Low starting pay for new RN?

Nurses General Nursing

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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.

19.60/hr * 40 hours = $784/week x 52 weeks/year = $40, 768/ year.

That's not a lot of money of course but it beats the heck out of the $12.34/hr I started out at in 1991.

I don't know where you live so it's relative but once you add in shift and weekend differential, I bet you are closer to the new grad starting average than you think.

That sounds better with 40 hours per week calculated in, alot better. This may sound silly, but do hospitals pay you according to 40 hours/week even if I only work 36 hours, according to my three 12-hour shifts?

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Specializes in NICU, previously Mother baby.
That sounds better with 40 hours per week calculated in, alot better. This may sound silly, but do hospitals pay you according to 40 hours/week even if I only work 36 hours, according to my three 12-hour shifts?

I'm not sure about all hospitals, but at the one I work at you only get 36 hours (or however many you work) of pay.

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Specializes in Orientation hahahaha.
Its all relevent. The higher the pay, generally, the higher cost of living in the area.

Yep, thats what I think when I see CA and NY posters...

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Im a new grad in chicago about to start @ a major chicago medical center. starting pay is $26.50/hr + 4 dollar night shift differential. Last week I interviewed at a MAJOR medical center in baltimore and started new grads @ 24.86/hour with a $3.30/hour shift differntial. The balitmore hospital is on salary pay, annual pay is $51,708.80.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.
That sounds better with 40 hours per week calculated in, alot better. This may sound silly, but do hospitals pay you according to 40 hours/week even if I only work 36 hours, according to my three 12-hour shifts?

In better times, some hospitals did offer 40 hours of pay for 36 hours of work when they were throwing out incentives left and right but no way will you get that now. Have you worked it out that you will only work 3 days per week versus 7 days per pay period? At the last hospital I worked, the nurses worked 3 12s + (1) 8 hour day to make the 80 hours per pay period. I don't know how they got around paying everybody 4 hours of overtime. (I worked per diem so I didn't do that).

On the first job I referenced I worked the (3)12s + (1) 4 hour shift which usually turned into an additional 4 or 8 hours of overtime but again, those were different times.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.
Actually, it's about the same amount as the pay you made in '91, if you allow for inflation:

http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl

In my area of Florida, new grads start at about $18.30 plus shift diff... with inflation, about the same as a decade ago (so we haven't gained a thing, but considering the economy, I don't think we can expect much).

Still, it's no wonder that there is little if any loyalty among new grads, who typically move on to greener pastures after a year or so (contrary to previous years, no sign on bonuses are paid).

Hospitals are so short-sighted... a huge nursing shortage will occur in a few years (but I digress).

DeLana

I vaguely remember back in the 90s, there was some talk of nurse wages declining so that sounds about right.

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Specializes in Trauma/Burn ICU, Neuro ICU.

I just started in Michigan: 24.00/hr for 36 hours, plus 2.00 differential for nights (which, of course is my shift as soon as I am off orientation), plus 1.50 differential for weekends, which will be every other one. I thought it would be higher than that, but I am delighted to have a job as a new grad. There is also a different schedule of pay for BSN, which I have, as opposed to ADN, but that kicks in later on.

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Specializes in Psych, Onco, ED, Tele, Med/Surg.

Here in Ohio, I graduated in 2007. My base pay at a LTCF was 19. Then I went to hospital -one year experience at 22.81 with 1. shift diff after 3p. This year same hospital 24.69/hr with 1/hr shift diff after 3p. The economy in Ohio is in the cellar and so many people don't have jobs right now. I feel extremely lucky. I have three jobs currently: hospital @31/hr PRN plus salaried FT job at 58K/yr and another PRN at 3-400/wk. All before taxes.

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

I started at 29.80 including NOC diff here in California, which I am told is pretty low considering the state I am in. Even though teachers are usually "bottom of the barrel" I think they should make compariable or more to a new grand RN as a new grad teacher...nurses go to school for 2-4 years for their degree ADN or BSN while teachers need a masters and a teaching credential.

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Specializes in Rural Health.

I started at 16/hr 4 years ago!!! Shortly after that all the nurses got a $2/hr cost of living raise, so I would guess starting is probably $18/hr now. I currently make 19.56/hr. plus 10% shift diff on nights and another 10% diff for weekends (The whole facility got .50 raises last year and then all raises were frozen, so no raise with your annual eval.) I'm scheduled 36 hours and get paid for the number of hours I work.

Cost of Living is fairly cheap compared to most other places. Housing cost average between $125-$150k. I've never heard of any one paying more than $400/month rent and that's pretty steep for here.

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Looks like new grad wages haven't increase much over the years. I graduated in 1992 and my starting pay was $13.10/hour-in the Midwest.

Next job was $14.50/hour-Colorado(1994)-2 years experience

Next job was $16/hour-Idaho (1997) 5 years experience-ending salary in 2007 $29.28

Now-$28/hour with ~18 years experience.........

otessa

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