New NP, embarrassing salary offer!

[RNpandoraRN]

I'm gathering that this is a theme in our field, unfortunately...

So after graduating and spending nearly a year of applying for positions as an APRN, I finally scored several interviews and a couple of offers. I'm particularly interested in one of the positions, which offers amazing health insurance benefits for my family (employer pays 80% of premium) but the salary that they offered me is embarrassing. Let's just say it's less than $70,000, but more than $60,000. Large University (i.e. state) position in a city w/population of approximately 100,000 people.

There are other APRNs in this same practice, currently with 10 years experience, who are making $79,000 - $83,000.

- No CME

- No productivity bonus

- 33 days of PTO, including vacation, sick, and personal days

- very good health insurance plans w/employer paying 80+% of premium

- malpractice covered

- excellent potential for career advancement (I plan to advance my APRN education)

My instincts tell me this particular position is The One; this is the position I'm going to love, love what I do, love where I am, and love my coworkers. The health insurance is extremely appealing and I'm assuming that is a big reason why they offer such low salaries. The other position I've been offered is $10,000/year more, but employer only pays 20% of health insurance premium, so I have to automatically deduct $16,000/year from my salary just for that.

I plan to make a counter offer but that is where I'm struggling. I'm truly dismayed at the low salary but I also feel very strongly this particular position is my calling. I need to be able to justify why I'm asking for more $$, considering I'm a new NP. Aside from figuring in CME and license/certification costs, what other suggestions should I make?

[GOGOKTFNP, MSN, APRN, NP]

I did leave out the part where emitted a derisive chortle. í ½í¸‚ The sad thing is...someone has probably agreed to that kind of pay in the past.

Ha! She did handle that well! It's a humbling experience, to say the least! í ½í¸‚ í ½í¸³

[WKShadowNP, DNP, APRN]

derisive chortle.

I love that. :)

[chiromed0]

Wow. That's RN money, not NP. I balked at $95K to start at a hospital. They thought the offer was fair (okay, newby salary is okay) but it had no other benefits (I don't need healthcare...got my wife's insurance and I can do my own annual physical...can't we all?). Very next offer topped it by $10K, other bene's, lower stress, 5 minute commute, etc. I just wouldn't sign any contracts to stay for that kind of money. Yes, take what you can get to have that magical DEA number and first year under your belt but for all our sake don't keep a underpaying (that isn't even low...it's underpaid) gig.

[GOGOKTFNP, MSN, APRN, NP]

Yes! For everyone's sake, don't pay a low paying job. We need to bring the profession up to the high standard it should be recognized for..vs a glorified nurse that will triage you (true story, friend got hired as a NP...she got to triage people.)

[Jules A, MSN]

Yes, take what you can get to have that magical DEA number and first year under your belt but for all our sake don't keep a underpaying (that isn't even low...it's underpaid) gig.

The only problem with this strategy is that since you started low you will move up slowly and usually requires future job changes to actually see any money. In my experience most new jobs are willing to offer $5,000-$10,000 over present salary to woo a new employee after that its usually all just cost of living unless you are on a productivity model. That isn't all that impressive when you started at $105,000 and could take years to get up to a decent range, imo.

[globalRN]

For your first job offer: they always lowball....if u accept, it will take a long time to make up the difference when pay increases are based on your current payscale.

Definitely counteroffer....here where I live, RNs who work specialized areas make more than new NPs..

I think it is a disgrace

[Jules A, MSN]

I think it is a disgrace

I think its a disgrace that NPs accept these low paying jobs.

[WKShadowNP, DNP, APRN]

This article by Medscape discusses NP salaries in various settings for 2014 and 2015. I, for one, am surprised at how low the numbers are.

Medscape Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Salary Report 2

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Excellent salary survey - 3000 APRNs - would have liked to have seen more participation

[Jules A, MSN]

Excellent salary survey - 3000 APRNs - would have liked to have seen more participation

I thought I participated, wonder if I got tossed out as outlier? The figures seem very low to me but other than that I thought the topics were excellent. I would have liked to see salary comparison between Masters and DNP although I'm sure I can imagine the outcome. How unfortunate that in the tag lines they felt necessary to highlight our codependent, whiney tendencies: "How many APRNs feel unfairly compensated for their work?" My advice continues to be if you feel unfairly anything either don't accept the position or leave.

Some things that stuck out to me:

1. Minimal difference in new and experienced providers salary which could support my ongoing assertion that new grads don't need to settle for crumbs, slide 6

2. Academia still lags $15,000 but looks so nice on your CV, lol, slide 8

3. Ongoing disparity between male and female between 10-22% which is pathetic. Clearly the money is out there so not openly discussing such unladylike topics is biting us in the butt. slide 10

4. Good news earnings are up. Bad news the largest reason for earnings going down was changing jobs? I can't imagine very many reasons I'd ever change a job even making a lateral move let alone a downgrade. slide 15

5. Percentage paying off loans was surprising to me but I should have expected it as it doesn't seem Americans save up for anything any more, slide 17.

6. Only 54-72% feel appropriately compensated so I'm surmising the rest continue doing it because if "I don't whoooooo will?" slide 18

[mrl3fnp]

If I got paid between $30 - $40/hr...........I'd just find a simple RN job somewhere............I'm usually the last person that supports a union......But NPs need to coordinate a union......................

[RNpandoraRN]

WKShadowRN - thanks for the link to that article. Very interesting.

And for anyone who is actually paying attention to when I've updated -- in the above article on MedScape, on slide 11, "APRN Annual Earnings by Geographic Region," I'm in a yellow state; which, according to that pictograph, are states on the lowest end of the payscale.

It's very easy to tell someone they should keep looking, refuse to accept a job like that, "it's a disgrace," that NPs like us are to blame for the low salaries, etc. etc. But when you live in a region where this is the norm, and you've got bills to pay and mouths to feed, you do what you have to do.