Raising Their Wages......

U.S.A. Texas

Published

Forget about importing RNs :welcome: :nono: http://www.thenation.com/blogs/notion?bid=15&pid=88153

Specializes in Telemetry/Cardiac Floor.
The top ten cities for highest paid nurses (after COL adjustment):

McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX-77,628

Brownsville-Harlingen-San Benito, TX, 77,381

Houston, TX 66,289

Wausau, WI, 64,098

Rochester, MN, 62,646

Odessa-Midland, TX 62,542

Richland-Kennewick-Pasco, WA, 61,952

Olympia, WA 61,313

Fort-Worth-Arlington, TX, 61,288

Laredo, TX, 60,174

Source: MODRN (published by ATI) career guide

~faith,

Timothy.

I'm not sure your source is accurate. At www.bls.gov

which is a govt. website it says in 2005 the top paying metro areas for nurses were....

San Jose Metro, Ca metro - 87,950

San Fran, Ca Metro- 80,370

Oakland, Ca metro- 80,270

Salina, Ca - 80,140

Modesto, Ca - 73,190

Then it said the top paying states were.....

California

Maryland

Massachusattes

Hawaii

New Jersey

This should be no surprise, hasn't California always been at the top for pay? (i'm not from California btw)

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.

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Specializes in Public Health, DEI.
I'm not sure your source is accurate. At www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes/291111.htm

which is a govt. website it says in 2005 the top paying metro areas for nurses were....

San Jose Metro, Ca metro - 87,950

San Fran, Ca Metro- 80,370

Oakland, Ca metro- 80,270

Salina, Ca - 80,140

Modesto, Ca - 73,190

Then it said the top paying states were.....

California

Maryland

Massachusattes

Hawaii

New Jersey

This should be no surprise, hasn't California always been at the top for pay? (i'm not from California btw)

These stats don't reflect the cost of living, though. I haven't read the article which is linked (I, too, prefer links that people can actually access without ponying up, and a great many reputable publications do offer that to service to non-subscribers) that cites the Texas cities, and I think the information only has relevance to those that actually wish to live in Texas. The cost of living can triple in California, and you won't get me out of here!

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The link is wrong....... please correct....... over and out :blushkiss

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I'm not sure your source is accurate. At www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes/291111.htm

which is a govt. website it says in 2005 the top paying metro areas for nurses were....

San Jose Metro, Ca metro - 87,950

San Fran, Ca Metro- 80,370

Oakland, Ca metro- 80,270

Salina, Ca - 80,140

Modesto, Ca - 73,190

Then it said the top paying states were.....

California

Maryland

Massachusattes

Hawaii

New Jersey

This should be no surprise, hasn't California always been at the top for pay? (i'm not from California btw)

Unfortunately, that means little. I'm originally from CA and cannot afford to return. My sister recently (2 years ago) bought a house in Orange County and paid approx. $560,000 for a 50 year old brick rancher. Her husband makes about $95,000 and her income varies depending on how many shifts she works each week. They barely make it each month. She has to work when he is home because they have 3 young children and childcare is about $150 per week per child. Wages might be lower in other areas, but housing costs are SUSTANTIALLY lower. San Francisico is even more expensive. It's crazy!

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I do think Timothy has a good point here. The cost of living is much cheaper in Texas so, if you make $50K or $60K there's probably a good chance of coming out of head more financially than if you make $80K in the Bay Area, for example.

And maybe they do have a good point about unions too. Union membership does tend to be higher in more expensive areas so, I can see how the cost of living does have the potential to wipe out any increased salary and other benefits that unions deliver.

All I know is that in my particular area in SoCal (which is not San Diego, btw) I can only get better pay with a union facility. And I definitely cannot get a defined benefit pension without working for a union facility. Some of the non-union hospitals used to have defined benefit pensions but, they don't anymore ... they've phased them out for new hires.

Now ... these union facilities aren't newly organized facilities like Scripps Encinitas where there's only been one contract. These are facilities where the union has been around for 20 years or more ... so you get the benefit of years of negotiated pay raises and benefits, where they've built better packages over a series of contracts.

And in those cases, non-union pay and benefits simply suck (for lack of a better term) when you compare them to long term unionized facilities.

But, that's just where I live. Drive several miles in any direction (like San Diego) and I'm sure the situation can completely change. I guess everybody has to check out the particular area they're interested in and see for themselves whether unions deliver or not because I'm sure it can also vary widely by region.

:typing

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Specializes in Telemetry/Cardiac Floor.
The link is wrong....... please correct....... over and out :blushkiss

Sorry, should be correct now.:D

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Specializes in Telemetry/Cardiac Floor.
Unfortunately, that means little. I'm originally from CA and cannot afford to return. My sister recently (2 years ago) bought a house in Orange County and paid approx. $560,000 for a 50 year old brick rancher. Her husband makes about $95,000 and her income varies depending on how many shifts she works each week. They barely make it each month. She has to work when he is home because they have 3 young children and childcare is about $150 per week per child. Wages might be lower in other areas, but housing costs are SUSTANTIALLY lower. San Francisico is even more expensive. It's crazy!

True enough, the cost of living is high in Cali. I was justing stating the wage facts, not debating whether or not someone could support their family with those wages in the cities or states listed.

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This is why a nurse needs a union. :uhoh21: :uhoh21: :eek: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=38048

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Specializes in Critical Care.
I do think Timothy has a good point here. The cost of living is much cheaper in Texas so, if you make $50K or $60K there's probably a good chance of coming out of head more financially than if you make $80K in the Bay Area, for example.

And maybe they do have a good point about unions too. Union membership does tend to be higher in more expensive areas so, I can see how the cost of living does have the potential to wipe out any increased salary and other benefits that unions deliver.

All I know is that in my particular area in SoCal (which is not San Diego, btw) I can only get better pay with a union facility. And I definitely cannot get a defined benefit pension without working for a union facility. Some of the non-union hospitals used to have defined benefit pensions but, they don't anymore ... they've phased them out for new hires.

Now ... these union facilities aren't newly organized facilities like Scripps Encinitas where there's only been one contract. These are facilities where the union has been around for 20 years or more ... so you get the benefit of years of negotiated pay raises and benefits, where they've built better packages over a series of contracts.

And in those cases, non-union pay and benefits simply suck (for lack of a better term) when you compare them to long term unionized facilities.

But, that's just where I live. Drive several miles in any direction (like San Diego) and I'm sure the situation can completely change. I guess everybody has to check out the particular area they're interested in and see for themselves whether unions deliver or not because I'm sure it can also vary widely by region.

:typing

And Lizz, I take YOUR point. I would agree that some places and areas NEED unions. I would not hesitate to become a member if I felt my well-being and the well-being of my pts would be benefitted by it.

But, there is a difference between saying that unions are SOMETIMES beneficial and saying that they are ALWAYS beneficial. I see lots of posting in this TEXAS forum about unions by nurses in other states trying to ramp up publicity for unions in Texas because of the belief that unionizing all nurses is a great thing.

I tend to rail against that and that can sometimes come across as a general smear of unions. I will say for the record: unions have their place. BUT, that place isn't EVERYWHERE.

And I feel blessed to work for a place that I think unions aren't necessary. I'm well compensated, I have a 503b plan AND a regular retirement plan. We have excellent ratios. AND, I live where I want to be. IN MY CASE, a union would spoil a good thing. I do not extend that to everyone, everywhere.

~faith,

Timothy.

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[banana]That was an EXCELLENT post![/banana]

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How much do R. N. make in

Dallas Texas BSN Acls certified also had a law degree

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