Pay Scale

Well, I only had 6 months of nursing experience but I am making 35/hour...but that's for evening shift (and weekends).

I worked as staff at a NYC hospital and started at 32-34/hr (can't exactly remember) as a new grad in psych. Hope that helps! Oh and that was two years ago.

The pay scale does vary enormously depending on what city or state you work in. In the south, starting pay seems to be about $18-20 an hour--less in rural areas and more in urban areas. Of course, the cost of living is substantially different. I know that in the northeast and parts of the west coast, it is virtually impossible to buy any home for less than $300-400,000 while in my area you can buy a decent home in a decent neighborhood for about half that.

I just started at a LTC facility, working nights with a differential, and am making 20.50/hr. That is with 10 years of experience. This is in the Florida panhandle where the cost of living is pretty low, so people say I am making really good money for this area. I just moved here from CA, so it is hard for me to know if I am working for too little. There the pay was up to 40/hr, but the area is unbelievably expensive. So, you have to look at area property values, etc.

$82/hr on night shift, working every weekend, with BSN + 16yrs experience in North NJ

Cost of living or no - I think I am ready to move to Northern NJ - WOW $82 an hour!!! Thanks to all those that responded.

I am higher than the average community or even state hospitals in the area. At present the Federal system is paying rather high, although they are hireing new nurses at Grade 1 & I am grade 3. I think if you are coming in with a BSN & even just a few years of experience I would expect to be hired in at Grade 2, minimally. I am salary of approx. $85,000/year + 15% shift diff + 15% weekend diff, hence I make more per hour. When I took my W2 & divided it out my the hours I worked last year that was the hourly rate I got. All that being said the working conditions are rather poor at the facillity I work in & the current Admin is very unsupportive toward nursing. Sadly I have time invested in the place so am just kicking back & making the best of things until I have my 20yrs in. I have 4 more years to go, if things have not improved I may have to move on. I work with some excellent nurses but the conditions we work under & the treatment we recieve , well they pretty much suck. Sad but true.

Well, I only had 6 months of nursing experience but I am making 35/hour...but that's for evening shift (and weekends).

Meerkat -- Are you in the northeast too?

Hi RNalby!

what hospital was this in nyc that was starting 32-35/hr for pysch? just curious thanks!!

In Ohio, I will be starting at $22.25/hr as a new grad. I think this is typical for southern Ohio, southern Indiana, and northern Kentucky. I know other major hospitals start at a dollar an hour less in this area. I have an ADN, but BSNs start at the same rate here.

Texas, RN, Assoc., Psych Nursing 27.50 + appx. 4.00 differential (I work evenings)=31.50$hr.