Knoxville, TN pay

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Hi! I'm currently in the accelerated program at South Alabama and I'll be graduating this July. I am wanting to move away and have been looking into the Knoxville area; however, I don't know what the pay is like up there for new grads with a prior degree in Medical Laboratory Science with hospital experience. Can anyone help me out on what amount (just an average) of money the pay is? I am trying to figure out if I will be able to financially be able to live on my own with bills and student loans.

Also if anyone knows anything about the residency program at UT that would be wonderful as well!

Thanks!

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Specializes in ED.

Most hospitals start new grads at $18.75/hr. There is one union hospital here that starts at $21. Not including night/weekend diff.

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Is this for BSN pay? That seems awfully low especially knowing the starting pay in Alabama/Mississippi which is often two of the lower paid states. Also my prior degree paid more than that in Mississippi and nurses ALWAYS make more than medical laboratory scientists. Not to mention the cost of living is higher in TN than MS/AL for the areas I am from.

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Specializes in peds.

I doubt they'll consider your medical laboratory experience in your pay because it's not nursing experience. I live in Alabama too. One of my coworkers moved to Nashville and she said they didn't really pay more because people want to live there. She never told us a dollar amount though.

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Specializes in ED.

There is no difference in starting new grad pay. There are a lot of nursing schools in the Knoxville area and the pay rate is pretty low due to that. Night/weeked diff is $3-4. No income tax/state tax. Your other experience will not get you more $ as it is not nursing experience. After the first year you can get more $$ but Knoxville overall doesn't pay a ton for nurses.

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My job (group home, Tri-Cities area) pays $20.50 for RNs and $17.50 for LPNs, plus differential. It seems most hospitals in the area pay around $18-$20ish base pay for RNs. A few friends have told me what they make in hospitals and one said he made around $23 an hour after his differential and 2 more said they could make up to $26 an hour when working PRN, but preferred steady work with benefits for less pay. I don't believe they got an increase in pay for BSN.

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Well thanks for everyone's input! I find it SO crazy they don't pay extra for BSN. The hospitals here in AL and MS pay like $1.00 more with your BSN not to mention most start out round almost $22. Looks like I'll be staying in MS for a while till I can get some bills paid up.

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Specializes in peds.

Ive never gotten paid more for my bsn in alabama unless its a new thing in certain cities.

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