New Grad Starting Salary

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Hi All,

I was just wondering what starting salary is for New Grads across the US. I am interested mostly in the Northern States (New York, New Jersey, Illinois), the Atlanta Market, TX, D.C., and California, but am curious about all areas.

Also, has anyone had any Travel Nursing experience? What is that like (i.e. pay, benefits, difficulty of the job, etc...)?

Thanks in advance.

Med -surg nurse here! I'm in the DC metro area, started out at 27.58/hr. The differentials are awesome too. $3 for evening, $6 for nights.

Great job in DC. Are you BSN prepared? I have really been thinking about coming there for my BSN.

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Overall, the cost of living is pretty reasonable, especially compared to California or other coastal areas. Personally, I hate the weather. For 6 months of the year it is 100+ degrees. In mid-summer its not uncommon to have 5+ days of 110+ degree heat. Northern Arizona has much better weather, although they do get snow in the winter. However, I'm not sure what the pay is like up there. The rate I quoted is for Metro Phoenix.

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Overall, the cost of living is pretty reasonable, especially compared to California or other coastal areas. Personally, I hate the weather. For 6 months of the year it is 100+ degrees. In mid-summer its not uncommon to have 5+ days of 110+ degree heat. Northern Arizona has much better weather, although they do get snow in the winter. However, I'm not sure what the pay is like up there. The rate I quoted is for Metro Phoenix.

Lol. I would definitely be working nights and staying in the air conditioning. Lol. Do you need to be BSN prepared to find work there?

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It is very competitive here for new grads. I have a BSN and am having a hard time finding a job. I have been looking for 3 months and have applied for 100+ positions. I just got my first 2 interviews this week. Hospitals have lots of choices. One recruiter told me she automatically filters out ADNs.

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It is very competitive here for new grads. I have a BSN and am having a hard time finding a job. I have been looking for 3 months and have applied for 100+ positions. I just got my first 2 interviews this week. Hospitals have lots of choices. One recruiter told me she automatically filters out ADNs.

Wow. That is insane. I guess my best bet is to attempt to work as a CNA at a facility while I am completing my degree, move up once I take my boards, get at least 2 years of experience while I obtain my BSN, then consider relocating. It's either that or just go straight into a Masters program. ..

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That's awesome. I had been considering relocating to NYC. Thanks for the info.

The cost of living in NYC will absolutely shock you if you are used to much less expensive areas so $41/hr makes sense...

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Not a problem... My family lives there, so I am considering it as well. It's not as horribly expensive as people say. It is very expensive, but there are pockets of inexpensive areas in the city that are safe and minutes away from major hospitals.

Haha. Not really. Unless you want to live in some REALLY awful areas that are literally like 150sq ft. NYC is epically expensive. And I say that as someone who is from Boston where it is only slightly less expensive.

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Also a member of SPC December 2013 graduating class and still have no job. Passed NCLEX early March. I have put in numerous applications everywhere with only 2 phone interviews just to be rejected cause an internal candidate was hired. I'm not holding my breathe for any of the residency programs here in Tampa Bay area because they get flooded with applications. Also many of the acute care, rehab & SNF employers are starting to require at least 2 years exp. New grad friend from HCC was asked to sign a contract at a SNF because too many RNs are just coming there for 6 months experience then leaving after the employer has went to the expense of training you and paying for your benefits.

This is what myself, friends and some of my clinical classmates have run into.

GulfCoastRN12 you were very lucky.

To the op I wish all the best!!!

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Also a member of SPC December 2013 graduating class and still have no job. Passed NCLEX early March. I have put in numerous applications everywhere with only 2 phone interviews just to be rejected cause an internal candidate was hired. I'm not holding my breathe for any of the residency programs here in Tampa Bay area because they get flooded with applications. Also many of the acute care, rehab & SNF employers are starting to require at least 2 years exp. New grad friend from HCC was asked to sign a contract at a SNF because too many RNs are just coming there for 6 months experience then leaving after the employer has went to the expense of training you and paying for your benefits.

This is what myself, friends and some of my clinical classmates have run into.

GulfCoastRN12 you were very lucky.

To the op I wish all the best!!!

Wow. Pure insanity. I guess that my best bet is to just go for a Bachelors and skip past the Associates. I was debating on rather or not I should just relocate to a small town in Georgia or Alabama, attend school, and get a job in the local hospital. Work my way up to a Bachelor degree while still being at that hospital, and come out with 2 years of experience and my Bachelors.

At the rate it's going, soon you will have to have a Masters to be marketable. I know they are raising the standard to a minimum of a Bachelors to be an entry level RN by 2020

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And good luck with that too. Know who gets precedent for the MSN now? People paying 100-150k for direct entry. They get preference for clinical spots which makes traditional MSN student placement very, very competitive. Direct entry programs generate significantly more revenue as the program is longer and they can put a premium on an expedited degree so schools are now trending towards accommodating those students.

Nursing had become a total crapshoot.

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I know Jackson Memorial hospital (Miami,FL) pay ADN grads 25.50/hr for their residency ..does anyone know how much Florida Health Orlando Hospital and Lee Memorial Hospital Hospital pay rate is??..I am applying for both programs..can anyone please share their experience on either residency program?..THANK YOU!

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In socal, new grads should be paid at least $30/ hr because rent is HIGH here. In NorCal, I believe that pay goes up to at least $40/ hr because rent is VERY HIGH there. In places like Arizona pay should be at least $24-25/ hr

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