Published
I live in SC, and I am familiar with several states such as GA and AL. LPNs here make about $11 to $12. Starting RN pay in a hospital is about $14 to $15. Remember hospitals pay differentals. Doctors offices in general like LPNs because the pay is usually $1 to $2 lower. You can work PRN or temp without benifits and make much more, for example LPNs gets $15 and RNs $20. Remember you make more in states with shortages like SC and CA and much less in places like GA. I make $15 in SC and the city I live in has a low cost of living. I turned down that same job with same pay in Atlanta because the cost of living is 3 times as high.
In the metro D.C. area LPN new grads earn from $11.00-13.00 per hour with benefits. New graduate RNs earn $13.00-16.00 per hour with benefits. General rule is that RNs make 133% of an LPNs salary. So if you are earning $10.00 per hour as an LPN, you could expect to make about $13.33 per hour as an RN.
Depending on your career goals, let me advice you to work in a hospital for a minimum of 1-5 years. This experience is recognized universally as prep for any other job. And will more rapidly increase your earning potential.
Good Luck in your endeavors.
------------------
nursePat
I am an LPN in central Pa. I too am working on my RN. As a staff Lpn I would be making about $12. New grad RN around $16-17. "flex " positions for LPNs $14-16, RNs $20-26. Staff positions have average benefits I guess.
I too am curious about different areas and the pay scale, although, only in PA.
non hospital LPN positions seem to average $10-12
Good luck
You expressed my thoughts to the tee. Those are awfully low starting rates for RN's.
I also live in NJ and have been checking out the payscales and ours seem to be much
higher.
Maybe the cost of living is lower in other areas.
My sister lives in NY and she keeps trying to convince me to commute to NYC because the
pay scales are much higher than ours.
RKDarnell
2 Posts
I am currently a LPN student set to graduate in 8 weeks. I am enrolled in a bridge to RN program beginning in June of this yr. I am interested in hearing from surrounding areas (I am from KY) as to what Nursing jobs pay. I plan to work my way through the RN program as an LPN but whenever I ask anyone what the pay is they seem to think I am trying to find out what they make. That isn't it, I just want to know some pay scales to help me decide where I want to be. There are after all many options, Doctors office, Home Health, ect. So.. anyone got any updates for me?