NY compared to NJ

[03sisters]

Hey there--wondering if anyone in the NY metropolitan area has any experience/feedback on working as a new grad in NY versus NJ or vice versa. For example has anyone found it true about needing a BSN to start working in NY/found that much of a difference in salary and patient or workload/etc. Thanks.

[ChocoholicRN]

I am a NJ native that chose to work in NY as opposed to NJ. I know that the pay is higher in NY than NJ, but so is the cost of living. I could have commuted from NJ to NY but the commute would not have been worth the money I would save from not living in the city, since I work on the Upper East Side. NJ pays a bit less but also has slightly lower taxes. As far as the nurse-patient ratio, I don't think there is much of a difference. You can go to one hospital and have 6 patients and another in the same state, same patient population, and have 8 or 9 patients. That part depends on the specific hospital, so do your research and talk to the nurses that currently work there.