NP Jobs still looking pretty good.

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Maybe someone can clarify current rates but years back when considering the VAs pay scale you would have basically had to have carried the lamp with Flo to qualify for the higher steps.

there is typically a mix of the job requirement to the experience/degree level of the provider. When I worked at the VA in Michigan as an RN, my salary range started at 68k when the scale was 49-89k. Now I was a nurse 1 step 12 at the time of hire because I only had my ADN but experience that was critical to the department I worked. Oddly I was doing the work of a nurse 3 so I have no illusions to the VA under paying, but the previous post of this job only making 87k in Cali is probably not quite the case. There are few odds a brand spanking new NP is getting that job with the likely applicants and experience will bump that pay substantially.

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).

I beg to disagree. There are tons of jobs in INLAND NoCal in Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto, Fresno, Redding, Chico and many rural communities. There is more competition for jobs in the Bay Area, but the cost of living there is outrageous the pay in no way makes up for that. $100K per year is considered poverty in the Bay Area. One of my classmates is living and working in Berkeley, which is very expensive. Her second year compensation is only $114K, barely above the poverty level for that area and she has to share an apartment. I live in Northeast Calif in the mountains and made $124K my first year as a new grad. I am renting a 2BR 2BA HOUSE for $750; I could easily have a roommate and pay only $325 a month in rent. My clinic is desperate for providers.

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I beg to disagree. There are tons of jobs in INLAND NoCal in Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto, Fresno, Redding, Chico and many rural communities. There is more competition for jobs in the Bay Area, but the cost of living there is outrageous the pay in no way makes up for that. $100K per year is considered poverty in the Bay Area. One of my classmates is living and working in Berkeley, which is very expensive. Her second year compensation is only $114K, barely above the poverty level for that area and she has to share an apartment. I live in Northeast Calif in the mountains and made $124K my first year as a new grad. I am renting a 2BR 2BA HOUSE for $750; I could easily have a roommate and pay only $325 a month in rent. My clinic is desperate for providers.

I know one opportunity in Redding was offering me 110k. I'm not from Cali so can't speak to the affordability of the region, but have family there who love the area.

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).
I know one opportunity in Redding was offering me 110k. I'm not from Cali so can't speak to the affordability of the region, but have family there who love the area.

Redding is very nice, although the summers are super hot. By California standards, it is quite affordable. You can buy a decent house for $150K to $250K. You can rent a nice 2 BR 2BA duplex or townhouse for $1000 to $1200, and a nice 3 BR house for around $1500. $110K to $120K for new grad primary care NP is general going rate. For a new grad PMHNP $140K to start with salary increases up to $200K. With 100,000 people, it is big enough to have everything except high end luxury shopping. It is also the county seat, so there are a lot of professionals, including attorneys. There are 2 big hospitals as well. I wanted to live in Redding, but ended up taking a job further out, in a rural area.

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).

Back in 2009, primary care NPs could make up to $150,000 per year at Kaiser. That is good money. The VA has increased NP pay and is working to be competitive with the private sector - I have talked to VA recruiters. There is special pay for NPs and there is also locality pay for expensive areas. The VA also has great benefits - it qualifies for HRSA scholarship fulfillment, loan repayment, and the VA will also help with loan repayment and will pay for additional education, like a DNP. They also have an actual retirement plan and 6 weeks off per year for vacation. In addition, NPs at VA have full practice authority.

There seem to be some unrealistic expectations on this forum regarding NP pay. It is not the road to riches, but should support a middle to upper middle class lifestyle. As a new grad NP, my job offers from inland California, New Mexico, Oregon were all in the $110 to $125K per year range. I think that's great!

NPs do not have to incur huge debt for their education. There are lots of scholarships and also lots of loan repayment options. One of my NP colleagues worked his way through his BSN, had no debt when he became RN. Then he worked as RN and went to school part time for his MSN FNP - finished with NO debt.

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NPs have never been guaranteed a big salary increase. Some get one, but many don't. That was true 20 years ago and equally true now.

I think RNs read these forums and probably think, I make 100k now with a little overtime, I don't mind my job, so why should I do educational backflips just to get 110k?

And they are right to think that way.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
there is typically a mix of the job requirement to the experience/degree level of the provider. When I worked at the VA in Michigan as an RN, my salary range started at 68k when the scale was 49-89k. Now I was a nurse 1 step 12 at the time of hire because I only had my ADN but experience that was critical to the department I worked. Oddly I was doing the work of a nurse 3 so I have no illusions to the VA under paying, but the previous post of this job only making 87k in Cali is probably not quite the case. There are few odds a brand spanking new NP is getting that job with the likely applicants and experience will bump that pay substantially.

The pay schedule I'm looking at for my state goes between $74,189-$139,969 so not impressive especially because I'd guarantee the $139,969 NPs, if there are any, are older than dirt. It looks like I'd fall in the $104,000-$120,000 range which is almost 100k less than what I make now so despite the awe over federal benefits, which I don't think actually include a pension any longer, I'm going to have to say nope, not worth it.

Title 38 Pay Schedules - Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM)

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If memory serves, you are a PMHNP? Which the discrepancy in your case of pay on what you could make to what they pay isn't shocking. The VA is pretty notorious for grouping people and to them, an NP is an NP is an NP. Doesn't matter what your specific specialty is or how that pays on the outside, you will still fall into that pay structure. The military is somewhat similar in that you are still making x dollars as an officer and x dollars for NP specialty bonus, but still making the same as anyone else in the NP service . This is why they often struggle to keep competent people in areas of need. VA benefits are good from a specific perspective...you have access to a broad range of healthcare plans because they are federal. Also the leave policy is better than anything you will find in the private sector. 30 days or more depending on how long you've been there and sick leave on top of that is huge. Many NPs who work in smaller clinics often don't have the luxury of both. And while I worked there, I've never seen a place more easy to take leave as needed. Also there is still a federal retirement system (FERS) which isn't as good as the old one, but combined with the TSP incentives can be still lead to an exceptionally comfortable retirement. Obviously a 100k gap is a nonstarter for most, but there are some benefits to working there.

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