Salaries according to Specialties

Published

Hi, i'm a future student who will probably be graduating in 2014 or 16' and i was wondering what specialties or field as an RN most commonly have a payscale of over 65,ooo/yr with at most a BSN. I know salary shouldn't be my main priority but I keep seeing a few threads where some salaries are as low as 30k-45k and wanted to know what i may be expecting if i were to pursue nursing degree and maybe do something in oncology or Med/Surg and maybe OB...

i have checked a few salaries on salary.com and a few other sites but they can kinda be vague. Also, if you dont mind... sharing your own experiences with salaries it would be greatly appreciated!!

I'm a male, live in Cali, and somewhat plan on still living in the LA area (Burbank) for the majority of my life (maybe spend a few years as a traveling nurse) working for a regular sized hospital and was wondering if i had to pursue a MSN to have a 80k+ salary on a 40-50/hr week schedule even after 2-3 yrs experience with a BSN or even an ADN.

Thx in advanced

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Also i've read a few articles saying how the job expectancy is suppose to increase by 20+% in the next few years but i see a few people saying here and there how hard it supposedly is going to be to find a job even as an RN?... can someone also clarify on this? Thx again..

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, Capacity/Bed Management.

RN salary varies widely based on location (Louisiana vs. California) and field (Case Manager vs. Staff RN). Each state has a different standard of living while 65K might be the median salary in say California it might not be the case in Louisiana where the standard of living is less and so 45K may actually be pretty good money.

Salary usually does not vary between ASN and BSN, to facilities an RN is an RN. Also most facilities do not pay ICU RN's differently than their Med/Surg counterparts. However, they do offer incentives like an extra 2 dollars an hour if they attain certification in their specialty (CCRN, CNRN, CEN, etc.)

80K is certainly do-able, some RN's have a full-time job where they may work 3, 12 hour shifts a week and then have a per-diem job elsewhere which usually pays considerably more because the facility does not provide the employee with benefits.

Hope this helps

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

See www.bls.gov - lots of wage data by occupation and geograhic location. Also peruse the job listings on websites of hospitals in your area -- not all list pay, but some do, and there is generally not a radical difference in pay from hospital to hospital within the same market.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

critical care nursing pays more in my area. We also pay extra for night shift. THe smart thing to do is become a good nurse, then be willing to float to other areas. You might find yourself to be more valuable that way.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

In my hospital there is no pay difference from unit to unit weather that be med/surg, ICU, OB, or any other specialty. All new nurses start out at the same rate, the only way you can make any more is with prior experience. There is no additional money for certifications, no difference between adn/bsn. New grads start out around 21.50 an hour in my facility with a shift diff. of $4.00 for working nights. Nothing extra for weekends. This is the standard around the area I live in, a fairly large city in the midwest.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thx everyone appreciate it just wanted to make sure i wouldn't be struggling while living on my own after a yr or two

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion