After reading past informal survey posts on allnurses, I wanted to pose this question for 2013. The intent of this post to to give myself and others a good range of pay for nurses across the US right now based on experience and location. This will be an informal guide for me to start a masters paper on (Subject: area cost of living and nurses salary). Several years ago I believe Houston was voted for best place for a nurse with cost of living adjusted, but I think this might be changing.
Things to note while reading other's salaries:
-Generally, high paying locations relate to high cost of living (SF, NYC, etc). The reverse seems to be true as well (lower cost of living=lower pay). 65$/hr may be the norm in San Francisco, but the average 1br apartment is $2800 without parking and a house costs well over $1 million. Please take this into account. We live in a big country and cost of living varies widely (especially housing costs)
If you post, please state your:
1. State you work in
2. Years of experience
3. Specialty/unit and work setting (clinic, hospital, prison, etc)
Hello veggie530 I hope you don't mind me asking, where is this hospital?? San Jose/San Fo? LA or OC? That rate is huge for a new grad! New Grad here too :)
Cost of living: Orlando has a pretty high cost of living compared to most of the south. I have a 1300 sq foot 3br house in a moderate neighborhood for $1400. / mo.
4) 22.83 base. Started at $21.50 base as a new grad. Applied recently with a competing hospital, and the recruiter laughed and asked if my stated salary was a typo.
5)$3/nights. $1/weekends.
6) 2-3 years ago, we voted the union in...2nd hospital in Texas to do it. After 2 years of still no contract and the union organizers acting like thugs, we kicked them out.
Yeah, it looks like even factoring in for cost of living, some areas pay better than others. Some of the lowest wage areas don't have col that are that low.
For example,
1. Wyoming
2. 8 years
3. State facility - developmentally disabled
4. $24/hr
5. 5% diff night/ weekend
6. No union
I was lucky to get this job - I am getting more $$ than the RNs at the hospital basically cuz health ins is very low cost and theirs is outrageous. Also low stress, set schedule, pension, no cancelled shifts.
Housing - IF you can find a decent rental $1000+ a month 3 b. r. Most of the apartments are very ghetto, old and small. A 2 BR runs $700+
I bought a 2 BR 900 sq ft - very basic home for $135k.
New grads come here from all over, get their golden 1 yr acute care exp and leave.
jedromey
4 Posts
Hello veggie530 I hope you don't mind me asking, where is this hospital?? San Jose/San Fo? LA or OC? That rate is huge for a new grad! New Grad here too :)