crying2: Another thing I love about Ga. is they don't recognize a BSN over an ADN. I go to school 3 more years and get no compensation-You got to be kidding!!!! There is also no compensation for certifications. That makes sense, hospitals want you to have all these certs so they can get mag cert. and make more money but don't want to give it back to the employees.:down:As mentioned before, I've been at this for years and am right below the $30/hr. mark. On average, it takes about 10 years to make the $30/hr. mark here in Ga.-that's been the case for years and anyone will tell you the same. Working as a nurse will earn you nothing more than an average salary for a college grad., period. The job security is the greatest asset but, with the economy, that is likely to change. Plus, now that hospitals are big businesses, they will fire you for parking your car sideways-it's not like it used to be. What really makes you think is when you hear of factory workers in auto plants making $60/hr. to put a nut on a bolt and we're making $25/hr. saving lives with tons of stress and no lunch breaks. That's why I started my own business, I have jobs I can make $1200 by lunch time and come and go when I want + take breaks when I want. I know I will get jumped on by others with my posts but I prefer to be honest about the profession. Most of the time, the stress isn't worth the pay.

I understand what you are saying and things need to be change regarding the nursing salaries across the entire country.

These people working at auto makers plant are getting $50-60/hr base pay for just putting on nut on a bolt, putting on a car door etc., while health care workers are being undervalue in society. The stress level is way higher in the nursing field, but until society on a whole put more value on the nursing profession, the trend will continue.

I also remember a news anchor talked about a auto plant worker that was loosing the job where he lives and was offered a another position in another state, but the position ONLY pays $80,000's compare to the $120,000s he used to get. My jaws drop to the floor, because I was so shock to find out that they made so much. It is so ridiculous.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I'm probably dating myself, but I started at $9.25

Maybe not (dating yourself) - from what I've heard, Midwest and South generally don't pay all that well. Nursing takes too much education and certifications these days to work for less than you could make in retailing etc. The days of hospital-diploma nurse ed are apparently over - you have to be a college grad. I have a couple of aunts who became nurses in the early 60's and before. They both graduated from a hospital nursing school. No college. Even an ADN route to an RN (what I am doing) is deceptive - they say "two year degree" but I have spent the past two and a half years doing prereqs, plus CNA class. I will have spent at least five years getting my "two year degree".

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in psychiatric, UR analyst, fraud, DME,MedB.
Maybe I'm calculating incorrectly, but 19.60 x 40= 784 x 52 = 40,758 (which is the correct way to calculate salary). If you work less, non-payed time off, and not adding in differentials, overtime, your yearly salary is $40,768. not 34,000. You may work less, but your yearly remains the stated amount. I had worked for Intelistaf and Cross Country as well as area hospitals. The agencies paid well into the $40's per hour, (never dependable hours and no benefits) the hospitals $25 per hour (again the low census days, but insurance). I'm in southern Wisconsin. I left active practice and am making 100K now, but it would have never happened if I didnt put my time in on the units. I have a BSN and work for a Global fortune 50 Company.

:cool:

I think the salary is either payday every two weeks ( each week counted, so multiply your 5 days per week gross w/ 52 weeks. or

some employer pays only bi monthly and you are only paid 4 weeks even in a 5 week month or months...so for bi monthly you multiply your gross earnings / month by 12 (months)------ there is a difference of a couple of thousands.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Rent for a 3 bedroom house, 450 a month? Are you serious?A one bedroom apartment is even way hiher than that!Wow...just wow

Wow! I was paying more than that for a 2 bdr appt in a truly scary neighborhood in 1975!! double wow! (bay area, CA)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I work in the Bronx, NY. I started 2 years ago at about $35 an hour and now make $38.72 an hour. I live in NYC in a small studio and pay $1575 a mont for rent. For a decent 1 bedroom in a nice suburb of the city, I think it would be at least $1200/mo.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hematology/Oncology.

This is so interesting! In Vermont, hospitals are paying new grad RNs between 23ish (community hospitals) and 26ish (teaching hospital w/ union) an hour. I'm at the teaching hospital, and also get a $2/hr per diem incentive, plus generous (I think) differentials for evenings, nights, weekends, time-and-a-half for holidays, etc. It's all so relative -- previous to, and throughout, nursing school I worked in a clerical capacity at a community hospital making just over $12/hr, so this seems like tons of $$$ to me.

I haven't rented in years, no clue what averages are, but I live in a small, working class city with something of a "bad" reputation -- and hence lower property costs -- and commute about 50 min to work in the biggish, gentrified, affluent city on the Lake. My mortgage for a 5-bedroom, 2 full-bath house (a many-times remodeled Victorian which has admittedly seen MUCH better days) with a large yard & detached 2-car garage is about $1200/mo.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC/Rehab, Med Surg, Home Care.

First job as an LPN, started in 1/08, making 16.50/hour. When I started as an RN in the same facility in 1/09, my raise was to 20.75/hour. I just took a job at another TCU in town making $25.53.

My home care job wages are $29/hour, my med/surg job is $26.50/hour as an on-call.

Med/surg is in Western WI, the rest are in Eastern MN.

Hey guys/gals,

I'm not meaning for this to sound like complaining, I'm sort of just wondering if it's a low hourly wage to start at. I just got hired last week and found out the starting wages are 19.60/hr. When I figure that rate per year it comes out to just under $34,000 per year. This is less than my spouse makes who is in her first year of teaching at a grade school, who we thought made bottom of the barrel salary. I guess we can't really complain as we're both newly out of school? I also checked several websites and most reported that the median average salary was quite a bit higher, this is why I'm surprised. Please add your insights.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Peds.

Work in Northern NJ in an ER and have been there a little over a year (I started as a new grad). I now make $33.50/hr plus weekend differential. I think I made about a dollar less just starting out.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment