National RN Salary Trends ADN or Diploma vs BSN

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi,

I'm presently in a BSN program in SC. I am writing a professional issues paper and I wanted to research a point. It is my understanding that the majority of facilities across the US do not differentiate their starting salaries in regards to the level of preparation of the RN (Diploma/ADN/BSN) given that everything else is equivalent. Please tell me what your experience has been. Thank you.

Specializes in Emergency room, med/surg, UR/CSR.
Where I live, they are beginning to hire BSN grads at $5 more per hour than they pay ADN's. There is a movement of hiring more BSN grads over LVN's, and ADN's. I should state that I agree with the bedside care. One of the best nurses I ever met was an LVN...and he was one of my preceptors in my BSN program! He had fabulous bedside manner!

I'll bet your hospital has a lot of openings then. :o

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Specializes in Emergency room, med/surg, UR/CSR.
I wonder if the trend for more hospitals to become "magnet" hospitals will have an impact on BSN verses ASN. Does anyone know if the percentage of nursing staff with BSN degrees is a factor in such evaluations? Hospitals will only pay more if there is a tangible, or mandated reason for doing so. Keep in mind that if they could hospitals would even pay chief cardiac surgions minimum wage.

Our hospital achieved Magnet status, and I don't think the number of BSNs vs ASNs counted toward it. I may be wrong though. It seemed to me that if a hospital is following standards of care, there is no reason not to be able to become a Magnet hospital. What they require of nurses in our hospital is just plain good old fashion nursing. Just my two cents though.

Pam

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Where I live, they are beginning to hire BSN grads at $5 more per hour than they pay ADN's. There is a movement of hiring more BSN grads over LVN's, and ADN's. I should state that I agree with the bedside care. One of the best nurses I ever met was an LVN...and he was one of my preceptors in my BSN program! He had fabulous bedside manner!

5 dollars more per hour?! That is shocking!

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What I wonder is why one would spend all the time and enormous effort to have more responsibility but no more pay. Really doesn't make sense. Though as someone else said I would imagine it opens more doors which is the only reason I am working on upping my degree. It really does seem quite sad though any other proffession would pay for all that added education.

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Specializes in Critical Care,Recovery, ED.

My facility pays more for BSN throughout the entire pay structure.

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Specializes in LDRP.

My hospital, a magnet facility, starts all new grads out at the same amount. Additional money to the base pay is added for previous health care experience, not for type of nursing degree. For ex, a LPN i know who was an LPN for 10 years before graduating RN school would have started out at the pay level of a RN with 5 years experience.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

San Jose, eh? Wow, BSN nurses you know where to go now! 5.00 an hour is unheard of anywhere else I have been. That is truly a great ed differential! Any other Cali nurses weigh in on this?

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
My hospital, a magnet facility, starts all new grads out at the same amount. Additional money to the base pay is added for previous health care experience, not for type of nursing degree. For ex, a LPN i know who was an LPN for 10 years before graduating RN school would have started out at the pay level of a RN with 5 years experience.
wow that is intriguing. I like it.
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Specializes in O.R., ED, M/S.

No difference where I work. A nurse is a nurse in my opinion. I have always felt there should be no difference in pay or stature on the staff. I have, however, over the past few years felt that BSNs should be recognized a little more. I personally don't care if they are paid a little more than me, but $5 more! I don't think so. We do have a clinical ladder where I work and this is where a BSN can take advantage of their degree by participating. I don't agree that one should be hired at a higher rate because of their degree but should be compensated down the road for longevity and clinical ladder participation. I am currently at Level 3 where I work, the highest, only because of my longevity, cert in my specialty(CNOR), belonging to a national organization(AORN) and my department inservices. So you can see I can earn much more based on these items over a higher degree. I don't always agree with a clinical ladder approach but more and more hospitals are going this route. Fall off the ladder and you lose the incentives. All BSNs can participate and get a little more, but get hired at a higher rate because of your degree, NO! Also trying to fill your hospiatal staff with BSNs only is a quick way to lose all your long term staff because they will eventually know that admin doesn't care about them only about appearences. Good luck to all. Mike

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Many hospitals start both B.S.N and A.D.N's out at the same wage but it is who wants to move up. BSN move up much much quicker and end up making more money than an ADN, plus more education means more trust from the patient. I mean i would rather have someone who has a BSN working with me than a ADN. Two years more can help you earn much more than someone with an ADN throughout your career. :)

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Specializes in Pediatrics (Burn ICU, CVICU).
Many hospitals start both B.S.N and A.D.N's out at the same wage but it is who wants to move up. BSN move up much much quicker and end up making more money than an ADN, plus more education means more trust from the patient. I mean i would rather have someone who has a BSN working with me than a ADN. Two years more can help you earn much more than someone with an ADN throughout your career. :)

That's a pretty shallow statement.

Can you explain why you think that patient would trust a BSN more than an ADN or why you would rather have a BSN care for you?

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Many hospitals start both B.S.N and A.D.N's out at the same wage but it is who wants to move up. BSN move up much much quicker and end up making more money than an ADN, plus more education means more trust from the patient. I mean i would rather have someone who has a BSN working with me than a ADN. Two years more can help you earn much more than someone with an ADN throughout your career. :)

I have a bachelor's degree. Not in nursing, but a BS nonetheless. So I know what these "missing" classes are, and I find your statement a bit uninformed.

I don't see how a couple of sociology courses, a physical education activity course or two, an art or philosophy course, and fulfulling a "cultural perspective" or "historical perspective" course makes a difference in a hospital setting.

As long as whoever is assigned to me knows not to kill me, I'm not really concerned with his or her degree - as long as they passed and have a license!

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