Making 100k salary/ income as a nurse?

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Members are discussing the cost of living in NYC and the salaries needed to live comfortably, especially for single individuals. There is a debate about what constitutes a comfortable lifestyle, with some mentioning that a nursing salary can provide a comfortable life in NYC, while others highlight the high cost of rent in certain areas. Additionally, members share personal experiences with rent prices in different boroughs of NYC, emphasizing the importance of considering individual circumstances and needs when accepting a job offer.

I am interested in what specialties are making 100k. I have 3 daughters in nursing school and can advise them on a lot, but not necessarily give them a big pic of the financial opportunities from across the nation. I am a 25 year RN and have a 65k salary, but double it most years with ot. not much fun working 68-72 hour weeks though. please tell me your specialty, experience , salary, and salary with diff and ot. oh, and where you r in the USA thank you all and hope your practice is professionally and financially rewarding

Colorado as a new nurse in community health--->$60,000/year. 

It's expensive to live here but the job market is great and so is the quality of life.

Specializes in ICU.
Depends on where you live. I'm in Philadelphia, and that's an easy number to hit with a weekend night gig. We have some of the best hospitals in the country, and the Penn system PAYS.

Im a traveler (I stay local, get some benefits but no sick/vacation) and far surpass 100k (I hit 100k in October) in my year. I work 48 scheduled hours. But, because I'm a loon I also have a per diem that I throw in as well. Last year with both jobs I made close to 140k without my military pension. But some weeks I worked 70 hours. I have 3.5 years in, and a year traveling.

In terms of cities, Philadelphia is low cost. My mortgage is $1,000 and I have a 2500sq ft home with a yard and a driveway. The only thing is the income tax is 5% for my city whereas most are 1%.

I dont see myself stopping travel nursing anytime soon, I'll go as long as I can hang. When I can't keep the hours, I'll find a company that does 36-which is usually 1200-1500/week take home.

You must be working with Faststaff. Do you know what staff gets?

Staff where?

Specializes in Cardiac (adult), CC, Peds, MH/Substance.

Who's on first?

I have a question, and most RNs are free to laugh cause I'm sure the ones with experience would probably never do this. If I'm a new grad..and say I get hired on at a hospital doing med surge and my schedule at work is 3 12's for the week...what if I wanted to work at another hospital that scheduled me 3 12's around my other 3 12's? As a second job? Is it doable? Is it recommended? Is it possible? Is it even legal? Has anyone ever done that when they were a new grad or now? I'd only do it for the extra experience and extra income considering I have student loans to pay back and just want them out of my life as soon as possible. (Who doesn't? I have yet to meet anyone with a mortgage to say they love their mortgage)..

This could be something for the OP. Btw, I'm in Las Vegas and not a nurse yet, just trying to get there and be done with school so I can enjoy life!

***Edit: Oh, and I'd probably do it for a year straight because I just hate living as a college student and not having my own money. After that, resign and work either one that I liked the best or keep doing it until I got sick of it. 6 days a week with one day off. I know as a CNA I could work doubles if I wanted to if the hospital or clinic was short CNA's but if nurses typically run 12 hours a day or more, that being a double shift doesn't sound possible or legal. I know one RN that did a triple shift and it was on accident. I hear those are illegal.

If I can get into nursing school and graduate(I swear to ******* god I hope I do), I won't have kids or a wife to take care of, just myself. I'll want to know what is the highest paying job I could slither my way into. As far as anesthesia nurse or travelling...something a new grad could jump into right away..the older I get and the chronically broke I stay, the hungrier for money I become.

Is there such a thing as travelling CNA?

If I can get into nursing school and graduate(I swear to ******* god I hope I do), I won't have kids or a wife to take care of, just myself. I'll want to know what is the highest paying job I could slither my way into. As far as anesthesia nurse or travelling...something a new grad could jump into right away..the older I get and the chronically broke I stay, the hungrier for money I become.

new grads can't do either of those jobs. You can't get into this money motivated. You won't last.

Specializes in ICU.
Staff where?

in philly? average.

in philly? average.

Really varies. Average starting pay for a new grad between the major hospitals is around $30/hour. Goes up at the union hospitals, less for CHOP. Annual raises change dramatically. Hahnemann barely had them (sure it's changed now they're union) and Penn was $5.00 per hour at the end of year 1. Someone out of school can make around 58k/year with 0 OT, day shift straight 36. In my first year I made a bit over 65 with my OT, and working night. I think the state is around 70k/year average.

I may not make any friends with this but when did nursing become a career based on $$$ instead of a calling. I am lucky to have 2 pretty good careers and neither were started based on the amount of money I was going to sock away. The first was Law Enforcement which I certainly didn't choose to get rich. After coming out of the military during Vietnam I started at 369.00 a month. I waited for my 21st birthday to become a cop. I made around 40,000. Of course with raises and OT I was comfortable. Having worked in ESB. When I hit 41 my time was in and chose to become a nurse. I wasn't making a million dollars but working my butt off. I was divorced with 3 girls and paying child support I could make a round 90,000.. Ive been around nurses all of my adult life. I've seen the attitudes change. Most of the time I wasn't impressed. I fell out of bed and broke my face. I spent 5 days in the hospital and the care was superb. These weren't 5 or 10 year nurses they were at the bottom rung.

Maybe Im just an old guy who is stuck in the stoneage (I was a Hospice Nurse) and now my oldest daughter started like the old days. 2 years in med-surg, 2 years in a specialty, now she's in Hospice working on her FNP. She will make her money but she had to work her butt off.

My question is when did nursing stop being a calling?

Why does it have to be a calling? Are mailman called? Are garbage men called? No. Is only nurses that have to wear the martyr hat and be "called " to get yelled athe, disrespected, violated and trashed by families and management. And then..we are not allowed to demand that we get paid what we're worth. I was no more called to nursing than I was to my previous career, but boy I am sure am respected much less for it.

Specializes in ICU.

ok thanks TravelNurseCoco, BSN. I was wondering why local travel was better than staff with benefits.

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