Moving to Midwest

Nurses Career Support

Published

Hi everyone,

I am considering moving to Des Moines from Sacramento but need some advice from you guys.

How is the pay rate in Des Moines for hospital vs outpatient vs school nurse? Which organization is considered best to work for long term. For example Kaiser in California is where most people want to work for or the state.

Currently my starting pay at an hospital is $56 per hour. Is Des Moines much lower or similar?

Please help.

Thank you.

FYI Iowa in the lowest paying state in the mid to upper Midwest. You will find higher pay, and very similar cost of living in the states surrounding Iowa. All the hospitals I have worked in in Wisconsin and Minnesota have nurses who commute from Iowa for the (often) much higher pay, and even more nurses who have relocated from Iowa.

Iowa's average nursing pay is lower even than North Dakota? I interviewed at the hospital in Grand Forks that has a starting pay of only $21. Fargo is not much higher than that. Don't know about Bismarck.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Iowa's average nursing pay is lower even than North Dakota? I interviewed at the hospital in Grand Forks that has a starting pay of only $21. Fargo is not much higher than that. Don't know about Bismarck.

They are about the same. But I don't consider the Dakotas to be the Midwest.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment