Moving to DC/Maryland area?

bluesky, BSN, RN · Aug 26, 2004

1. Depends on experience, starting salaries for new grads are $19-$24

2. Not very close to the city. You'd have to commute from the suburbs, like WAY out. Housing here is very expensive.

3. That would depend on what you want... hot big teaching hospital, small slower suburban hospital closer to where you live... etc

4. You need to have all three if you want to work in all 3 areas.

lisaow · Aug 26, 2004

:uhoh21: it's pretty expensive to live in the md/dc/va area. and compared to the cost of living, i don't believe rn pay matches here. plus, the traffic all around the tri-state area is terrible.

you won't be able to rent anything decent for $1500 near dc/va or in maryland thereabouts. baltimore, yes.

if you don't have to move to this crime-ridden, hectic, rude area, don't (i've lived here all my life).

sorry for the downer!

redraccoon, BSN, RN · Aug 27, 2004

Such timing :)

I was just going to post a similar question thread. Only I'm not a new nurse.

10+ years experience.. most recent 4 years in the OR, circulating.

I already have a "home" in Waldorf. Was also wondering about the pay and good places to work.

goingCOASTAL · Aug 27, 2004

Thanks for the replies . . . hope to hear from more of ya! Nearly 10 yrs of experience here myself -- general hospital exp. mostly Med/Surg, General Telemetry, some general Peds . . . I've tried not to specialize myself out of a job . . .

New grads here in the Houston area get $19-21 . . . so I guess the pay is similar there? Most RNs around here in the Houston metroplex with exp. seem to get $25-32 . . .

I'm beginning to realize that I'll have a lifestyle "adjustment" -- compared to TX -- but that's okay, I'll have to weigh how much I have here and how much I want to sacrifice . . . My general goal in life is to move to a more center-left to progressive type town . . . grew up in East Texas, but I just don't "fit in" here anymore! LOL!

If I decide to give up a car (hopefully not both of them!), how convenient are the subways between residential areas and hospitals?

How hard is it to find work there? Shortage? Glut?

bluesky, BSN, RN · Aug 27, 2004

Thanks for the replies . . . hope to hear from more of ya! Nearly 10 yrs of experience here myself -- general hospital exp. mostly Med/Surg, General Telemetry, some general Peds . . . I've tried not to specialize myself out of a job . . .
New grads here in the Houston area get $19-21 . . . so I guess the pay is similar there? Most RNs around here in the Houston metroplex with exp. seem to get $25-32 . . .
I'm beginning to realize that I'll have a lifestyle "adjustment" -- compared to TX -- but that's okay, I'll have to weigh how much I have here and how much I want to sacrifice . . . My general goal in life is to move to a more center-left to progressive type town . . . grew up in East Texas, but I just don't "fit in" here anymore! LOL!
If I decide to give up a car (hopefully not both of them!), how convenient are the subways between residential areas and hospitals?
How hard is it to find work there? Shortage? Glut?

It's funny you mention that because I'm a a leftist activist who recently moved to the Maryland suburbs. I call my townhouse neighborhood the millitary industrial complexe because most here are pretty conservative to me. You'll find an eclectic mix just about everywhere in Md even though we have the reputation of being very liberal ( I think it's more like enclaves of liberalism in expensive neighborhoods like Bethesda, Chevy Chase, etc). Of course local politics in the city is dominated by the democratic party so with a place in the city proper you will find a more politically moderate to left flavor. However remember this town is the seat of the Federal government and we do have a conservative in charge for the next couple of months. Virginia is DEFINITELY a southern flavor and far more conservative, period. Some may argue that Fairfax is a little more progressive but it's also one of the most expensive areas to live in. Being that you're from Texas, it's hard for me to assess just how left you want to go.... you'll find that unlike, say Berkeley or San Francisco or even New York, politics here aren't AS MUCH part of the grass roots. If I was moving to the east coast to get a progressive flavor, I think I'd go to NY over DC. It's a lot more exciting, more things to do. The DC is also a very stressful lifestyle, very ratrace type of mentality. I personally plan on moving to SanFrancisco as soon as we can afford it!

