Highest possible pay for ADN/RN

Nursing Students ADN/BSN

Published

Hello,

My name is Paul and I'm hoping some here can give me some advice and opinions.

Long story short is My age is 44 and I am currently making 90k per year as an IT person but have very little college. I'm burnt out as I've been in IT for nearly 20 years and would like to do something else.

My sister is a Dr. and I have a yearning to help people. I'm also a health nut and enjoy medical things. I'm thinking about going to college and getting my ADN/RN. My questions are this:

1. Is it possible to make my current salary of 90k per year as an RN? What route would be the best to take to get there? I think I would enjoy critical care and ER work. Also possibly OR nursing.

2. Is what I'm asking feasible? It's been a long time since I've been in school. I'm a smart guy but I've struggled with math in the past and it's been a long time since I've done any math.

Thanks in advance for your help and advice!!!

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I am in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex of Texas. New grad RNs can expect to earn starting wages in the $23 to $26/hourly range at the local hospital systems in this area. In addition, most hospital systems either prefer or outright require new grads to already have earned the BSN degree.

Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.
Thanks for the reply. I live in Texas. If I look on the job boards and even in the newspaper there are jobs asking for nurses all over the place. Maybe these are all looking for experience and that is the key to any job I assume is to have the experience so that someone will want to hire you.

Thanks again for the reply.

in SE Texas, took me 40 years to make 90k/yr

Specializes in Critical Care.
In the SF Bay Area of California, ADN nurses are easily earning six figures working less than full time hours. Good luck landing a job though. Especially if you "only" have your ADN. (I know....I know....) There is one hospital that I know of that is only hiring BSN, and in fact, have told all of their ADN nurses that if they do not go back to school and get their BSN by 2020, they will be out of a job. Fired. This includes the nurses that are on the hospital payroll in home health, hospice, and the various Dr's offices.

But when starter homes there are $500,000 to 750,000 plus, the wages still don't go very far. The median national salary for a nurse is $65,000 and that is for experienced nurses. Sure you can make more if you are willing to put in overtime! What I know is that $90,000 is not the norm in most of the country.

Specializes in ER, ICU.

Possible, yes, feasible, no. If you worked your way into a high demand speciality, then worked at a hospital where they allowed overtime, and worked a bunch of it, perhaps. Otherwise just get two jobs, 1 Mon-Wed, the other Th-Sat.

Specializes in Forensic Psych.

My mom made six figures a year as nurse straight out of the gate in Texas. It's how she supported us as a single mother and paid for our college.

She worked 2 jobs 6 nights a week, almost every weekend.

It's possible, but the quality of like required wouldn't necessarily be worth it.

As a Texas new grad myself, I can make ~ $75k a year working my one job 4xs a week. But it's not worth it in my case, as it just ends up putting my husband and I into the next tax bracket and it's as if didn't work that extra shift at all...

My mom made six figures a year as nurse straight out of the gate in Texas. It's how she supported us as a single mother and paid for our college.

She worked 2 jobs 6 nights a week, almost every weekend.

It's possible, but the quality of like required wouldn't necessarily be worth it.

As a Texas new grad myself, I can make ~ $75k a year working my one job 4xs a week. But it's not worth it in my case, as it just ends up putting my husband and I into the next tax bracket and it's as if didn't work that extra shift at all...

Thats a pretty common misconception, thats not how tax brackets really work. Everyone thinks that they get pushed to a higher bracket then they just end up losing the money or it ends up not being worth it. Keep in mind that tax brackets is exactly that: brackets. Your earned income up to the max for bracket 1 gets taxed at bracket 1. Your income at bracket 2 gets taxed at bracket 2.

Assuming you are in the 25 percent tax bracket rate. Your whole income DOES NOT get taxed at 25 percent, only that portion that hits that bracket.

Tax Fact: The Misconception of Being “Pushed Into a Higher Tax Bracket”

I know this has nothing to do with the OPs question but I just noticed that most people are always believing in this myth so decided to just post this when I read it.

As for the OP, 90k as a new grad. Even in NYC is unlikely unless you are working overtime, extra part time, or per diem job on the side.

Let's presume you're lucky enough to find a desirable job immediately following your schooling/NCLEX. You could expect to make half of what you currently do, starting in this new career. You could climb up to 60-70k with time, hard work, and dedication. And fyi, in my experience, ASN and BSN holding RNs make about the same.

Specializes in PACU.

My mom is an ADN/RN and makes $50/hr without shift differential but has been a nurse 20ish years and works right outside of Boston.

Specializes in School Nursing.

Where in TX are you? Hubby is a degreed (Master's) and has been in IT for 20 years- he'd love to make 90k!

Okay, seriously though, it's an employers market right now and jobs aren't easy to come by. LTC is about all that's hiring new grads and even then you're having to pound pavement to get an interview.. You'll work your orifice off and to make anything extra you'll need overtime, something they DON'T like to do!

I definitely recommend you shadowing/volunteering before switching careers because chances are you'll be either working 100+ hours a week or taking quite a pay cut out of the gate.

On the flip side, you might LOVE it, and if you scale down your spending you might find it to be the best decision you ever made. :)

Hello,

My name is Paul and I'm hoping some here can give me some advice and opinions.

Long story short is My age is 44 and I am currently making 90k per year as an IT person but have very little college. I'm burnt out as I've been in IT for nearly 20 years and would like to do something else.

My sister is a Dr. and I have a yearning to help people. I'm also a health nut and enjoy medical things. I'm thinking about going to college and getting my ADN/RN. My questions are this:

1. Is it possible to make my current salary of 90k per year as an RN? What route would be the best to take to get there? I think I would enjoy critical care and ER work. Also possibly OR nursing.

2. Is what I'm asking feasible? It's been a long time since I've been in school. I'm a smart guy but I've struggled with math in the past and it's been a long time since I've done any math.

Thanks in advance for your help and advice!!!

Depends where you live. I have an ADN, work in the ER and make that much. Been a nurse for about 5 years. I live in CT. I often work 12 hours of OT a week though. I also suck at math. My first year full time I made about 60k.

Good luck!

Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.
I often work 12 hours of OT a week though. I also suck at math. My first year full time I made about 60k.

Good luck!

Love this. Yep, I have coworkers that write down every clock-in, clock-out, double check every calculation payroll makes and you know what? They find errors off and on. Guess I'm just gonna get cheated a little because payroll has managed to totally confuse me what with my three different differentials that phase in and out all weekend (evenings, nights, weekend nights, weekend evenings, weekend plan evening pay, weekend plan nights. . . ).

If I make within $100-200 dollars of the same amount and I didn't take PTO or work an on call, I just move on.

+ Add a Comment