NP Salaries/Location/Specialties

headshrinker · Jul 7, 2015

Anyone here work inpatient psych in NM or AZ? I'm thinking about relocating but have no idea what "the going rate" in those areas is. Salary surveys put the average quite a bit lower than in my current area (Northeast) despite high demand and low supply in the Southwest as opposed to high supply where I'm now. I certainly do not want to undersell myself especially since this would be a major move but I also do not want to undermine myself either since I really want to go out west.

Jules A, MSN · Jul 7, 2015

Thank you for this thread. I read a statistic today on one of the urgent care association web sites that states "midlevels" (they meant PAs AND NPs) average $55/hr. That sounds great to me, but my area (South Carolina) is under the national level and I think that after working as an RN for almost 15 years I'm only just under what they'd start me as when I graduate next year. I have a job interview already for a position in an Urgent care my hospital is building. I'm quite interested, but I wanted to go in armed with plenty of information. I know they are quite interested in me because the medical director wants to mentor me and prepare me for the role (teaching me techniques I'd need in that setting that I'm not learning in my FNP program, e.g. suturing, I&D, etc.)
In your opinion, should I ask for that? Higher? Lower? As an ER RN last year I cleared 70k. The highest in my area for FNPs is 83k/yr

If you are sure the highest in your area is making $83,000, which sounds really low to me, I would at least ask that much. They aren't going to bill less for you because you are a new grad.

Jules A, MSN · Jul 7, 2015

Hi Jules, do you mind sharing the city and state where you are currently working? I apologize if I didn't read the previous posts on this thread, if you already metnioned it. I'm just curious because I have never met an NP making thay much money. You're so lucky!

Nope, I'm not lucky. I'm smart, good at what I do and have big balls, lol. In all seriousness though most importantly I have a ton of physician contacts and I'm in the right place at the right time. Things will surely change as everyone and their Mother becomes a psych NP. I work outside of Washington, DC in Maryland.

BiotoBSNtoFNP · Jul 7, 2015

Thank you for this thread. I read a statistic today on one of the urgent care association web sites that states "midlevels" (they meant PAs AND NPs) average $55/hr. That sounds great to me, but my area (South Carolina) is under the national level and I think that after working as an RN for almost 15 years I'm only just under what they'd start me as when I graduate next year. I have a job interview already for a position in an Urgent care my hospital is building. I'm quite interested, but I wanted to go in armed with plenty of information. I know they are quite interested in me because the medical director wants to mentor me and prepare me for the role (teaching me techniques I'd need in that setting that I'm not learning in my FNP program, e.g. suturing, I&D, etc.)
In your opinion, should I ask for that? Higher? Lower? As an ER RN last year I cleared 70k. The highest in my area for FNPs is 83k/yr

I will be a new grad FNP and recently interviewed for an urgent care position in a major city in the northeast. They laughed when i told them my salary requirements (and she then profusely apologized) and said that new grad NPs (even with RN experience) make about $41 an hour which is about 80K per year working 14 twelve hour shifts per month. I will not be taking that job as it is WAY too low, especially for my city. I made &

$35 an hour after my first year as an RN. If you think 83k is the high or norm for your are then ask for that.that! Always start higher the. What you would be happy settlingg with.

CocoaLoverFNP · Jul 7, 2015

I will be a new grad FNP and recently interviewed for an urgent care position in a major city in the northeast. They laughed when i told them my salary requirements (and she then profusely apologized) and said that new grad NPs (even with RN experience) make about $41 an hour which is about 80K per year working 14 twelve hour shifts per month. I will not be taking that job as it is WAY too low, especially for my city. I made &
$35 an hour after my first year as an RN. If you think 83k is the high or norm for your are then ask for that.that! Always start higher the. What you would be happy settlingg with.

Wow! They actually laughed? I'm glad that didn't happen to me today. I am sorry for that experience.

Would you be able to share which state you're from? My husband would like to move to New Hampshire someday.

Miffy · Jul 8, 2015

Wow! They actually laughed? I'm glad that didn't happen to me today. I am sorry for that experience.
Would you be able to share which state you're from? My husband would like to move to New Hampshire someday.

Hi CocoaLoverFNP,

As someone who is from New Hampshire, I would think the previous poster is referring to either Boston or NYC, the two major cities in the Northeast. New Hampshire does have "cities" (Manchester, Nashua, Concord), but they are not major cities. According to salary.com, the average NP salary in Manchester, NH (the largest city in NH) is $102,000. The average salary of an NP in Boston, MA is $105,000. I am currently attending NP school in Massachusetts, so I can not speak to the new grad salaries in NH at this time. I would, however, be happy to answer any questions you have about living in NH.

CocoaLoverFNP · Jul 8, 2015

Hi CocoaLoverFNP,
As someone who is from New Hampshire, I would think the previous poster is referring to either Boston or NYC, the two major cities in the Northeast. New Hampshire does have "cities" (Manchester, Nashua, Concord), but they are not major cities. According to salary.com, the average NP salary in Manchester, NH (the largest city in NH) is $102,000. The average salary of an NP in Boston, MA is $105,000. I am currently attending NP school in Massachusetts, so I can not speak to the new grad salaries in NH at this time. I would, however, be happy to answer any questions you have about living in NH.

