Pay shock

[bethymaester]

I know every is always curious about pay and I thought this was interesting. I've been consistently told that in my area as a new grad I should expect about $45/hr, maybe up to $55 for locums positions. Well, this one job I just worked was desperate and they paid me $85/hr for a 2 day event which was awesome. But what I thought was most interesting was that the medical assistant I worked with does these kinds of short events locally as her full-time job and she said she's had several where she was paid $35/hr and $45/hr! As an unlicensed medical assistant! I told her the average pay for a new grad NP in our area was about $45 and she looked really happy and said, "wow, I guess I was getting a good deal!". I was thinking "yeah . . .why did I go to school?" Lol!

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

I am not a NP, but have several close friends who are. In some areas, the market is over-saturated with nurse practitioners. It seems like everybody wants to be one, and that is all I hear new grads talk about. One friend had to leave the state to find a job, and her starting salary was roughly $80 grand per year. Anyway, I have worked as a registered nurse in both Alabama and Florida, and yes, the pay sucks, but it really just depends on where you work. I own my home, but when I had to rent it was pretty high, compared to my salary. Food and utilities are not any cheaper here, actually I paid less when I lived in Houston, Texas. The only thing that is really cheaper is the property tax on your home. Homes in the more desirable areas are still pricey, compared to the salary you would make here. I know people say "the cost of living is cheaper," but that doesn't matter much when your salary is "cheaper," too!

[Jules A, MSN]

We must remain mindful that the OP is in Alabama, an area where new grad RNs would be lucky to receive $18 to $22 hourly.

Yes. I'm in Arkansas and started as a RN at around $19. As a NP I am salaried at 80k with potential for bonus quarterly.

But a nice 3 bed 2 bath house that's 1500 square feet might be 100-120k....

Excellent points and I make over double my previous RN salary so I guess this is within that range also.

Unfortunately I have seen a lot of posts also from California NPs where I guess there is an excess of NPs working for horrible wages where the RNs make great money, from what I have read.

[Jules A, MSN]

Anyway, I have worked as a registered nurse in both Alabama and Florida, and yes, the pay sucks, but it really just depends on where you work. I own my home, but when I had to rent it was pretty high, compared to my salary. Food and utilities are not any cheaper here, actually I paid less when I lived in Houston, Texas. The only thing that is really cheaper is the property tax on your home. Homes in the more desirable areas are still pricey, compared to the salary you would make here. I know people say "the cost of living is cheaper," but that doesn't matter much when your salary is "cheaper," too!

Thanks for posting this information. I would like to move to Florida but I don't believe the cost of living is all compared to my income potential or lack thereof. There is also that line about being "paid in sunshine" that nearly gave me a CVA. Unless something drastically changes I will have to just continue enjoying vacationing there because I'm not willing to take that much of a hit on my earning potential.

[TakeTwoAspirin, MSN, RN, APRN]

Of course the pay is primo for a 1-2 day event. These event planners don't have any of the expenses a "normal" employer has (benefits package) they are just staffing PRN. This isn't really representative of what a NP can make per hour in a regular position.

[SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN]

I know people say "the cost of living is cheaper," but that doesn't matter much when your salary is "cheaper," too!

Well, said! I have tried to explain this to people for years when I was living in the South!!! Making cheap pay as a nurse in many of those states does not compare well with the cost of living. Taxes are cheaper, but so what??? Food, clothes, utilities are not cheaper in those states compared to states that have a higher cost of living. In fact, the difference in pay in those states means one must have two incomes instead of one. In the South, for instance, you need two jobs (or two incomes) or a job that guarantees OT to be able to breathe (pay bills on time). It is just not worth it to work down there unless you are single without kids and/or you are from there and have no choice but to stay.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Yes. I'm in Arkansas and started as a RN at around $19. As a NP I am salaried at 80k with potential for bonus quarterly.

But a nice 3 bed 2 bath house that's 1500 square feet might be 100-120k....

Houses are $100k to $120k in my area (Texas) as well, but the pay is much more competitive here than in other low cost-of-living regions. I was earning $27/hourly as an LPN/LVN in 2010. I'm now an RN supervisor and earn a salary of $80k.