goingCOASTAL · Aug 27, 2004

It's funny you mention that because I'm a a leftist activist who recently moved to the Maryland suburbs. I call my townhouse neighborhood the millitary industrial complexe because most here are pretty conservative to me. You'll find an eclectic mix just about everywhere in Md even though we have the reputation of being very liberal ( I think it's more like enclaves of liberalism in expensive neighborhoods like Bethesda, Chevy Chase, etc). Of course local politics in the city is dominated by the democratic party so with a place in the city proper you will find a more politically moderate to left flavor. However remember this town is the seat of the Federal government and we do have a conservative in charge for the next couple of months. Virginia is DEFINITELY a southern flavor and far more conservative, period. Some may argue that Fairfax is a little more progressive but it's also one of the most expensive areas to live in. Being that you're from Texas, it's hard for me to assess just how left you want to go.... you'll find that unlike, say Berkeley or San Francisco or even New York, politics here aren't AS MUCH part of the grass roots. If I was moving to the east coast to get a progressive flavor, I think I'd go to NY over DC. It's a lot more exciting, more things to do. The DC is also a very stressful lifestyle, very ratrace type of mentality. I personally plan on moving to SanFrancisco as soon as we can afford it!

Thanks for the info, bluesky. Since NYC and SF trade off with each other as Americas most expensive place to live, and since I'm the sole support in my family (no kids), those two cities are probably off limits unless I find a means of income other than nursing. Although I'd like to get involved more politically, what I'm looking for now is a place to live that's more secular/liberal than the state of TX -- where only two "lifestyles" fit in: 1) Beer/football/hunting, or 2) fitting in the "religious" scene (remember, we have stadium size churches down here -- no joke). I'm not into either . . . and am increasingly feeling out of place with rabid nature of politicized discussion in the workplace. Politically, I'm generally further left than the Dems (Nader 2000), and as we've evolved socially, we've only become more isolated in this cradle-state of conservatism.

goingCOASTAL · Aug 28, 2004

Been checking out the rents, etc., for the greater DC area . . . ARGGGG!!! I could live there if I was single, but geesh! Ain't rich enough to afford it otherwise!

One of you guys mentioned Baltimore . . . checked it out, seems "Blue State" enough for me.

Does anyone know anything about the neighborhoods, hospitals, rents, crime rate, salaries (~10 yr hospital exp)?

Most of my experience has been in community hospitals (generally around 150-200 beds), mostly med/surg, telemetry, peds experience, with a wee bit of ICU, charge experience, and relief house supervisor exp. I prefer smaller, but am willing to "go up" if necessary for the area.

I'm considering Baltimore seriously now because of it's proximity to DC, but also to Philly and "the City."

Ideas? Suggestions?

[email protected]

PennyLane, RN · Aug 28, 2004

I live in Baltimore, and while it's not the greatest city in America (one of the mayor's slogans), it is a nice place to live. I bought a house in a safe working-class neighborhood 2.5 years ago for $95,000, but my next-door neighbor just sold hers for $185K. Baltimore is going through a renewal of sorts. Lots of urban development and revitalization.

I'd much rather live here than in the DC area. The traffic around DC is awful. I went to school near DC and really hated that part of Maryland. Talk about development and sprawl...Not to mention the outrageous cost. As an aside though, Takoma Park is an older established liberal neighborhood in Prince George's County. I used to work at Korean restaurant there and it seemed really neat.

There are a lot of hospitals in the Baltimore area. New grads start in the low $20s I believe. Not sure about experienced RNs. Although my friend's mom is an RN at Hopkins and says she probably makes ~$65K/year all told working in Med/surg.

Katnip, RN · Aug 28, 2004

I live in Frederick County, MD. It's a haul to Baltimore, it might be worth it for you to commute. Warning though, the price of my house almost double in the last few years.

Carroll County and more rural areas of Frederick still have some nice, affordable places yet. Montgomery...well I work there. I doubt I could afford to live there.

You can check around Sykesville, Eldersburg area...it's not too far from Baltimore. Anything alone the route 70 corridor is worth looking at, but you might have to be a bit rural.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Aug 29, 2004

Hubby and I did a travel assignment north of DC, in Montgomery County. The hospital was small but friendly, and housing was expensive. Couldn't have afforded to buy there! We moved to Baltimore in April. Love it! We bought a townhouse south of the city, on a creek that communicates with the Chesapeake. The house we bought cost less than what we sold our Seattle house for, and we're so much closer to the water! Hubby and I each have more than 20 years of experience, and are at the top of our pay scale, so I can't speak to what you'll find in your range. We make almost exactly the same as we did in Seattle. All in all, I'm happy with our move. I can go out our back door and be into the water in 3 minutes, and swim for an hour on my days off. (Did I mention that the water is ever so much warmer than Puget Sound?) Baltimore has lots of hospitals, from world-class to community, and both DC and Annapolis are close.

bigmona · Aug 30, 2004

What are some good, safe, affordable neighborhoods in or around Baltimore? My fiance and I want to buy a house in that area, though I still don't know Baltimore well enough to be able to tell which parts to stay away from.