Thank you, knlake! This info helps. We have never been there but my husband would like to move there due to his political preferences. We will probably visit the state next year just to see how it feels to live there. Any idea on which city to go? Best month to visit? I'm sure I could search these things on trip advisor. But i prefer personal recommendations... Especially from other nurses ;-) Pls message me when free. Thank you!

WKShadowNP, DNP, APRN · Jul 8, 2015

If you are sure the highest in your area is making $83,000, which sounds really low to me, I would at least ask that much. They aren't going to bill less for you because you are a new grad.

Thank you for your input. I thought it sounded low to me, too. I spoke with the recruiter today and he seemed to think I'd clear more than that but no less than that. (I stated the number). He said "We're going to be very competitive." So I could take that to mean anything, really. He sounded optimistic and encouraged me to take the next steps in 1-2 weeks and get paperwork started (application), even though I have 10 months until I graduate. The medical director over the growth that is establishing these urgent care centers (several, at least three by the next end-of-yearâ€”then more the next year) is the one who encouraged me to give my resume to the recruiter. He even said he wants to mentor me and teach me the clinical skills I won't get in school (i.e. suturing, I&D, etc.) So, I'm very thrilled to get in before it's more widely advertised.

I will be a new grad FNP and recently interviewed for an urgent care position in a major city in the northeast. They laughed when i told them my salary requirements (and she then profusely apologized) and said that new grad NPs (even with RN experience) make about $41 an hour which is about 80K per year working 14 twelve hour shifts per month. I will not be taking that job as it is WAY too low, especially for my city. I made &
$35 an hour after my first year as an RN. If you think 83k is the high or norm for your are then ask for that.that! Always start higher the. What you would be happy settlingg with.

Congratulations, BiotoBSN [FNP!] That sounds quite low, especially in that market. I would love to ask for 120k, but that's pie in the sky, methinks. 100k, probably more reasonable. AND, the area I choose may be covered by the loan forgiveness guidelines HRSA? (don't know if I'm remembering that right.)

Jules A, MSN · Jul 9, 2015

AND, the area I choose may be covered by the loan forgiveness guidelines HRSA? (don't know if I'm remembering that right.)

For anyone considering jobs with tuition reimbursement like NHSC remember these programs do not have anything to do with your salary. If your employer acts like they are offering you a low rate because of this perk tell them to bite it. This money is totally separate so they aren't doing you any favors and very often the facilities in underserved areas while very worthwhile can be challenging in many ways.

Onco1 · Jul 9, 2015

I am a recent FNP graduate (as of last December) and went on a full job hunt on my last semester of school. As a nurse I was making 80k a year or $38 an hour (with shift differential for when I worked weekends or holidays). I made it a point to interview in 16 different places as I didn't really know what specialty I wanted to work in (and kind of still don't). I tried my best to negotiate but people still looked at me like I was completely insane. I'm in Florida and according to salary.com the average pay is 97k. I really wasn't shooting for the stars, I was only requiring 90k. I had to apply to 21 places to get 16 interviews (don't really know why I was fixated on 16). All of them offered me a job. Unfortunately, not one actually matched what I wanted (pay and benefits). As an adult pcp the best offer I received was 90k without having benefits. As family pcp it was 86k with benefits seeing 30-35 patients a day. In pediatrics specialty, the best offer was 75 which went up to 80 with negotiations and had benefits but it required traveling and rounding in multiple hospitals. Anyways, the best offer i was able to receive was 84k in oncology, seeing 15 patients a day, with every other Friday off, great benefits, and 8 hour days. To be quite honest, I'm still disappointed and disillusioned. I'm going to keep this job for one year and then try again. If I don't receive a significant offer then I'm going back to nursing. The only way I would stay for mediocre pay is if Florida was to magically change and NP's get more autonomy. I'm sorry if this is a crappy answer but I'm ok with my nursing pay for only 3 days a week.

Jules A, MSN · Jul 9, 2015

To be quite honest, I'm still disappointed and disillusioned. I'm going to keep this job for one year and then try again. If I don't receive a significant offer then I'm going back to nursing. The only way I would stay for mediocre pay is if Florida was to magically change and NP's get more autonomy. I'm sorry if this is a crappy answer but I'm ok with my nursing pay for only 3 days a week.

Good for you for working so hard to attempt to secure a decent paying job and the one you picked does sound like a nice position although still way too low. A huge part of this is Florida which has the reputation for having such a low cost of living. I have friends who live there and the truth is their expenses aren't all that much lower than mine but thats a whole different story.

What you can do is become active in your state's NP organization. To me that is also a big part of the problem also because your colleagues have not secured more independence. Unless you want to move that is what I would strongly suggest.

sanguineheart · Jul 10, 2015

Does anyone know about NP's salary in Mississippi? I have a job offer, it's in the lower 80's with no benefits. I was speechless when HR told me that. I was originally from another state, and they say whatever I have been making (100's with some benefits and 1 year of NP experience) are what NPs there with 10 years of experience makes. I can't believe the discrepancies are that much. Costs of living there in MS are not that much cheaper to me. I'm just wondering if there are NPs out there who actually takes this. NPs for this particular place have to deal with HR so not much negotiations can be had there.