Negotiating salary for new grad

guest538567 · Oct 16, 2015

If you're looking at those online salary websites and that's how you came up with those numbers, you are probably shooting yourself in the foot. I'm not saying you cannot negotiate a nice salary for yourself but in my area, those websites say similar things regarding salary. However, from the NPs I know, the average is more like $65000 not $90000. I am higher than $65000 but less than $90000. I don't know anyone or have not heard of anyone or any job that pays over $100000 unless it is a psych specialty. If you are a new grad, I wouldn't try to get too ballsy because you have no NP experience. Most employers don't care how much RN experience you have, they see you as a brand new provider.

I live in the South, which traditionally has lower pay for nurses and NPs. However, $65,000 for an NP, even a new grad, is incredibly low. In my area, NPs usually start in the 80s and 90s. One prominent hospital system just gave all of the new graduate NPs a market correction to at least $95,000.

AGACNPTX · Oct 17, 2015

If you're looking at those online salary websites and that's how you came up with those numbers, you are probably shooting yourself in the foot. I'm not saying you cannot negotiate a nice salary for yourself but in my area, those websites say similar things regarding salary. However, from the NPs I know, the average is more like $65000 not $90000. I am higher than $65000 but less than $90000. I don't know anyone or have not heard of anyone or any job that pays over $100000 unless it is a psych specialty. If you are a new grad, I wouldn't try to get too ballsy because you have no NP experience. Most employers don't care how much RN experience you have, they see you as a brand new provider.

Depends where you are. Salaries vary widely on a national level.

WKShadowNP, DNP, APRN · Oct 23, 2015

Which is a crock imo because the federal tuition reimbursement programs for under served areas charge nothing to the facility offering it. Its the same with non-profits, they have the funding to pay a decent wage. One of my friends works for a psych specialty in a rural area and their new grad starting salary, with health benefits, retirement and before the tuition reimbursement of $30,000 a year tax free tuition reimbursement, was $166,000 a year.
I prefer to find out from other NPs what they are being paid because I also have found the websites fairly unreliable. As a new grad I was cocky because I had good contacts and a strong background in the specialty. I asked for exactly what I knew they were paying experienced NPs because it was a meat market and there was no orientation. My thought was they weren't going to bill less for me because I'm a new grad, right?

Oh, I need to see how this works because both of my prospects qualify for the HRSA... Hm. food for thought. Thanks, Jules.

WKShadowNP, DNP, APRN · Oct 23, 2015

Oh, and about the online quotes, I find they're hit or miss. My local APRN group has a 3 year old report on their site of a survey of members that includes many specific data points regarding income annually, benefits, schedule, specialty/area of practice, and level of education as well as intention of continuing education. I find this was extremely beneficial so I do not over step in negotiations. I'm gonna aim high and see what happens. (Not exorbitantly high, but some wiggle room so when they counter lower, it'll hopefully still be higher than what I initially was going to ask: 88k.) I'm going to ask for 94K, hoping my experience as an RN in the ED will work for the UC setting. If not, Ok.

ha. Last night I dreamed I accepted a position with the physician I had my first rotation with but for only 68K. I did more than that last year.

Jules A, MSN · Oct 23, 2015

Oh, I need to see how this works because both of my prospects qualify for the HRSA... Hm. food for thought. Thanks, Jules.

It is my understanding, someone feel free to correct me if I am wrong, that these programs do not cost the facility 1 cent so imo that should have no bearing on the salary they are offering you.

