Nurse pay vs. cost of living

Published

Specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.

Hi, Virginia nurses. I'm considering relocating to Virginia and looking at job listings across the state. Problem is that it seems that nursing pay is on the lower end of the spectrum while cost of living is on the higher end. Pretty bad combination, no? From what I've seen new grad nurses make $23-25/hr but rent and home prices are pretty high.

Can anyone enlighten me as to the actual situation in VA?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych, Stepdown, Research.

Pay differs a lot. Depending on the hospital/system you go with, there are shift differentials and it can even differ by floor. There are also some much cheaper places to live. You just have to search. Is there a specific area you're looking into?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

It really differs by which part of the state you're considering ... Virginia is pretty diverse, from seriously rural to the DC metro area.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg.

it seems like I have noticed the same thing..I was looking at Charlottesville area and Hampton area near Langley AFB.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Lunah is 100% correct. Virginia is a large state, and the regions vary greatly (from Appalachia to DC suburbs).

As you can see from my screenname, I work for UVa in Charlottesville. Housing costs in the city of Charlottesville can be pricey. But many people live in the counties around Charlottesville (Albemarle, Louisa, Augusta, Nelson, Greene, Fluvanna, etc). I live in Fluvanna and there are 3BR homes around 200K if you do not mind a 20 minute drive to the University. I used to live/work in DC, so I find the prices and commute times here heavenly by comparison.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

In addition to what has already been stated, there is a huge difference between rent and mortgage prices. We were looking into renting when we moved here but we ended up living with my mom for 15 months because we couldn't afford the rent in the area, without living in the ghetto. We have since purchased a home in Northern VA and our mortgage is about $400/month less than the average price of rent for a comparable apartment. I'm sure this is the case anywhere in the US, but the price of apartments in this area is simply ridiculous. If you can avoid it, I would recommend that. Renting is difficult enough as it is considering it's not an investment, and it makes it even harder when the price you are paying monthly could buy you a 4 bedroom home in most areas of the country.

But in general I see what you are saying. Yes, it seems as though the pay and COL are significantly disproportionate. And this is not simply for nurses. Many people in this area have a long commute to work to help combat this issue. One of my instructors commuted to our school or clinical site from Richmond every day. This is the most extreme case I have seen, but like I said it is very common in this area. No matter what you are likely going to have to make a sacrifice, whether it be where you live in relation to where you work, or the actual home in which you will live. Unless you have big bucks, you can't have it all.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion