New Grad Salary at Our Lady of Lourdes or any Jersey Hospital.

emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Sep 3, 2009

As a new grad RN without experience, you have no leverage for negotiating salary. It's basically take what's offered. Don't know what they're offering in south Jersey, but in central/north, it runs from around $27-$32/hr or so plus differentials. Travel time & staffing play a role as well. I'd rather make a little less, be very close to home and work in a friendly, well staffed hospital than make a couple bucks more an hour and be miserable.

Attuma0000 · Sep 3, 2009

yea i understand.. its not all about the money you make..its about what makes you happy.. as far as the take what they offer you part you were talking about.. i agree with you there.. i just know that they are gonna give me a salary point and.. since i have no experience.. and the economy.. they may offer me a much lower salary than is appropriate.. my friend was offered a position at Virtua for $22 an hour.. turned it down and then they came back with $28.00.. so you see they do play on that notion of "new Grad..no experience".. lol.. so i was trying to see what the average was ... thanks

shmia · Sep 7, 2009

i started as a new grad at OLOL in camden working nights and made btw 26 & 29/hr. the salary at OLOL is pretty competitive. hope that helps!

mmc312 · Nov 14, 2009

All Virtua campuses are UNION. There is no negotiation...period. It goes by union payscale alone. Believe very little of what you hear from others, do your own investigation, and do check the facts before posting.

Attuma0000 · Nov 16, 2009

yea.. i agree with you there.. so many people contradict what is said its amazing. thanks for the information. its hard to find research out there because most hopsital job postings do not have salaries on it.. they have paygrades and such. but this information does help. there are sites that gave me comparables in the area and i really liked that..

JerseyGuy2 · Nov 18, 2009

I agree with the first poster....there is very little "negotiation" for Staff RN positions in NJ (at least at "decently-run/"fair" hospitals). Salary practice for Staff RN (bedside/acute care) in NJ is to pay on "years of experience" as an RN (or 1/2 yr credit for LPN). In other words, whether Union or Non-Union, there is generally a "starting new grad RN BASE HOURLY rate", that really doesn't deviate (at all, or much) from one person to the next. That said, there ARE add-ons, such as shift differential, weekend diff (at some places), perhaps a BSN differential. But any hospital worth "it's salt" isn't going "to pay Joe one rate, and Jane a different rate" if they are both new grads coming out of nursing school.....or else they'll have chaos and an unhappy workforce on its hands. There are USUALLY, and I say USUALLY some general rules with Staff RN compensation: inner city, very large or MAJOR teaching hospitals usually pay more, than smaller, community non-teaching hospitals. Unionized hospitals GENERALLY, NOT ALWAYS PAY MORE. (Non-Union hospitals near a unionized hospital will usually try to pay a competitive, eg: "close to", rate, bkz they want to keep the Union out. Plus, at a Unionized hospital, it is COMMON to anywhere from 1% to 2% of your ANNUAL SALARY in union-dues, by payroll deduction.....you have no say in it. North of the Driscoll Bridge (Woodbridge Garden State Parkway Bridge near GSP Exit 127), hrly rates are GENERALLY higher. Below that bridge, rates generally lower....until you get to the Camden, NJ area, bkz those hospitals in South Jersey compete with Philly for Staff RNs.

Also, when "peers" quote their "hourly rates", very often they are (incorrectly) ADDING IN, things that are NOT part of the "base hourly rate", such as shift diff, BSN diff, etc.

I hope this helps. And I'm not going to say there will NEVER be differences in new grad starting rates, but as a general rule, you can take the above info "to the bank". (I used to help set RN rates in a past life......)

anastaro · Oct 12, 2011

Does anyone know what south jersey hospital pays new graduate RN's? Also, if anyone is familiar with the hospital I am curious if its a teaching hospital with alot of younger staff.

AtomicWoman · Dec 30, 2011

You can expect roughly $28/hour at South Jersey hospitals. There won't be any negotiation; they will offer you the rate they offer all new RNs. Good luck!

njnursemama · Mar 19, 2012

As a new grad in March of 09 I started at $25.26 an hour base pay. I have gotten 2 annual cost of living adjustments of 2%, of which everyone in the hospital except perdiem nurses were given so I don't consider it a raise.

My girlfriend from school started at Jersey Shore around the same time for $25.27 an hour. She has gotten the annual 2% COLA as well as an annual performance based raises.