payscale

rachaelofcourse · Oct 13, 2015

40K-50K is correct for Arizona. Pay is higher in California because the cost of living is considerably higher there than it is here in AZ. So, just because California pays more doesn't actually mean you'll be pocketing more.

azgal81 · Oct 13, 2015

So true about CA...rent alone is at least $2,000 a month for just an apartment!

Postpartum RN · Oct 13, 2015

Not totally true for Ca. You can find decent housing for around $1300. You can get a really nice apartment with 2 bedrooms in a nice area for that much. It depends where in Cali you live. If you are talking about living in San Francisco or big cities then yes rent will be outrageous.

BD-RN, BSN, RN · Oct 13, 2015

Here's the problem with CA. It's a BIG place. You can't just spit out a number for rent and say, "that's how much it costs to live here." A decent place in LA is cheaper than SF, but it's more expensive than SD, but that's more expensive than Riverside County or the Central Valley. It depends on the region you live in. So does salary. Work at UCSF, you'll start out around $120k. Work in LA, you'll start around $90k. BIG difference.

You have to be more specific.

PS housing is very inflated in pockets like LA and SF.

iamdarome · Oct 13, 2015

Yeh im from the bay and i know the prices there are crazy. I do know kaiser pays a lot out there too.....thanks for info!!!!

iamdarome · Oct 13, 2015

Good point! once you lay it all down it makes perfect sense. i guess i cant complain about any salary, its more than what im making now. Im from the Bay and would love to move there. San Diego is my 2nd place i would like to reside. All in all...good news to hear in regards to pay

mrsboots87 · Oct 14, 2015

You seem to mention pay and the "big bucks" frequently in your posting here. Wanting to earn a good wage is not wrong and a perfectly good reason to go into nursing, I just really hope you want this profession for more than that. Only reason, is because once you finish your degree, start working, and realize exactly what nursing is, you will need more than money as motivation to stick around. Its a tough job physically, emotionally, and mentally. And you will realize, your work very hard for not as much money as you will be worth. Hence the reason you need to find another reason to really enjoy nursing.

Also, 40K sounds incredibly low for even AZ pay. Thats about $20 an hour and nothing to squack at as an RN worth so much more. Dont settly just because its more money then you make now. That feeling only lasts so long. 50K give or take a few thousand is more likely unless you choose to live rurally.

From what I gather, Phoenix metro has a pretty wide range of pay scales. I have seen as low as $23/hr up to over $30/hr for new grad pay. Maybe home health at a cruddy agency will pay 40K a year, but I sure hope not. The LTC I work for as a CNA starts new grad RNs at $29 and goes up to $35 with experience. But the last LTC I worked for starts their new grad RNs at like $23-$24. Some hospitals start at $26 and some start at $30. So you will find pay all over the place. You wont be rich by any means, but should make a comfortably livable wage with some extra money for some fun in your life.

iamdarome · Oct 14, 2015

My father passed away from liver cancer, my bro just passed away from Lung Cancer, and my mother currently has Leukemia. This is all in a 7 yr time span. I'm more than motivated to help those who are in the same position as i am. If there is someone out there more motivated than me please let me know!!! thanks for your concern and info

seasidesoul · Oct 14, 2015

Not totally true for Ca. You can find decent housing for around $1300. You can get a really nice apartment with 2 bedrooms in a nice area for that much. It depends where in Cali you live. If you are talking about living in San Francisco or big cities then yes rent will be outrageous.

What?! You're lucky to find a 1 bedroom in a nice area in Atlanta for $1300, let alone a 2 bedroom. And new grads are making $20-$24 an hour here. What areas in California are you talking about?

Postpartum RN · Oct 14, 2015

What?! You're lucky to find a 1 bedroom in a nice area in Atlanta for $1300, let alone a 2 bedroom. And new grads are making $20-$24 an hour here. What areas in California are you talking about?

Near and around sacramento. Of course prices vary greatly on many factors

azgal81 · Oct 14, 2015

I speak about California rent prices from experienceâ€¦ My husband's family is from there and I have had family and friends living in San Diego, LA area, and San Francisco over the years. Those are the cities where you would make high wages like that and there is no way you're going to rent something nice for 1300 a month! I can't speak about the wages in Sacramento I admit but most people looking at these 90K+ jobs are looking in Southern California or the Bay Area.