What I have heard from the couple of people I know who did this is that they made amazing money but they didn't like the facilities and left as soon as their commitment was finished. Do be very certain you can stick it out or find another eligible facility to hire you if you take the money however because I believe they will beat the crap out of you with penalties if you don't follow through.

chiromed0 · Oct 27, 2015

Well, I've yet to land my first job as an NP so take what I say with a grain of sand (not salt, sand. I'll work my way up to salt). But, I've already been tentatively offered $95K as a new grad at one of my preceptor locations that I probably can't take since we are moving. A colleague of mine went from $110 first gig, fluent in Spanish though, to $140 first year (uncommon). I think you can reasonable argue $90K, otherwise just work as an RN. In some areas my P.A. preceptor told me never take less that 6 figures...once you start it hurts the whole marketplace. In general I look at it this way...you're worth 85% of the G.P.'s salary to the insurance company so why not ask for a salary that would eventually get you to that point with experience? I can't see going from $65K to $130K for an employer but $90K to $130K is doable in time. Ask for $90K, reasonable benefits but don't sign anything until after your first year just in case you want to bail out.

allnurses Guide · Oct 27, 2015

It is my understanding, someone feel free to correct me if I am wrong, that these programs do not cost the facility 1 cent so imo that should have no bearing on the salary they are offering you.

I am not an expert on this, but my belief was that FQHCs have a unique payment model from medicare and medicaid that requires a sliding scale payment. These centers are unable to offer competitive salaries for providers due to low reimbursement and thus the government provides incentives for provider to serve these areas.

sadiemae1123 · Oct 27, 2015

I recently qualified for a loan repayment program, so I may be able to provide some insight.

The money for the loan repayment does not come from the facility, however to qualify as an eligible site, most facilities are going to have some undesirable qualities. That may be the geographic location, salary, or a challenging patient population.

While on one hand you can say the facility is offering a low ball salary, you would need to take into consideration if other facilities that don't qualify for a loan repayment program can match the low ball salary plus the amount you'll get with the loan repayment program.

Most of the private practices around me can't do that. They also can't offer the slower paced environment and benefits my current job does. This has been invaluable to me as a new NP and the myriad of unexpected health issues I've dealt with this past year.

That may change in a few years when the loan repayment money is used up, and hopefully my health improves, but by then I'll have more experience as an NP and some solid references speaking to my NP capabilities to bring to the negotiation table.

For me, it's worth the lower salary for the slower pace, supportive staff, good insurance, and extra money to repay my loans.

caliotter3 · Oct 27, 2015

For comparison: Just came across an ad on an employment website for a NP in the greater Los Angeles area that is offering $130,000/yr. Only requirement listed is one year experience.

Jules A, MSN · Oct 27, 2015

I recently qualified for a loan repayment program, so I may be able to provide some insight.
The money for the loan repayment does not come from the facility, however to qualify as an eligible site, most facilities are going to have some undesirable qualities. That may be the geographic location, salary, or a challenging patient population.

Thanks, this was my understanding and I again checked with two people I know who have done it in an underserved area and they also said there was no cost to the facility for them to receive the tuition reimbursement, no reduced reimbursement. Maybe there are different programs?

They both required and received a salary equal to the area's going rate and if you add the tuition reimbursement and their salary they ended up grossing over $200,000 a year as new grad psychNPs. Again neither stayed after the commitment was finished and it wasn't overly pleasant but they made bank. If I had tuition loans I would have done it because they made more than I did in our first years.

sadiemae1123 · Oct 27, 2015

For my area, the rural southeast, I've heard salaries for FNP's ranging from $90,000 to $120,000. If I count my tuition reimbursement I'll probably make around $100,000.

I'm happy with that, because I also take into consideration that I don't have to work nearly as hard as most FNP's for what I'm earning. On a really busy day, I might see 10 - 12 patients, and that's including labs and consult reviews.

I'll probably end up staying for at least 5 years. I was here a year before the loan repayment came through, and it lasts for 2 years with the option to reapply for slightly less money for a 3rd year.

By that time I'll have been here 4 years. I'll probably stay one more, even though it would be for less money, because at 5 years I'll be fully vested in the retirement plan. It just seems kind of wasteful to get so close to being vested and not see it through.

Jules A, MSN · Oct 28, 2015

By that time I'll have been here 4 years. I'll probably stay one more, even though it would be for less money, because at 5 years I'll be fully vested in the retirement plan. It just seems kind of wasteful to get so close to being vested and not see it through.

Crunch the numbers, if you can make significantly more it might be worth it to leave their matched portion.